KUL Kitchen: 'Tis One Really COOL Kitchen

Me and my foodie partner, Mr Kyme, have been eyeing Kul Kitchen whenever we think about where to eat in Cebu. We were just waiting for the right chance. That chance came on a rainy Sunday evening after church time. My youngest brother was with us, and we all wanted to try some place new. So, to IT park we went off.

We've passed the area a lot of times, and it was almost always buzzing with people. Sunday evening was quiet and less populated though. The ambiance was relaxing. There was some upbeat music going on but in a very low volume. The lighting is nice. It was bright enough for us to see our food yet not too bright to make me feel like I'm in the spotlight every time I take a bite (LOL). The colors were warm and relaxing. 

 

Table Eighteen

 

The Counter

 Their Menu 

They  really had a wide variety of food options. Whether you are up for some pasta, meat, seafood or greens, there is bound to be something for you on their menu. 

I was not very hungry that time, so I had their Fettuccini Carbonara for P130. It was served with a toasted garlic bread. The carbonara is worth its price when it comes to the taste and generous serving. I am not a fan of the bread though. I like the softer one (read: not toasted).

  

Mr Kyme could not decide what to get for himself. Since he is fond of calamari, I ordered one for him, thinking that all calamari are done the way I have encountered them done. Sad to say, I was wrong. This is Kul Kitchen's calamari. It is very different from the crispy fried squid rings that Mr Kyme gets when he orders calamari, and needless to say, he was not pleased with this one. At P130, it was not really worth it. Even the taste did not make any impact. The only thing I enjoyed with this dish is the tomatoes. Mr Kyme did not enjoyed it at all.

 

My youngest brother made the best choice for dinner that night. He chose the Cheeze Ribs for P150. It came with two generous portions of thoroughly-cooked, meat-laden ribs sitting in a bowl of creamy tomato paste and oozing with cheese  right in their midst. My brother consumed two cups of rice to go with this one even after Mr Kyme and I had our share of this delight. 

 

A cup of rice costs P15. Although it was hot, there were some "dukot" parts in it. I am not really complaining since I love hot "dukot", but it was not very pleasing to the eye. The pitcher of iced tea cost P90 and can quench the hunger of 4 hungry people tops.

          

My brother's "BUSOG LOOK"

Mr  Kyme and I could not get over the cheeze ribs. Because we were not able to enjoy it as much as we like due to limited portions only for us, we visited Kul at their The Strip branch the following night. 

We had Sola lemon, which we lovingly shared with each other. We were not up for a lot of drinks and were really just hungry (LOL)

The pasta-lover in me was up again that night. I wanted something not so heavy and opted for their Spinach Pasta for P120. The serving was quite generous. My companion even helped himself to spoonfuls of it. Again, the bread was toasted. Maybe I can request for it not to be done that way  next time. The pasta is really creamy, but it lacked a bit of more of the cheesy flavor that is necessary to drown out the vegetable part of the sauce. We ended up with an empty plate on this one though.

Mr Kyme's order was the Cheeze Ribs. I had my share of it, too :)

To rate Kul Kitchen:

Food: Exciting! This is because you never know what you get. If you are simply hungry, you might not appreciate this, but if you are as adventurous as I am when it comes to food, then Kul Kitchen is one of the best places for you. 

Service: Nice and laid-back. My brother pointed out how "chill" the place is. The service crews were not the type who can and will intimated. I find the crew at their Strip branch more friendly though.

Ambiance: The overall effect of their location makes me feel comfortable when dining there. Whether it is the IT Park branch or the one at The Strip, I am able to enjoy my food without getting all conscious with their staff. The interiors of the restaurants are also relaxing. 

Kul Kitchen

Address 1: Skyrise Bldg., IT Park, Lahug

Phone #: 238-7988

Open 24 hours Monday-Friday

Address 2: The Strip, Jones Avenue

Phone #: 2535082

Open until 10pm daily

Payment Methods: Cash & Card (minimum of P300)

Kuya J Restaurant: Where Natal Date Was Celebrated

So, it was the nth birthday. The initial plan was to go to Chopsticks for the family dinner since my mom (if you haven't read the other entries in this blog) loves Chinese cuisine. However, me and Mr Kyme already tried the place out. We loved it, but we wanted to go somewhere different, and there are still a lot of places to go if the question is all about where to eat in Cebu. 

