Craving for good Indonesian food in Cebu City? Here’s where you can satisfy this great Asian cuisine!
I LOVE INDONESIA! Ever since I made my first trip last July 2016, I’ve always make it a point to visit that country every year, if not for the Covid pandemic. From Bali to Lombok, from Makassar to Jakarta. From Bandung to Surabaya to Yogyakarta. And even made it to Medan. There’s always something to discover and explore in this great country! Be it the great food, architecture, and so much more.
Since I haven’t been back since 2019, I do miss good Indonesian food a lot. I remember that whenever I’m traveling solo, I used to eat at street side and usually ordering nasi or mee goreng. It’s cheap and most of all, delicious. Here in Cebu, I did find a this restaurant offering just this!
It was while looking for online recommendations of good Indonesian food in Cebu that I came across Cribs.
Indonesian food in Cebu
A Dutch-Filipino couple began cooking Indonesian dishes at home in Cebu back in 2011, sharing their creations with friends and family. Encouraged by the positive feedback, they joined Sugbo Mercado in 2015, where their mee goreng and chicken satay quickly became popular through word of mouth, establishing them as the go-to spot for Indonesian food in Cebu.
By 2021, they had opened their first stand-alone restaurant, which has since become a favorite among Cebuanos, the small Indonesian community, and Dutch visitors or residents in the city. In addition to their signature dishes, their nasi goreng and beef rendang come highly recommended. They import some ingredients from Indonesia while making their own kecap manis, sambal, and peanut sauce from scratch. During the holidays, they also offer Dutch treats like kerststol (Christmas bread) and gevulde speculaas (stuffed speculoos).
Must try dishes
There are three dishes that you should try here:
- Mee Goreng: A flavorful Indonesian stir-fried noodle dish made with yellow noodles, vegetables, and often meat or seafood, tossed in a savory sauce with a hint of sweetness and spice.
- Spicy Beef Rendang: A rich, slow-cooked beef dish simmered in coconut milk and a blend of spices until the meat is tender and infused with deep, complex flavors, often with a spicy kick.
- Chicken Satay: Grilled, marinated chicken skewers served with a deliciously rich and slightly sweet peanut sauce, offering a perfect balance of smoky, savory, and nutty flavors.
I’m a nasi goreng person but compared with mee goreng, the latter is better. I’ve also tried their soto ayam, a hearty chicken noodle soup, and of course, what I’ve also been looking for, that they eventually served, is the martabak telur. Too bad, they don’t have the martabak manis.
During Christmas season, they have kerststol, A traditional Dutch Christmas bread. It’s rich and dense, filled with dried fruits, nuts, and spices. It’s often dusted with powdered sugar, making it a festive and indulgent holiday treat.
Cribs is open from 10:30AM-9PM daily with their restaurant located along Escario Buildling along Escario Street beside Parklane Hotel and less than five minutes’ walk from Ayala Center Cebu. They’re also in Sugbo Mercado in IT Park.
Cribs
Unit C. Escario Bldg.
Escario Street
6000 Cebu City, Philippines
