THE Cebuano word “dayun,” loosely translated, means “welcome” or “come in.” It is an apt name for Maayo Hotel’s function room as its merienda buffet highlights Cebu’s favorite snack fare and more.
Located on the seventh floor of the hotel, Dayun is reached through a hallway which features a life-sized tartanilla replica at its side, giving Cebuano old souls a feel of having just gone down the tartanilla to a favorite place for afternoon merienda. And merienda fare there is a-plenty.
There are boiled peanuts, bananas and camote—merienda fare that used to be staples in old homes but are easily forgotten with today’s more easily accessible food choices. There’s also camote cue as well as any or all of the following treats from the Maayo kitchen: Lumpia shanghai, lomi, pancit canton, binignit, macaroni soup, pospas, sikwate, and assorted kakanin like biko, budbud, palitaw and puto. To go with all these, there are chilled juices and coffee.
And for those looking for merienda other than native fare, there is a table for assorted sandwiches and all-meat pizzas. And yes, what’s merienda without halo-halo? Dayun offers this, too. You can concoct it yourself or you can ask a waiter to help you.
In Dayun, one enjoys the merienda in cool comfort. There is enough space to choose which table to occupy and a choice, too, of enjoying one’s merienda at a table with a view of the Mandaue landscape through Dayun’s windows.