Wednesday, August 06, 2008 2 in 1 By Luis A. Quibranza III
HERE at the fashion café Chic and Fab, the hangout experience is brought to a whole new level. Okay, so that might have sounded a bit cliché. But sometimes, the truth is good enough to be served as it is without any salt.
Bottomline: This place can be a boutique-cum-grocery and a restaurant all in one. Barely four months old and located in the lifestyle center Crossroads in Banilad, the café has a unique approach that is definitely an attention-grabber.
Though it primarily appears (and sounds) like a boutique, ‘Fab offers authentic Thai-food to go along when the shopper in you is craving for a sumptuous bite.
In fact, eating after shopping is as easy as putting your bag down, sitting on a chair and calling the waiter for the menu. Somebody call Webster. We might need to add another word in the dictionary to describe one’s activity here. Eating and shopping at the same time — Eaping.
The first concept for the place was for it to be only a boutique that served coffee. But owners Jim and Jan Hiranpruck decided at the last minute to not hold back and give the business the full Thai-experience by serving a full course menu to go along with shopping.
It is what it is called: a fashion café. It offers goods ranging from cookies, candies, and chips to beauty products like lip gloss, shampoo and whitening lotion. These are all displayed in the first floor. On the second floor, you (women in particular) will find a wonderful display of dresses, sandals and whole lot of fashion accessories.
All items sold are imported from Thailand. To dine, whether after or before you shop, is up to you. In fact, you can just hangout and order their Chic and Fab special iced tea while looking around at their items.
The special iced tea is a must try for any drink-explorer. It is Thai black tea and condensed milk mixed to a perfect blend with a bit of shaved ice. Rich and fluffy, a sip will give you a quick shot of pleasure as soon as you taste the ‘tea flavor’ taking control of your senses.
But if you’re a person who’s set his mind on dining, the menu will not disappoint you.
The fried rice with prawns is a perfect compliment to go along with any dish.
It embodies the taste of Asia without the overpowering spices. The Thai shrimp balls with cashew nuts on the other hand, are carefully made to be pleasurable at every bite. The fried fish with morning glory in oyster sauce is a classic take on a very elegant dish, but is served for a very reasonable price. The oyster sauce and the kangkong is a likely pair to go along with the tender grouper, while the pork spare ribs in honey is a no-nonsense, great tasting meat dish. Guaranteed a sure hit for every rib-lover out there.
The fashion café serves lunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and dinner from 5 p.m.
to 10 p.m., and 11 p.m. on weekends. As for their grocery, beauty and fashion items, you can avail of the café’s goods from 10 am ‘til closing time.
According to some shopaholics, the things for sale here are generally cheaper than their counterparts sold in malls. Isn’t that reason enough to shop and stock up your house pantry back to maximum storage?
Will “eaping” catch up and become the new trend to hit Cebu? Only time will tell.
