Canvas - Ayala Terraces Cebu

[billten]

Been back a few times since and i gotta admit this is probably my favorite resto in Cebu now. We usually order a big green salad to share as an appetizer, then a pasta or such (if we are hungry we have one each, otherwise we share) and then Krissy often orders a desert. We leave very full and usually under a P1,000. IMO great food and great value, also some of the best service in Cebu. Really good to see the owner there every day, involved in the cooking and even tasting dishes before they are served, ensuring the quality remains high.

Highly recommended as a place to go for a treat...

[sjp52]

Had hands down the best meal I ever had, in my year in the philippines. Someone mentioned this place in another forum so thought i would try it. Was surprised that the dining area was closer to diner style than elegant restraunt. The kitchen is open and you can see the chefs doing their thing while you wait for your order. The service was friendly and personable and very alert to filling up water or whatever needed. The appetizer was superb. Would kill for a jar of that dip. The entree was perfect. The beef tender and like the best you ever tasted. The deserts very yummy. The portions just right to satisfy your hunger without feeling stuffed or needing doggie bag. Total cost for drinks appetizer, two entrees and two deserts and coffee was 1200 pesos, well worth it. I have other restraunts I like such as Casa Verde and I like japanese food, but canvas is new favorite for me. So often in past went into a elegant looking place ready to pay for a great meal and expecting special because of the fancy decor only to be disappointed and feeling ripped off because of the crap food. The Canvas saved their elegant for the food, therefore worth the expense.

Here is another review with pics http://www.superstarhousewife.com/?p=1154

[Dave Hounddriver]

I'm sorry to say I have to give this place the thumbs down on my visit yesterday.

It was Monday evening and I was very surprised to see how busy all of the restaurants in Ayala mall were. I was with my wife and told her I knew of a good place, called Canvas.

At first I was surprised that it was the least busy of all the restaurants in Ayala. No problem. I told my wife: You choose what you want, and she smiled. She picked something that looked good in the picture and I told the waitress: She is a simple girl from the province. Is that something that a simple filipina from the province will enjoy? She said: Oh yes.

Then we ordered ice tea. Now things went bad. Dona spit the first mouthful of ice tea out and her evening had begun to be ruined. How was she or I to know that this was not the ice tea served at every other restaurant in Philippines? The wording on the menu was the same. No one mentioned that it was some Australian version that consists of very strong, cold tea with a bit of lemon in it. I tried to put on a brave face but I couldn't drink it either.

Then the meals came. She tried, Almost in tears she was, as she tried to pretend she was enjoying the meal that just did not suit a filipina's taste buds,. I told her: Don't worry about it, hon. I'll just choke back my fish and chips in a hurry and we'll go somewhere that you like. Don't force yourself to eat a meal you are not enjoying just because IT COST ME 850 PESOS for the two of us.

So I was going to choke back my fish and chips but the damn things were BLISTERING hot so i could not do it without burning my mouth. So I put a little of the Tartar sauce on and had a bit . . but that was enough. The served me a THIMBLE full of tartar sauce. WTF? May as not even bother. Do they want me to ask them back every mouthful to refill the thimble?

These may not seem like a lot of negative points, they are just the ones that I can remember. The experience was negative all around as in there was nothing positive I can point to and say there was a bright side.

I asked for/demanded the bill,. Paid it and left. I won't be back. Sitting at the table next to me was the man who introduced himself as the head chef. I forget his name. He asked me what was wrong. I thought: You have been sitting there the whole time and you cannot figure it out? I am not gonna be able to tell you anything that will change the way you conduct business and I don't fee like being placated with words. That is what I thought, what I said was: My wife is a simple girl from the province. She does not get out much and she is not happy dining here. Thank you, we will go somewhere else.

Maybe he can read my comments here, now that I have calmed myself, and figure it out.

Edited August 8, 2012 by Dave Hounddriver

[Adventurer]

Well Dave all I can say is you and your wife don;t know good cuisine, stick with jolliebe mate.

As for canvas, I also think its the best restaurant in Cebu and I'm an ex chef. I took my Filipino girlfriend there for our first date and she loved it, yes it was not filipino food but hey if you want that then there is plenty of choices like gerry's greasy grill or jolliebe, shakeys that will make people that love loads of sugar , salt and MSG in their food.

If you enjoy top food, a top service, top chefs then Canvas is the place to go, don't be scared off by Daves review which I can tell started from the wrong attitude.

