Eye in the Sky: Urban Chic in Cebu City's La Maison Rose

I've wanted to visit "La Maison Rose" 3 or 4 Cebu visits ago, but for some reason, I kept putting it off. But I am weary of crowded restaurants. i wanted to visit during off-peak hours. Finally, after visiting Jumallon Butterfly Farm/Museum in Basak, I decided to head straight to the "Pink House" - at 4 PM, perfect when you don't want a crowd.

Once seated, a tablet was handed to me by a waitress dressed as a French maid. This tablet was my menu. I'd have to pick food from an array then complete it without much fanfare using the tablet. If you'd require the presence of the waitress, you can just holler. I chose the set meal: roast chicken, shrimp and pomelo salad, and banana crumble. No wine for me at 4 PM.

While the exterior is an uninteresting pink building that has seen better days (which also houses the city's Institut Francais), the interior is a different story. In fact, it transports you to another world. One hallway is conceptualized as a pared-down French quarter; the next room is the appropriately gaudy Shanghainese hallway, with the lurid colors of red, pink and blue-green; war-time Chinese posters; colorful lanterns, parapluie de Chinois, a piano, etc. There's a long French table decorated with flowers. The whole concept turns into a fusion of French and Shanghainese gastronomic underbelly.

Food is heavenly, I was particularly surprised with the concoction of shrimp and pomelo. Who would have thought? Finally, dessert was Banana Crumble: baked banana underneath the cookie crumbles freshly served from the oven. Delectable. I wanted to try the macaroons from the neighboring cafe ("La Vie Parisienne") but I was too stuffed to even attempt. Gluttony, after all, is a sin.

Cebu constantly waits to be rediscovered through its myriad of activities, food, sparkling and modern malls. No wonder "Travel and Leisure"shortlists this city among its Top 10 best islands of the year, alongside Palawan and Boracay.

"La Maison Rose" (The Pink House) is located along 371 Gorordo Avenue in Lahug, Cebu City, close to the Church of Latter Day Saints compound. Seats seem limited during lunch and dinner so it would be wise to call (032) 260-4388.

This is the Eye in the Sky!