THERE’S a new restaurant in the city that promises to give Cebuanos a truly Italian taste. UrChoice Café is the name of the place which has its beginnings in Dipolog where it has become the “go to bistro.”
Chef Giovanni Galli, owner and self-made chef of the place, recalls that his friends in Dipolog were the ones who, after tasting his cooking in intimate get-togethers, prodded him to open a restaurant. At first, he said, it was just a small place which became bigger and bigger. It has become a favorite of Dipolog locals and visitors for its homey atmosphere, its true Italian flavors and a staff that has been trained to please, and to differentiate and appreciate the different flavors of herbs used in the kitchen. Now, Chef Giovanni has opened UrChoice in Cebu in a yellow house on Avelino Morales St., the small street behind Harolds Hotel.
Being an Italian restaurant, UrChoice has, of course, pizzas—its menu lists a whole page of them to choose from. Pizzas cooked in trays include the familiar Hawaiian, Pepperoni, Pizza 4 Formaggi, Meatballs and surprise—Pizza Filipiniana (with melting cheese, sweet tomato sauce, ham and mushrooms), Pizza Dipolog (with the world-famous Dipolog sardines, grilled eggplant and mozzarella) and yes, Pizza Cebuana (with longganisa de Cebu, mushrooms, onions, garlic, tomato with herbs). It also has pizzas cooked “on the stone” like meatballs, pepperoni, Hawaiian and Milano.
Pastas deserve another page in the menu and include the familiar Aglio Olio, Carbonara, Vongole, Lasagna, Bolognese and a tribute to Dipolog: Dipolog Centennial pasta with eggplants, tomatoes, Dipolog Spanish sardines, Italian spices. The Carbonara Americana with eggs, bacon, melting cheese, white cream, parsley and black pepper, is a dish to go back to UrChoice again and again.
From the grill there are pork, beef and chicken choices—Pork Ribs, Steak and Porkchop, Beef Ossobucco, T-Bone Steak, Rib-Eye, Buffalo Wings, Chicken Fillet Roma, Crispy Chicken and Sicilian Chicken Fillet, among many other choices. If one is lucky, one might be able to taste the UrChoice Beef Carpaccio. Chef Giovanni does not use fresh beef because the prime beef here is imported and therefore frozen and becomes watery when the meat thaws. Instead he uses bresaola which is beef air dried, salted and “aged” for two or three months. He serves it with arugula and cream cheese—absolutely delicious.
UrChoice also has salads, soups and desserts. The Velvet Squash Soup is really velvety in texture and with a surprising hint of lemon from lemon zest. And Affogato al Caffe—vanilla ice cream, espresso coffee and whipped cream—is worth a try... and another try...
Chef Giovanni has been in the Philippines for more than 30 years. Now, he has become an Italian chef and he admits that he has not been to cooking school. But growing up in Italy, he says he had to earn his allowance by working in mostly family-owned restaurants during summer school vacations. Also, his father always thought that the best restaurant in the place was his own home, with his wife’s excellent cooking, from whom Chef Giovanni must have learned how to cook. He said UrChoice is not good for “presentation” but it certainly is tops in Italian cookery. And yes, if there’s anything one wants that’s not in the menu, one can always request Chef Giovanni for it. One may have to wait two or three days for the chef to gather the ingredients but he will do as requested: the point is to please the customer and to make UrChoice his choice. (S)