TIEN MA's: Bringing authentic Taiwanese cuisine to Cebuanos

(L-R: MCCI President Stanley Go, Owners Eric and Jackie Mendoza, Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes and Mandaue City Vice Mayor Glenn Bercede)

A perfect mix of authenticity and affordability is hard to come by when it comes to restaurants that offer international cuisine.

But it is exactly this kind of combination that Tien Ma’s Taiwanese Cuisine brings to the table as they open their first ever branch in Cebu.

(L-R: Elisha, Eric & Jackie Mendoza with Gilbert Ang of Mandani Bay)

“We believe that there is an underserved market in Cebu, so we decided to bring Tien Ma’s here in order to bring something new to Cebuanos and expand the variety of offerings available. When we first tried the Tien Ma’s restaurant in Manila, we were impressed with the great tasting food and the value for money we got. And we wanted to share that with our fellow Cebuanos,” said Eric Mendoza owner of the Cebu branch.

(Tien Ma’s best seller Xiao long bao)

Tien Ma’s Taiwanese Cuisine, which is located at Meerea High Street alongOuano Ave. North Reclamation, Subangdaku, Mandaue City, had its grand opening last Thursday, December 5, 2019. This is the tenth branch nationwide and the first one in Cebu and the Visayas region.

(Orange Chicken)

Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings), Beef Noodle Soup, Three Cup Chicken, Steamed Lapu-Lapu in Soy Sauce – these are just some of the wide array of delectable and affordable Taiwanese dishes which utilize authentic Taiwanese secret recipes developed by extensive research and development at Tien Ma’s.

For one, Tien Ma’s has become known for their noodles which are freshly hand-pulled at the restaurant. Diners can immediately taste the difference. Tien Ma’s also serves a great variety of dishes that include Laksa and Chicken Wings with BBQ Sauce.

(Laksa)

 Tien Ma’s is open every day from 11:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M., and from 5:30 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. With an area of 325 square meters and a seating capacity of 150, the restaurant is sure to be able to cater to as many people who want to get their fix of Taiwanese favourites.

(Seafood Fried Noodles)

According to Mendoza, Cebu’s continued development, which also means an increase in the purchasing power of its people, is also another reason why they decided to invest in bringing the franchise to the province.

He added that they chose to open the branch at Meerea High Street due to its accessibility and convenience to customers.

“People don’t have to go too far and our location provides us with convenient parking and it’s easy to access for people who want to just eat and go without having to enter a mall,” Mendoza said.

(Sweet and Sour Pork)

“The Cebu market is always looking for something new and Cebuanos love good food and value for money, so we are optimistic that they will enjoy the Tien Ma’s experience. It’s priced competitively for value and the product and service is a great fit for Cebu,” he added.

Tien Ma’s was started by Tien Liyuan who was born in 1932 in Fang-shan township, P’ing-tung country, Taiwan. She spent her childhood in coastal southern Taiwan, helping her mother cook and prepare meals for her younger siblings for their lunch boxes to school. She moved to Zhongsan District in Taipei as a young adult and perfected her Xiao Long Bao recipe while working in the kitchen of a local high school.

(Mantou)

Later on, she opened her own stall selling her legendary Xiao Long Bao in the night markets of Taipei. She eventually retired and passed on her secret recipe to bring the best and most authentic Xiao Long Bao to us in the Philippines.

Upon bringing Tien Ma’s to Cebu, Mendoza hopes to be able to tickle the taste buds of Cebuanos. He said they hope that the brand does well in the Visayan market.

“If the demand continues to stay strong, which we believe it will, then we can look forward to seeing more branches open to serve more Filipinos with a taste of Taiwan,” he closed.

For questions and reservations, Tien Ma’s may be contacted through their contact numbers (032) 239-0127 and 0917-880-3321. They are also present online through their website www.tienmas.com, and their Facebook Page www.facebook.com/tienmascebu.

(The owners of Tien Ma’s with the friends from the Media & Bloggers)

Dining with the flavors of Spain and Italy @ Hola Espana & Pizzeria Michelangelo

Hola Espana started with the leadership of Mr. Michel Lhuiller taking the inspiration of the restaurant from his family's spanish lineage. It is one of the leading brands of Spanish cuisines in Cebu that delivers an excellent and vibrant taste of Spain right at the heart of the Queen City of the South.

