Last week I went to Cebu City to attend my younger brother’s oath taking. Denzel is the first psychometrician in the family and we are very happy about it. Also attending is my cousin, Shane, who is based in Cebu City. They served merienda during the event but the three of us need real dinner to cap the night off.
Shane took me and Denz to this awesome pizza place named Pizza Republic “Pick + Mix” by Giuseppe Genco, located at Salinas Drive, Lahug. Unlike other pizza restaurants, where they have a menu for the kind of pizza you want, Pizza Republic lets you make your own pizza by letting you choose which ingredients will be put on your pizza. Each order of pizza is only P245. Also, their pizza is thin crust and would be a nice choice for health buffs who want to go on a cheat day.
Aside from Pizza Republic’s pizza sauce and cheese, my brother had these put in our pizza: turkey ham, lots and lots of bacon, pepperoni, pineapple, button mushroom, corn, egg, and tomato. Our cousin described the combination of ingredients as odd but me and Denz enjoyed it.
Our cousin went for a more classical route when it came to what to put on her pizza, which included green bell pepper, caramelized onions, pineapple, pepperoni, olives, mushroom, and drizzled with chili flakes.
For desserts, the pizza parlor also serves gelato at P85 for 100ml and P145 for 250ml. Flavors available include Vanilla, Seasalt Caramel, Belgian Chocolate, Silky Avocado, Durian, Strawberry, Pistachio, Ube, and Mango. They also serve Frozen Brazo, Banoffee Pie, Mango Chocnut, and Toblerone Cheesecake.
To sum it all up, Pizza Republic was an awesome restaurant. It was a whole new dining experience. Choosing what to put on your pizza was really fun. We enjoyed eating it knowing that we somehow took part in the making of it.
For dessert, our cousin recommended that we try La Marea at the Cebu I.T. Park. The small shop offers a wide selection of pastries that will surely satisfy your sweet tooth. La Marea is also known for its brownie ala mode, which is available in different flavors.
We ordered Peanut Butter Warm Brownie Cup, Blueberry Warm Brownie Cup, White Chocolate Coconut Warm Brownie Cup (I think this is what my cousin ordered), and a mini Smores Cake. We then paired these with tea.
If you do not have a very sweet tooth, I do not recommend the Blueberry Warm Brownie Cup and the White Chocolate Coconut Warm Brownie Cup because they are really sweet. However. both were delicious.
I love a chocolate and peanut butter combination, so the Peanut Butter Warm Brownie Cup was simply divine. Personally, I think the peanut butter, brownie, and vanilla ice cream complemented each other making a delicious dessert. It was not also very sweet, it was just right.
The Smores cake on the other hand was somehow a disappointment. I had high expectations for it when I saw it but when I took a bite, I was not happy about it. It tasted good but it seems like it was just an ordinary cake. I can’t even put together my experience on it.
Overall, the La Marea experience was satisfying. I think I would give it another shot when I visit Cebu City again and try their other pastries.
To sum it all up, our mini food trip at the Queen City of the South was fun especially when we were choosing what to put on our pizza at Pizza Republic and that wonderful and delicious Peanut Butter Warm Brownie Cup. Being around with family also added to the fun of the night.