You really don’t have to splurge to eat well when traveling. To determine whether a restaurant is going to be a good risk, look for the following things:

• A menu (in the native language) posted outside near the entrance. This will make it easy for you to judge both the food and the price range before going in. Places with charm and good food often have menus written out in longhand. Specialties change daily, and this is the easiest way for the restaurant to keep up with them.

• A series of set-price meals on the menu.

• A well-dressed clientele with a sprinkling of business people.

• A well-lit cozy and cheerful interior.

• Lots of people during the main meal hours.

• Good moderately-priced wines

• Cloth napkins

• Flowers simply arranged in inexpensive vases.

In Cebu, restaurant reservations are very important in some places. Without reservations, you may not get a meal. Make sure to make early reservations especially if you want to dine in a particular restaurant. Better restaurants tend to be more crowded in the evening than at lunch so be flexible if you have your heart set on eating in a certain place.

Click here to search a restaurant in Cebu.

- NGN