Hola Espana wasn't established overnight but started out as a humble Deli Store in Banilad. The Deli offered authentic Spanish cuisine with a variety of cold-cuts, cheese, wine, olive oil, hams, sausages, turrones, adn a lot more. The business ran for a quite some time until a full-fledged Hola Espana restaurant was opened in 2007.

(Mr. Michel Lhuiller)

Mr. Lhuilier always has a strong taste and interest in Italian cuisines which inspired him to open another restaurant called Pizzeria Michelangelo in 2010.

As of 2019, Hola Espana has successfully launched two branches, one in Paseo Saturnino Banilad and the other in Punta Engano Road in Lapu-lapu City.

While Pizzeria Michelangelo has three branches in Paseo Saturnino, Banilad, Punta Engano Road. Lapu-Lapu and the famous Cebu Safari and Adventure Park, Carmen, Cebu.

HOLA ESPANA - A taste of Spain!

Locals and tourist alike will discover a Spanish inspired feast featuring their best-selling products like Paella Valenciana, Paella Negro, Gambas, Chicken Al Orno, Torrilla de Patata, Sopa de Kalabasa and Hola Ribs.

PIZZERIA MICHELANGELO - Al Dente Italia!

Dine in a delightful array of true Italian flavors and delectable choices ranging from Pizza Robertino, Pizza Tartufo, Carbonara, Marinara Rosa and Contadina. All of which are Al Dente! or (prepared to be a bit firm but never overcooked)

(Lamb Shank with Risotto)

Location: 1 Paseo Saturnino, Maria Luisa Banilad, Cebu City.
Tel. No.: (032) - 414-2818
Facebook & Instagram: @pizzeriamichelangelo @HolaEspanaPH

CoCo Tea Conquers Cebu City

Responding to the clamor of its Cebuano clients, cult favorite milk tea brand CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice has launched two branches in Cebu City in a matter of six months and plans are underway for a third branch soon.

“We are overwhelmed with the response of Cebuanos for CoCo. In fact, Cebu City was one of the most requested area that we have received for CoCo to be present in, and when SM Seaside opened in Cebu, we knew that this is the perfect location to build our flagship store in Cebu, “Larry Evans Tan, General Manager of CoCo, shared in a huddle with Cebu media at the CoCo SM Seaside branch.

Its branch at SM Seaside was CoCo’s flagship store in Cebu which is one of their most picturesque branches and was completed March of this year. It has since become a favorite hangout place of many Cebuano squads and families. The second branch which opened only last September was at Ayala Center Cebu to keep up with the demand for CoCo blends from the people of Cebu.

A third CoCo branch in Cebu is underway and might open second quarter of next year. Tan added that the Cebu branches are the first CoCo branches in the Visayas.

“We felt that the CoCo brand and the Cebuano lifestyle are a perfect match. Cebuanos are known for their love for good food and having a fun, relaxed vibe. They also love to hang out with their friends and families and these are exactly what CoCo stands for,” Tan shared.

Tan brought CoCo to the Philippines five years ago from the milk tea capital of the world, Taiwan. It has rapidly become a top player in the Filipino milk tea craze and is one of the strongest markets of the CoCo brand worldwide.

Just recently, CoCo was awarded the Favorite Milk Tea brand in the Philippines, a testament of its leadership in the milk tea market segment.

CoCo leads in the global tea market with a formidable 4,000 branches spread out across the world and posting an incredible sale of 100 cups per second globally.

In Metro Manila, where it has become go-to-milk tea brand, a cup of CoCo is ordered every 4 minutes via Grab Food alone.

Tan shared with the Cebu media that they are also partnered with Grab Food delivery in Cebu so that those who crave for CoCo may just order via the app to get their favorite CoCo fix.

(Larry Evans Tan, General Manager of CoCo)

Tan added that both CoCo Cebu branches will carry all CoCo blends that are available in Metro Manila, including the latest Chocolate Caramel Cream Slush which he described as “Waves of caramel blended with chocolate slush over velvety salty cream making it a drink that is decadent for the locale palate.” Chocolate Caramel Cream Slush is a blend that’s exclusive and created for the Philippines.

The other CoCo bestsellers which have now become favorites as well of the Cebuano customers are the Panda Milk Tea, 3 Buddies, White Pearl Milk Tea and Passion Fruit Tea Burst.

Tan is very optimistic with the future of CoCo among Filipino milk tea lovers and continues to respond to clamor for more branches nationwide.

“We continue to explore expansion to other areas and bring CoCo closer to our customers. At the same time, we also try to come up with new flavors that we know our customers would love,” Tan said.

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