It’s not often I find myself sharing a meal with some of the country’s A-List celebrities but when I do, I’m glad it’s right here in Cebu, and more specifically, at the newly opened Mott 32.
Dr. Vicki Belo needs no introduction. Together with husband Dr. Hayden Kho, the couple continues to build on the legacy of the Belo Medical Group, the leading medical aesthetic clinic in the country.
They hosted an intimate dinner which served as a prelude to the Oct. 20 opening of the medical group’s biggest and most advanced aesthetic clinic in the country here in Cebu City. Belo revealed how this was all a fruit of her wanting to spend more time with her Cebuano father years ago. She was born in Cebu before she was adopted and later moved to Metro Manila.
“I’ve always felt connected to Cebu,” Belo shared. “I opened my clinic here in April. Unfortunately, my father passed away in July. That’s what brought me to Cebu—so I could visit him every month,” she recalled when she first opened her clinic’s previous branch in the Queen City more than a decade ago.
“So it’s really major for us,” said the doctor to the stars during the opening event. “We have 14 clinics, and the biggest and most beautiful one is here in Cebu.”
Some of the personalities who were at the dinner included friends of the doctor-couple: industrial designer Kenneth Cobonpue; actors Derek Ramsay and wife Ellen Adarna; digital content creator Vern Enciso-Lim with husband Ben Lim; cosplayer and model Alodia Gosiengfiao; and travel/fashion content creator and host Nicole Andersson.
The group gamely engaged in hearty conversation—with down-to-earth Dr. Hayden at the helm—and feasted over the Cantonese creations Mott 32 is known for: Shanghainese soup dumplings; Black truffle siu mai with soft quail egg; Vegetable dumplings with garoupa, prawns and chopped chili; Marinated jellyfish; Peking duck; Barbecue pluma Iberico pork; Signature smoked Black Cod; King prawns; US Black Angus short rib; Romaine lettuce with dried shrimp and minced pork; Crabmeat fried rice with flying fish roe; and for dessert, Sweetened mango soup with pomelo and sago.
In a gathering of stars, there must be a few culinary showstoppers as well. The few dishes that stood out that night were the vegetable/prawn/garoupa dumplings, plump and savory; the succulent king prawns prepared in Chinese rice wine, vinegar and chili; and the iconic Peking duck—a must-try when dining at Mott 32. (For the opening day feature of Mott 32 in Cebu, refer to “Mott 32 works its magic at the 032” published Sept. 3).
Visit the new 500-square-meter Belo clinic located on the ground level of East Gate Shoppes. Mott 32 Cebu is located at Nustar Resort & Casino.