WORLD-REOWNED chef, TV personality and writer Anthony Bourdain once said, “Context and memory play powerful roles in all the truly great meals in one’s life.”
No truer words were ever spoken. A duo of hot-dog sandwich and a bucket of buttered popcorn surely taste a thousand times better when eaten inside the moviehouse with your significant other than in the comfort of your own home. Freshly grilled seafood and a platter of fruits easily become the best meal of your life when shared with your family in an island-paradise, with sand between your toes, reggae music blasting away, and the sea just close by. A P15 single scoop of dirty cheese ice cream suddenly seems like a pint of Ben & Jerry’s cheesecake brownie ice cream when you eat it with your longtime best friend while reminiscing about your childhood shenanigans.
When complemented by the perfect ambiance and mood, the simplest of meals turn into timeless gastronomic wonders. Enter Café Terraza, the newest hilltop dining destination in Roxas City, Capiz province, Panay Island, offering palatable seafood delights, savory meat dishes, mouthwatering desserts and aromatic coffee selections amid a backdrop of rolling greens and endless blue skies.
Located in Pueblo de Panay, the emerging central business district in Roxas City, Café Terraza is fast becoming the preferred al-fresco restaurant in the city, strongly gaining popularity among locals and tourists alike. Not only does it raises the bar in outdoor dining setups, but it also elevates the complete dining experience. Picture this: A restaurant on a top of a hill with a vast outdoor area lined with umbrella-covered tables facing verdant hills below a limitless sky. Add to this picture: superb food, breezy weather, bossa-nova music, and the company of your favorite people.
Lunch at Café Terraza means dining with nature, snacktime extends to two to three hours as the dramatic setting of the sun mesmerizes you, and dinner turns into a romantic and intimate occasion sharing good food and conversation with good friends underneath a star-speckled sky.
“We are in the business of creating memorable dining experiences at the seafood capital,” Café Terraza co-owner and General Manager Mary Daphnie Ong said. “We want to showcase the best of what the city has to offer. We have various crab and shrimp dishes, and we also serve fresh and baked oysters and scallops using recipes handed down from generation to generation.”
“You can experience top-grade and affordable seafood along Baybay Beach, where there is a strip of restaurants serving fresh fish and shellfish daily. At Café Terraza, we want to provide an alternative dining experience with a scenic mountain and city view,” she added.
Seafood specialties at Café Terraza include Bangus Sisig served with Garlic Mayo Dip (P190); and Kare-Kareng Dagat, a sumptuous medley of fish, shrimp and squid sautéed in peanut-butter sauce. One order, priced at P265 could already serve four to six people. Best paired with a steaming cup of rice, Café Terraza’s Sinigang na Lapu-Lapu (P220) is also a must-try.
For first-timers at the country’s seafood capital, the owner recommends Café Terraza’s Crab Meat Sisig (P240). Imagine spoonful after spoonful of succulent crabmeat swimming in your mouth as you watch the sunset with your friends and loved ones overlooking the city.
Veggie lovers need not worry as Café Terraza also has a creative selection of salads, including Bagnet Salad with Bagoong Balayan Dressing; Pomelo and Cucumber Salad with Coconut Bagoong Dressing; and Crispy Adobo Salad with Honey Patis Dressing. Priced just between P160 and P180, one serving can satisfy three to four people.
One of the biggest hits among locals is Café Terraza’s Asado na Pata, juicy pork trotters braised in soy sauce, star anise and muscovado sugar served with fried banana. For P365, an order could feed a family of four. Another crowd favorite is its Crispy Binagoongan, fried pork belly sautéed in coconut cream with guinamos and chili. For P245, an order could easily please two to three people.
Café Terraza is adjacent to El Circulo Convention Center, the only event venue in Roxas City with a panoramic view of the seafood capital’s scenic coasts and hills. With a garden-reception area, a grand hall and multiple function rooms equipped with modern technology and amenities, El Circulo Convention Center is the preferred venue for wedding receptions, birthday celebrations, company functions and other milestones in Roxas City.
“We don’t just aim to serve good food; we also strive to create the perfect environment for our customers to have a good time. Here at Café Terraza, we are committed in ensuring our customers to only experience the best,“ Ong said.