Ribs and Relaxation at The Porch

There's a new resto in town. It's called The Porch. Aptly so, because it looks like a ranch slash country home. It stands out as the clean white house in the midst of a very busy street. There are also these little things - a mini library, a mailbox and a bird cage - that makes it feel like a home away from home. It's a small place, sure, and yet it doesn't feel tight.

The place gets packed quick!

According to Therese, the resident marketing person, The Porch is actually the express branch of Casa Verde. For those who don't know Casa Varde, it's this local, family run restaurant in Cebu known for its humongous and succulent ribs and steaks. But the ambiance in The Porch is very different from Casa Varde (particularly the UP branch). The Porch is a very slow and laid back place as compared to the usually very active UP branch.

Feels like coming home.

Aside from that, The Porch is a more casual dining experience. They have a counter where you order your food from. On busy nights, you could see the line stretching to the outside the house. 

 

 Therese and Bett at the counter.

 

Right: The line at the counter when we left.

 

The specialty - Brian's Ribs (P250)

The menus of the Town Center branch and the Porch are practically identical save for a few items.

We decided to try items that are unique to the Porch, since I'm already a big fan of Casa Verde's steaks and ribs. (Which are both top-notch, by the way.)

A unique tasting Mushroom Soup (P128)

The Mushroom Soup is pretty unique. It has a subtle sweet note and it's more milky than creamy. Still pretty good though.

Left: The Mushroom Soup's mushrooms Right: Squash Soup (P128)

The best selling pasta, Seafood Carbonara (P200)

One of the best sellers in Cebu, according to Therese. And for good reason! This was a really creamy and delectable dish with generous amounts of squid, shrimp and mushroom bits.

Best Sampler (P328) is the best!

This sampler isn't unique to the porch, but we thought we'd get it to try all of the appetizers at once. It was a pretty generous platter, considering it's just a sampler. The sampler consists of Bacon and Cheese Potato Skins with Sour Cream, Cheese Sticks with Marinara, and my favorite, Buffalo Wings with Blue Cheese. All of which are so good and tasty and are sure to wet your appetite before getting your ribs!

Dessert time! Caramel Macchiato Ice Cream Cake (P218) and the Green Tea Ice Cake (P208).

The Caramel Macchiato was really good! It's very sweet, much like the Starbucks coffee with the same name. And it has a crunchy texture to it that we liked. But be warned, it's a large piece of cake. One slice is probably already good for 2-3 people!

The Green Tea Cake, on the other hand, had a very strong green tea flavor. If you're looking something different for dessert that isn't too sweet, then this is for you.

Taking pictures and enjoying the good food!

For the appreciation of those who are wondering what else is found in the Porch menu that isn't in the UP branch, here they are:

1. Fisherman's Platter 
2. Mixed Greens with Strawberry Vinaigrette 
3. Jayden's White Choco Chill Out 
4. Ribs by the Bucket! (Brian's Ribs times 4 with rice and iced tea!)

Every time I go to Cebu, I always made it a point to go to Casa Verde for the ribs. Having The Porch so near my house is great news! I don't have to go to Cebu for their food anymore! The Porch is practically 2 cartwheels away from our house! ("Dalawang tambling lang!" - the expression, clearly, does not translate well.)

We had a great meal. We were so full! And I'm sure your families would enjoy this place too! So come on and visit The Porch - a family friendly, cozy and relaxing, casual dining restaurant that serves American cuisine with generous servings at an affordable Filipino price!

Thank you, Ms. Therese!

The Porch is located at Matino St., Sikatuna Village, Q.C. It's very near the Maginhawa St. area. (And btw, don't worry about parking, they have their own, unlike in Maginhawa where parking is a rare commodity.) It's open Monday - Sunday, 10 am - 10 pm.

PARKING! WOOHOO!!!

For more info, follow The Porch's Facebook by clicking the image below!