[Dave Hounddriver]

don't be scared off by Daves review which I can tell started from the wrong attitude.

you and your wife don;t know good cuisine, stick with jolliebe mate.

It is interesting that you feel you know me so well. Did we meet at the last 'forum get together' which was held at Canvas. Oh, you did not realize I was there before? Without my partner I somewhat enjoyed the food but not enough to rave about it. I am glad there are other reviews here that show the positive side of it, but my opinion and review is not one of them.

Why was Canvas the least busy restaurant in Ayala mall on Monday night? Rhetorical question. I do not ask you to like my review. But I insist that you do not belittle my opinion and insist that yours is somehow better because you tell us you are a chef so I should take my wife to Jolibee. And by the way, the inside of my mouth is still sore from being burnt so perhaps a scalded tongue and palate would give me a little bit of an attitude. That just makes my review more realistic.

[Adventurer]

It is interesting that you feel you know me so well. Did we meet at the last 'forum get together' which was held at Canvas. Oh, you did not realize I was there before? Without my partner I somewhat enjoyed the food but not enough to rave about it. I am glad there are other reviews here that show the positive side of it, but my opinion and review is not one of them.

Why was Canvas the least busy restaurant in Ayala mall on Monday night? Rhetorical question. I do not ask you to like my review. But I insist that you do not belittle my opinion and insist that yours is somehow better because you tell us you are a chef so I should take my wife to Jolibee. And by the way, the inside of my mouth is still sore from being burnt so perhaps a scalded tongue and palate would give me a little bit of an attitude. That just makes my review more realistic.

No I have never gone on a forum get together if that is what you mean? I don't use the forum besides maybe looking up some info if I can't find it elsewhere and I certainly don't mingle with anyone from it in real life.

Anyway yes you are entitled to your opinion and I just gave my opinion as well in your review. I still stand by those thoughts too and I think it was harsh.

Also, how many restaurants do you go to where the owner or head chef comes out and asks you how was your meal? you obviously did not appreciate that extra effort from them which is one thing I really liked as he also done the same thing to me. That is what a top restaurant does, they are concerned for their customers but you shunted it off rudely by the sounds, I'm sorry but if I was there I would have been cringing at your lack of understanding of good cuisine and service along with your attitude..

Edited August 9, 2012 by Dave Hounddriver

[Jack Peterson]

:attention: Hello! whats this, Handbags at dawn Boys. :crack-up: Lets remember, we have all got different tastes. Never mind the content, The price would be a non starter for me. Not to take sides but at 800+p for 2, it would have to be a very good meal. The chef need not come out on his own accord, I think i would go Fetch him, Proof of the Pudding here, YOU eat it :emostrongbow: I will stay with a beer :cheers:

[Dave Hounddriver]

Also, how many restaurants do you go to where the owner or head chef comes out and asks you how was your meal? you obviously did not appreciate that extra effort from them which is one thing I really liked as he also done the same thing to me. That is what a top restaurant does, they are concerned for their customers but you shunted it off rudely by the sounds, I'm sorry but if I was there I would have been cringing at your lack of understanding of good cuisine and service along with your attitude..

Point taken.

My mouth hurt, my wife was upset, and I was abrupt. It may well have come across as rude although I tried hard for it not to sound that way.

As to my understanding, or my wife's understanding, of good cuisine, that is a point we shall have to disagree on. I spent my entire working life eating in restaurants and consider myself a fair judge from the consumer point of view. I can appreciate your comments coming from a chef's point of view. My wife thoroughly enjoys the international cuisine one can find in Hong Kong 5 star hotels, but Canvas does not even come close, not even a little bit close, to a top restaurant. They are what they are, and on that day they were not up to par.

But to be fair, I encourage everyone to go and try for themselves. I said that "I" would not be back in the foreseeable future but others certainly enjoy it. The point of my review in this thread was, (and is), to warn others not to expect the glowing reviews found on the first page of the thread. Try it, just don't expect too much.

ps, if you noticed I edited you post above, it was only to remove reference to 'another forum'.and just leave the word forum. Not changing your words at all, just removing a reference that is not permitted on this forum.

Edited August 9, 2012 by Dave Hounddriver

[cebu rocks]

I certainly don't mingle with anyone from it in real life.

