South American Street Food Realness

By Alexis Yap

WHEN speaking of Lomo Saltado, what comes to mind is always my fond memories of Miami and how much we indulged in delicious Cuban cuisine. That is why it was such a pleasant surprise to discover Brasas has already opened in Cebu. Being a uniquely Latin-American street food joint, you will be happy to find dishes like carne asada, puerco and pollo asado, and spicy carnitas among many others.

I ordered the Chivito Al Plato that had three kinds of meat in it, put on top of some delicious Spanish rice and a side of some tangy South American slaw. It was a generous plate intended for sharing. However, I was glad to finish it all by myself, including the very comforting Picadillo soup on the side. The fried tortilla strips on top made it especially Latina.

The Picada Sampler is a good way to start your meal. It has Empanadas, Coxinhas — Brazilian croquettes stuffed with pork, and Patacones – plantain chips topped with pulled pork and cheese. Dip your Coxinhas in the Chipotle Cheese sauce and you will forget your name.

I’m not usually big on drinks when eating out because I’d rather eat my calories than drink it but their Mango-Lime Agua Fresca was very tempting. I just had to try it. It was such a refreshing combination and also the perfect symbol of bringing Latin American cuisine to Cebu, marrying the iconic Cebuano fruit with lime, a popular Latino ingredient.

Miami in 2012 was one of the best holidays I’ve taken so far. I had such a great time in the company of very good friends. Thanks to Brasas, I will be reminded of that epic trip every time I visit their joint and enjoy their food.

Brasas is located at Meerea High Street, Ouano Ave., North Reclamation Area in Cebu City. They are open every day from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. from Mondays to Thursdays and open for lunch onto 2 a.m. on weekends.

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