The Best Things We Ate at NUSTAR Cebu's The Mall

(SPOT.ph) The first integrated resort in Visayas has steadily been opening up different doors at its massive spot on Kawit Point. NUSTAR Resort & Casino occupies a scenic area along the bay, and fittingly to its rather secluded location, the multi-hectare property is a whole new world: a casino, a five-star Filipino hotel, stellar restaurants (Mott 32 needs no introduction), and now, The Mall. It's a first in Cebu, and arguably all of Visayas, so we're here to guide you on what you can't miss when you visit. 

With five levels full of shops and restos and one area fronting the sea—you won't miss the views thanks to a section with floor-to-ceiling windows—NUSTAR's mall is the place to go for a global culinary experience. We got to visit on opening week, and trust us, you should come with an empty belly. There are different restaurants with different cuisines, all absolutely stellar. So for a peek into what The Mall has to offer, apart from a cinema, function halls, and shops, we list down the best things we ate at some of the dining spots.

Also read: LOOK: Nustar Cebu's Swanky New Dining Spots Deserve the Buzz

The best things we ate at The Mall in NUSTAR Resort & Casino, Cebu

Pako and Pomelo Salad at Café Laguna

Already an institution in the Cebu food scene, this family-run restaurant ups the ante for their NUSTAR branch with exclusive dishes. We tried the Pako and Pomelo Salad (P295) and instantly fell in love with how it matches its vibrant looks with flavor, fresh and light. It's also at this branch you can try their tender Cochinillo, rich Aligue Fried Rice, and even a Langcabcab, a dessert made of langka ice cream, cassava wafer, and cashews.

The resto is at the heart of the mall, right by the cinemas, and is decked out in a colonial theme. Think your grandmother's house. Having been run by three generations of the Urbina family, this cozy feeling and homecooked-style meals does not fail to comfort.

Cafe Laguna is at Level 2. Open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays to Sundays.

The Abacookie at Abaca Baking Company

A chocolate chip cookie isn't hard to make. A good chocolate chip cookie, on the other hand, requires technique—now, a stellar, absolutely stunning chocolate chip cookie? That takes Abaca. This fave brunch spot in Cebu and beyond occupies an open-style spot right by the glass-covered entrance of the mall on the upper ground floor. You can head here for pastas, burgers, fish & chips, all cooked to perfection, and in generous servings too.

We'd like to give a shoutout to their decadent waffle plates, with the fluffy breakfast treat smothered in cream and goodies. The real star here, though, has to be the Abacookie (P165): think a perfect mix between crisp-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside dough, molten dark chocolate, and a touch of sea salt, making for an unbeatable bite. Best part is that the location means you can just grab a cookie on your way out or your way in, or both. You'll want more than one, we assure you.

Abaca Baking Company is at the Upper Ground Floor. Open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays to Sundays.

Hotpot at Taiwan Shabu Shabu

Who says a soulful bowl of hot broth, veggies, mushrooms, and tofu can't be decadent? This spot proves otherwise. We stuffed ourselves full at this hotpot restaurant owned by a Korean couple that fell in love in and with the Philippines. With a simple and clean chicken broth full of depth as base, we threw in all the leafy greens, mushrooms, tofu skin, and some protein in the form of lobster balls, shrimp, and thin slices of beef, that we wanted. Included in the set we got, which was P1,400 good for around four people, were a special sort of pork-mushroom balls that you get to piece into the broth yourself using something that resembled bamboo.

What brought this hotpot to the next level, apart from the clean topnotch ingredients, was the sauce we got to make ourselves. We mixed in our own dipping concoction at a table, which had garlic, onion, cilantro, soy sauce, chili oil, satay, and a bit of vinegar. Don't worry, they can help you to get the perfect ratios. Think of this as the spot to go to when you need a no less filling break from the decadence of the other restaurants.

Taiwan Shabu Shabu is at Level 2. Open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays to Sundays.

Paella galore at Barcino

Now we head over to The Strip, which is on the other side of the casino. Past Mott 32, with views and seats right by the bay, is tapas-and-wine mainstay Barcino. This branch comes with its own wine room, so you know they're extra serious about it. And if you're here for, say, a bachelorette party or a reunion with your wild cousins, they've got more secluded sections for small gatherings up on a loft-style area.

And to prove they know how to do a feast, they brought out a cochinillo and did it like they do in Spain: chopped up the perfectly crisp with moist meat pig using a plate, then smashed the unsuspecting dishware on the floor afterwards. While the roast suckling deserves a spot at any celebration, our hearts and stomachs were captured by all the different paella. The Paella de Chorizo y Pollo had huge chunks of the spice-filled sausage balanced off by chicken, while the addictive Paella Cerdo en Adobo came with slices of fatty pork belly.

Barcino is at The Strip, Upper Ground Floor. Open from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. Sundays to Thursdays, and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Fridays to Saturdays.

A5 Wagyu at Kazuwa Prime

Further down the strip is the equally gorgeous Kazuwa Prime, bringing you straight from Spain to Japan. This chain restaurant first opened in 2021 and now has its own branch in NUSTAR Cebu, open daily from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. With classic Japanese touches, al fresco seating areas, and even function rooms, Kazuwa's got it all.

The chef clearly knew how to put on a show, with fire displays, tricks with eggs, and jokes, too. The best part? The food was absolutely at par; we're talking a great dinner and a great show. We started things off with an appetizer that included sashimi and fish eggs—because why not, it was gritty and mildly salty—and soon went off to the main stars: fried rice as an absolute need to balance out the scallops, huge shrimps, chicken, and even perfectly seared and buttery A5 Wagyu. Kazuwa is the type of place to go to when you want a meal you won't soon forget. And when you go the teppanyaki route like we did, there really is no forgetting.

Kazuwa Prime is at The Strip, Upper Ground Floor. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.