LOL enough said

[Adventurer]

In regards to your last reply Dave I'm going to go back to your original review and go through it and give my thoughts. Don't take it personally and I'm going to be blunt and direct as I would be in real life if I was talking to you, I'm sure there are other expats that would probably have the same thoughts as you, everyone is different but I just think you were a little bit arrogant on the day due to not understanding some things as I will write about....

I'm sorry to say I have to give this place the thumbs down on my visit yesterday.

It was Monday evening and I was very surprised to see how busy all of the restaurants in Ayala mall were. I was with my wife and told her I knew of a good place, called Canvas.

At first I was surprised that it was the least busy of all the restaurants in Ayala. No problem. I told my wife: You choose what you want, and she smiled. She picked something that looked good in the picture and I told the waitress: She is a simple girl from the province. Is that something that a simple filipina from the province will enjoy? She said: Oh yes.

Well I at least glad to see you gave it a try. Good on you for that.

As for the place been quieter than other places say like Gerry's Grill (which I found really bad personally). I would guess they are quieter in the day especially since their menu is catering for the middle to higher income bracket and most people I would say in the Philippines want a budget lunch. At night they are usually as busy as most other restaurants from when I have walked past. I have to agree that I do not go there a lot as I'm also on a budget but it is the place I go when I do want to have a good meal but don't mind spending a little bit more. I'm sure though they do have some lower priced meals available but I can't remember off hand?

As for your wife been a simple province girl, but you say in your last post she in an international traveler at 5 star hotels, this seems a contradiction?

Then we ordered ice tea. Now things went bad. Dona spit the first mouthful of ice tea out and her evening had begun to be ruined. How was she or I to know that this was not the ice tea served at every other restaurant in Philippines? The wording on the menu was the same. No one mentioned that it was some Australian version that consists of very strong, cold tea with a bit of lemon in it. I tried to put on a brave face but I couldn't drink it either.

Well this is where things go bad in your review for me. The ice tea that I have tried in Cebu is basically just loads of sugar & water, tasteless and unhealthy. It sounds like they gave you the real thing but your wife spat it out like a spoilt brat showing no manners or any class, or experience of dining in 5 start hotels as you said and then demanding the sweeter goo that is served up in Cebu at places like Jolliebe!

Then the meals came. She tried, Almost in tears she was, as she tried to pretend she was enjoying the meal that just did not suit a filipina's taste buds,. I told her: Don't worry about it, hon. I'll just choke back my fish and chips in a hurry and we'll go somewhere that you like. Don't force yourself to eat a meal you are not enjoying just because IT COST ME 850 PESOS for the two of us.

So I was going to choke back my fish and chips but the damn things were BLISTERING hot so i could not do it without burning my mouth. So I put a little of the Tartar sauce on and had a bit . . but that was enough. The served me a THIMBLE full of tartar sauce. WTF? May as not even bother. Do they want me to ask them back every mouthful to refill the thimble?

How dramatic, in tears, choking back, come on? Tartar sauce, that is one thing I point out to my girlfriend, we often eat out and I point out to her how much waste we see when waitresses bring out plates of sauce that will later be thrown out or even worse reused. I would say canvas make their own homemade sauce and gave you the right portion for your meal, instead of asking for more you preferred to just whinge about it. So then you are whinging about your fish & chips been hot and you are stuffing them down your throat so that is the restaurants fault for serving your food HOT? come on, did your parents not teach you to test your food before stuffing down your throat? this just sounds so childish to me and this is where if I was the chef I would have thrown you out!

These may not seem like a lot of negative points, they are just the ones that I can remember. The experience was negative all around as in there was nothing positive I can point to and say there was a bright side.

I asked for/demanded the bill,. Paid it and left. I won't be back. Sitting at the table next to me was the man who introduced himself as the head chef. I forget his name. He asked me what was wrong. I thought: You have been sitting there the whole time and you cannot figure it out? I am not gonna be able to tell you anything that will change the way you conduct business and I don't fee like being placated with words. That is what I thought, what I said was: My wife is a simple girl from the province. She does not get out much and she is not happy dining here. Thank you, we will go somewhere else.

Maybe he can read my comments here, now that I have calmed myself, and figure it out.

Your arrogance just makes me cringe, I feel sorry for the staff and the owner when they have to deal with customers like you when they are trying to put together a top service. I just hope they are not replaced by more jollibes or Jerry's grills, we need more top restaurants like this to choose from but with customers like you they will not want to do business in Cebu.

I know I'm blunt bad that is my thoughts, take it or leave it!