Live seafood takes center stage at Choi City

Patty S. Taboada writer

LIVING up to its reputation as one of the best Chinese restaurants in Cebu, Choi City Seafood Restaurant takes pride in giving customers the most authentic Chinese dining experience at a great value.

Choi City sees to it that they use only the finest ingredients for their dishes, and when talking about seafood, finest means live – an edge over the other Chinese restaurants.

Choi City’s Chinese chefs are known to refuse cooking when the seafood isn’t live, and off to a side of the restaurant are aquariums of fish, lobsters and the like where people can select what they want to have for lunch or dinner.

With live seafood, there is a remarkable difference in the quality and taste of the food. For instance, the Drunken Shrimps have more color, are crunchier, and are definitely more flavorful. This dish is cooked in front of the customers, where they can see the shrimps jumping around in special sauce.

With the Steamed Live Lapu-Lapu in Soy Sauce, the fish retains its form instead of being flat. Like the shrimps, it also has more color, and the meat doesn’t break off easily.

Meanwhile, the Steamed Live Rock Lobster in Garlic Sauce’s meat is full of texture and is juicier, while its fresh (frozen) counterpart is more watery, so it’s not as flavorful.

Customers may think that with the quality of the food, dining at Choi City is expensive.

However, the restaurant’s assistant manager Elmer Santos tells Sun.Star Cebu that Choi City is for everybody.

“There’s no need to be shy about budget at Choi City,” Santos says.

Choi City can tailor the menu to suit the budget and still provide delicious food of the restaurant’s caliber. For instance, they have a P4,000.00 menu with 10 dishes and good for 12 people.

“We can always accommodate people,” Santos continues. “We serve from the heart and we want to show that to people.”

Choi City Seafood Restaurant is located at the South Arcade, Banilad Town Centre, Banilad, Cebu City.