MB’S Tavern : Inn or Out?
In the beautiful island of
Mactan, in Basak along Cagodoy road, lies the Italian-German bar and
restaurant: “MB’s Tavern.” Operating for nearly 3 decades, MB’s tavern has
gained the nickname “beer garden” and is still serving their bestselling baked
pizza and spaghetti to date. Ranging from schnitzels to carbonara to scrambled
eggs, MB’s Tavern sure does offer a wide variety of food on their menu.
The ambiance and atmosphere
of the restaurant was warm and welcoming. It was noticeably dimly-lit, their
walls an abstract of the colors cream, yellow, green and red. Upon entering the
door, one would be greeted with the sight of a pool table at the far end of
one’s vision; the office and cashier to the immediate left and, of course, fine
dining sets. Upstairs, you’ll find the actual bar, along with more dining
tables and chairs and yet another pool table and a rather lonely iguana.
MB’s Tavern serves authentic
German and Italian food and pastry. They use genuine imported products, spices
and condiments in crafting and baking their food to give the perfect
Italian-German experience. Food was ready to serve in just a few minutes of
waiting, and it was presented in a manner that our stomachs would growl. Although
the food was not as divine as we thought, it was mostly better than just fine.
Their signature sketti was
the highlight of the show. It was a platter of baked
pasta with pizza toppings. It was some sort of a hybrid of a traditional
Italian pizza and spaghetti. It had this distinctive Italian taste because it greatly
differed from the sweet spaghetti that the Filipinos usually make. The downside
of their sketti was that the taste would not appeal or satisfy the taste buds
of some Filipinos.
The pizza, being on the list
of their bestselling goods, did not really live up to our expectations. It had
delicious toppings but its crust did not justify that. It was too hard, like it
was a biscuit. The cheese that they used in both the pizza and sketti was also
quite not the right kind. At first glance, the cheese would capture your
attention but upon taking a single bite, the cheese would be kind of a
disappointment. It was too thick and too hard like a gum, and it was in no way
cheesy, which defeats its purpose.
Conversely, all the other
dishes in MB’s Tavern tasted somehow great. The carbonara was an actual take on
the Italian carbonara, but this does not please the taste buds of some. The
mashed potatoes along with the gravy were agreed to be showstoppingly good as a
side dish. The fries were fine and the vegetable salad was actually appetizing.
Altogether, MB’s Tavern
gives the impression of the Italian-German dining experience with its ambiance,
staff, and savory food. It is a great place to hang out with friends given its
amenities. From a scale of 0 to 5, MB’s Tavern would receive a remarkable score
of 3. We would recommend MB’s Tavern as an occasional dining place for special
occasions and special nights with special people.
