Dining Snippets in Cebu/Bohol (2022): Tavolata x The Buzzz Café of Bohol Bee Farm x Molly’s Bistro

TAVOLATA

For my last meal in Cebu before taking a ferry over to Bohol, my good friends John and Marj brought me to Tavolata – a pizzeria with drop-dead gorgeous interiors that make you forget that it’s simply a casual restaurant inside an Ayala Mall.

TAVOLATA SALAD (P495)

We started off with the Tavolata Salad which came with generous slices of parmesan cheese and crunchy pancetta atop a fresh medley of lettuce. Definitely a salad that would convince non-salad eaters to start eating salads!

TAVOLATA PIZZA (P400 to P450)

Unfortunately, I can’t recall what particular pizza flavor we got – but it came layered with cheese, tangy tomato sauce and fresh mushrooms. You wouldn’t mind that it came with thick crust as the crust tasted glorious on its own. Save some to scrape up your pasta sauces! The pizza heavily relies on the quality of its toppings – that’s why it doesn’t have to go crazy with its topping combinations!

PAPPARDELLE (P595)

For our pasta dish, we opted for the Pappardelle – an incredibly full-bodied flavored veal-ragu pasta balanced with the sweetness and tanginess of tomatoes and paired with wild mushrooms. You wouldn’t want to waste any drop of its delicious sauce – which is why the tasty pizza crust you’ve set aside comes in handy!

Tavolata

4F The Terraces, Ayala Center Cebu

Date of Visit: June 11, 2022 with Marj Peteros and John Cabrera

THE BUZZZ OF BOHOL BEE FARM

In Panglao, my friends Lisa and Jolly and I dropped by the new Moadto Strip Mall – which is conveniently located next to a beachfront – where you can sneak in food and drinks in the middle of your leisurely beach strolls. One popular fixture in the mall is The Buzzz of Bohol Bee Farm.

SALTED HONEY ICE CREAM

We decided that an ice cream would be the best companion we can have while strolling along the sunny beachfront. The Buzzz had a wide selection of flavors – however, Moringa was the highly recommended one. I wasn’t in the mood to be adventurous so I opted for their Salted Honey Ice Cream (thinking that since Bohol Bee Farm specializes in Bees – the honey must be good)! Unfortunately, I couldn’t really pick up on any honey flavor in the ice cream – it was good, don’t get me wrong – but it felt like it was closer to Salted Caramel than Salted Honey.

Nonetheless, I couldn’t stop raving about how unique and how delicious its cassava cone that it came with was! Despite seeming to be more delicate and fragile than your ordinary cone, the crisp cassava cone effortlessly holds the weight of the creamy ice cream. It’s so good that I don’t mind snacking on the cone itself (which is available for purchase in their retail store)!

The Buzzz of Bohol Bee Farm

Modala, Moadto Strip, Panglao Island

Date of Visit: June 12, 2022 with Jolly Aganon and Lisa Manila

MOLLY’S BISTRO

Our last meal in Bohol before flying back to Manila was at Molly’s Bistro’s. It was definitely one of the most beautiful and most laidback restaurants I’ve ever been to - plus its hands-on service was excellent. It doesn't hurt as well that we had an entire area to ourselves the entire lunch service.

POKE BOWL SALAD (P325)

We started off our meal with the Poke Bowl Salad – which was promising, as it featured beautifully hued salmon and tuna cubes, fresh cucumbers and sweet mangoes, all generously topped with Japanese mayonnaise. Unfortunately, the tuna cubes weren’t as fresh as I’d like them to be – so as we were catching a flight right after, it seemed unwise to eat a lot of it.

PESTO PORK CHOP (P355)

I was surprised with how hefty the Pesto Pork Chop was – despite having a price tag for what’s usually meant for a solo serving of Pork Chop, we were treated to numerous slices of grilled juicy pork chop. Taste-wise, I found it on the bland side so do request for additional salt or pepper on the side. We had more than enough of the dish to take home.

CRISPY PORK LEG (1399)

Anyone who knows me would know I have this absolute weakness when it comes to Crispy Pata; so seeing the Crispy Pork Leg – beautifully presented on its menu in its full glory was a no-brainer for me. The massive tower of Crispy Pork Leg is served on a bed of crispy noodles, and interestingly, a cheese sauce – definitely, a visual spectacle. The Crispy Pork Leg – on its own – is just okay – the skin could have been crunchier, and the meat could have been more tender and tastier. Pairing it with the cheese sauce felt off – somehow, the flavors just don’t jive for me – I immediately found myself ignoring the cheese dip throughout the meal and opting for the usual spiced soy sauce-vinegar sauce.

Overall, I was pretty underwhelmed with Molly’s Bistro’s offerings - especially because it has been mentioned in a lot of must-try recommendations given to me by friends and family. It’s probably best to skip its food menu next time and just soak up its gorgeous interiors with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine instead.

Molly’s Bistro

Panglao Island Circumferential Road, Danao, Panglao, Bohol

Date of Visit: June 13, 2022 with Jolly Aganon and Lisa Manila