We were looking at three different places I've been wanting to go to, and choose Kuya J Restaurant because it had a lot of seafood on its menu, which is my mom's favorites as well. When you think about it, seafoods is healthier than Chinese dishes, too. Not that we love Chinese a bit less. 

Anyway, we were not able to get a reservation earlier that day, and it was a Sunday, so we decided to go there early to avoid not getting any seats. After all, Sunday is family day. It was our first time to go there, and the only thing I know is that it is near Yayoy's Grill, which I have visited once or twice more than a year ago. Kuya J was really easy to locate though.                     

 

Center

Right Side

Left Side

This is how it looks from outside. 16-20 people can be comfortably accommodated outside and around 25-30 people inside. The good thing about their outdoor dining setup is the fact that the restaurant is located in a residential neighborhood. Hence, not a lot of vehicles go through the area. One does not have to worry about smoke, dirt and dust getting into the food.

                                   

Table for 7

We opted for the table inside in spite of the nice weather to get a better look at the restaurant. They had 3 long tables that can accommodate larger groups and another 3 table for couples. The entire feel of the interiors do not match the name of the establishment. In fact, me and my siblings do not think the name gives justice to the restaurant. It deserves a better name. That's a decision the management has control over though. This is just our point of view. 

Lighting Decor (The small round things resemble small sea urchins minus the actual content)

White walls + Hip & Trendy Ornaments = Lovely place to dine

Sea Urchin Ball of Lights

The counter

Stairs leading up. Wasn't able to ask though about what is up there.

Another unique lighting fixture by the door

Wall decor (Hearts Day is still around!)

Left part of the room

The people were very accommodating. We ordered the following, which were served in 20-25 minutes. It was probably because we were the first customers there that day.

                                 

Baked Scallops

Siniganga (Tanguige)

Tuna Panga

Sizzling (Tuna) Sisig

Sizzling Bangus Teriyaki

Spicy Calamares

Grilled Pork Belly

Adobong Kangkong

(Cold) Calamansi Juice

Watermelon Shake

I forgot to take a photo of the fresh buko juice (in nicely-cut coconut minus the husk) and mango shake which some of us ordered. I also was not able to take a photo of the garlic rice platter, which had some eggs in it. There were 9 of us in the group, and we finished 3 and a half platters of rice that was good for 3-4 people each.

Since my friend Rishee asked me to post photos of the menu on my next post, I really took time to capture every entry in the menu. Unfortunately, the SOUPS part is lost. All the others are here though. My apologies to those who are checking out the Soups above it all.

                                  

                                   

                                   

                                    

                                  

Dessert (Goldilocks Black Forest)

I really appreciate how nice their customer service was. They offered us dessert, and when we mentioned that we brought cake because one of us is celebrating her birthday, they (without us asking about/for it) brought us some saucers and dessert spoons. I was so happy with that gesture that the service crews got the largest amount of tip I have left ever in a restaurant. Thank you again, Kuya J people! I made the right decision to bring my family there instead of the many other places to eat in Cebu . 

To rate Kuya J Restaurant:

Billed: P2310 for 9 very busog (full) and contented people! There were even some unfinished business with the tuna panga, which they packed for us. 

Service: One of the few that really made me happy. Keep it up!

Ambiance: Really nice. It made me not want to go home. It is also good for couples and romantic dinners, but perfect for families and large groups of friends or colleagues.

 

Kuya J Restaurant

0394 Orchid St. Capitol Site

Cebu City

(From Capitol Bldg., go straight ahead until Joven's Grill. Turn right and go straight ahead. Turn right on the third corner. Go straight ahead. Kuya J is on the right side of the road.

Contact #: 322531343