IT WAS a eureka moment when French chef Geoffrey Broutin found this spot along a workaday part of the city—on Ramos Street, to be exact—on which now stands Eureka Cafe and Bistro by L’Artisan.
The archetype of bistro dining, the new corner cafe in the neighborhood is an unpretentious place that serves up good food and drinks in a cozy atmosphere and at reasonable prices.
Before setting up his own shop, Chef Geoffrey earned his haute cuisine credentials through almost two decades of kitchen experience in different parts of the globe including a stint as executive chef in a luxury hotel in Dubai. This is reflected in his cooking, which is a delicious hybrid of the kitchens of the Mediterranean, the Americas and even Southeast Asia. In fact, his first restaurant in Cebu, L’Artisan French and Mediterranean Cuisine was named “Restaurant of the Year” in 2016 by SunStar’s Best of Cebu.
At Eureka, the menu boasts traditional French dishes such as escargot, steak frites, moules marnieres and slow-cooked braised meats but also features other specialties like pizzas and pastas, all of which are made using high-quality ingredients. Platters are large, as are the portions, so it’s easy to share multiple orders with whoever you’re dining with.
Lovers of cured meat will feel right at home with Eureka’s cold cuts sampler which comes with gherkins, house baguette, pesto sauce, marinated peppers and black olive tapenade.
The Burgundy snails, cooked in their shell with garlic and parsley butter, are small starters that pack bold flavors. If you can’t get enough of the garlicky goodness, try the pizza pallone, pizza balls stuffed with mozzarella and garlic butter.
Eureka’s pizza dough, one of the best in town, is fermented for three days, giving its pizzas great crust. A must-try is the prosciutto crudo pizza which is topped with prosciutto, tomato sauce, tapenade, mozzarella and parmesan.
Go for heartier mains like the sticky ginger pork ribs, slow-cooked till fork-tender and served with garlic corn on the cob and mustard mash. The seared yellowfin tuna is perfect with the chimichurri sauce on the side.
Accompany your meal with one of the bistro’s cocktails, coolers or wines. We find the Cucumber Breeze—cucumber, calamansi and mint—most refreshing and a great palate cleanser for in between courses.
Last, don’t leave without trying the Thai tea creme brulee, homemade brownie or flourless chocolate served with strawberry sorbet and balsamic caramel. These are desserts you absolutely have to make room for.
Located on 80 F. Ramos St., Cebu City, Eureka Cafe and Bistro by L’Artisan is open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. It can also host private functions such as meetings and soirees.