Cebu restaurants gear up for Sinulog guests influx

CEBU, Philippines - While city hotels enjoy high occupancy rates this Sinulog season, establishments in the food and beverage sector also gear up for the anticipated peak season of the year considering the influx of tourists and diners in Cebu every third week of January.

Summit Circle’s C2 Classic Cuisine sales and marketing manager Jaybee Flores-Aquino said that guests would get to enjoy their reservations since the restaurant is situated at the 4th level of Summit Circle Hotel, overlooking the historic Fuente Osmeña Circle and the busy Gen. Maxilom Avenue.

“The view here is great. You can witness the Sinulog Grand Parade and the merriment in an air-conditioned dining area with no hassle and guaranteed security,” she said.

With a month of preparation, Summit Circle converted its three function halls to dining areas to cater to more guests. The restaurant could accommodate from 110 to 120 diners while their function rooms could house up to 180 persons. 

Aquino noted that they have received higher number of reservations this year for their restaurant and function rooms compared to last year. To date, they are already 50-percent booked for this busy weekend.

Most of them, she cited, are balikbayans and corporate groups that come in 15 to 20 persons. She clarified that they also cater to last-minute walk-in guests depending on the availability of the seats.

C2 Classic Cuisine offers lunch buffet at the restaurant from 11 AM to 3 PM at P550 per person. They could also choose to avail of the lunch and dinner buffet package at P999. Those who have booked reservations at the converted function rooms could enjoy the lunch buffet and lechon at P799 per person.

It is offering food-to-go packs ranging from P150 to P250 that guests could take with them outside the hotel. The basic package includes sandwiches, banana and bottled water.

Aquino further advised would-be diners to book early next year to avail of the premium seats near the window of the restaurant and enjoy the good view of uptown Cebu.

Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort Marketing Communications Manager Aileen Quijano said that they will showcase a surge of local flavors in this year’s Sinulog festival through its concept dubbed as “Sulog sa Bluewater 2014”.

This will include Pista Cebuana which is a barrio fiesta special event featuring Classic Cebuana cuisine and a Sinulog –inspired cultural show from 6 PM to 9 PM on Saturday, Sulog-Sugba that is a Churrasco-style grill buffet from 11:30 AM to 2 PM on Sunday and Painit ug Kakanin that will offer homegrown merienda favorites from 3 PM to 5 PM on Sunday.

Quijano meanwhile cited that they are also fully booked with their room accommodations on January 17 and 18 while they have received 80 percent reservations of their rooms on the 19th. Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort has a total of 162 rooms.

“Most of our guests who have booked with us this weekend are locals and balikbayans. They reserved their accommodations with us either because city hotels are mostly fully booked or they want to have vacation at the beach at the same time, celebrate Sinulog,” she said.

Charlene Go, public relations manager of Cebu City Marriott Hotel, said that they have prepared for the Sinulog celebration by introducing a Filipino-themed concept in their restaurant this weekend.

“We want them to capture the real dining experience of Filipinos especially for our foreign guests,” she said, adding that they have received a lot of inquiries and reservations for the festival season.

Cebu Parklane International Hotel general manager Cenelyn Manguilimotan said that aside from a preview of the Sinulog dance performances, they will also highlight Cebuano cuisines in their menu on January 17 through its “Pasundayag Sugbu” event. /JOB  (FREEMAN)