The Veranda Cebu's Grand Opening at the Parkmall

CEBU, Philippines – We interrupt your daily program to bring you another weekend in Cebu lifestyle. We have been hitting refresh lately on our nightlife until the countdown to Veranda's reopening finally starts. Last October 8, friends, nocturnal Cebu regulars and the media finally witnessed the highly anticipated return of their favorite hangout as Veranda Cebu hosted an opening with cocktails, Elmer Dado and Gruppo Tribbale.

The old Veranda at Juana Osmeña Extension has moved to Parkmall and is now bigger, better and bolder! If you have been spending enough time on your couch to grow roots, you wouldn't have noticed that Veranda has been closed for five years now. The new Veranda still holds the central theme of the original restobar. "The central theme being a place where you feel at home," said Charles Osmeña, Loft Cebu and Veranda's Marketing Director. "The added bonus is that we have improved it, systemized it and brought it closer to the patrons."

Their wifi, band schedules, coffee and sandwiches will be up soon on their menu but so far, the Veranda boasts of Spanish dishes that don't come out of one of those glossy Spanish Cuisine books. Instead, their scrumptious dishes have been dictated to us by our mothers, grandmothers and housewives, and tried out in our kitchen. Dishes that don't go beyond P150 make everyone choose their orders according to personal preferences. The original veranda favorites such as the lengua and callos are definitely must-tries and Charles recommends their pescados ala plata for tapa and tomato salad.

"At the veranda, we let our hair down and just do almost everything we can do at home," said Osmeña. "So if a patron wants to do what is done at home but is looking for a different ambiance from a residence, as well, then it is the Veranda."

Call it the co-production of everything grand but when you bring one thing and somebody else brings another thing, a sort of alchemy happens. Thank you Loft, Penthouse and The Veranda Cebu.

The Veranda Cebu is located at Parkmall Ouano Avenue, Mandaue Reclamation Area Cebu. Operating hours from 10am-2am from Sundays to Thursdays and 10am-3am, Fridays and Saturdays. Dress code is only in effect at the non-smoking air conditioned area on Fridays and Saturdays. (FREEMAN)