Whenever I become weary and want to be in some corner where I can reflect my life decisions and future plans, I always find my way in this place -- in this tiny food shop where my thoughts come in harmony with the universe and my mind becomes suddenly clear and new ideas, big and small, come lining up to be appreciated (probably one of my top five go-to places to think and reflect: first on the list, the bathroom, second my bedroom, third on top of a mountain, fourth would be beside the seashore and fifth, THIS).
This small food shop named Cesar's Cantina is located at Mainit, Oslob, Cebu and near Lite Ferries Port bound to Dipolog.
I love this place especially during the night because it is not too crowded -- really perfect to think about things. There's a wide lawn enough for a few seatings for customers and you get to see the reflection of the ship's lights resting peacefully on the surface of the ocean while waiting for the passengers to come and have their ways towards their destinations.
THE CALMNESS...
As we age, we really need the calm. Gone are the days when we were wild and free and oblivious of the future. I am now in my quarter life and all my mind needs is the calm and quiet. And this place surely gives me the CALM and the QUIET.
Whenever I visit here, I always order my favorite coffee and some meal and eat my food and sip my coffee like time's not in a rush and time is willing to wait for my lazy, living-in-the-moment-with-peace type of soul.
THE VIEW...
My most favorite part of staying in this cantina is the view across it. Just imagine, you are sitting on the top floor of this tiny food stall, sipping your favorite coffee, and looking at the ocean in front of you when it's night and the only light that brightens its surface are the lights from the ferry like rays of the sun in different spectrum.
It looks scary yet full of hope.
It appears to be huge and brave yet mysterious and fragile deep within.
Just a perfect place to mull over life.
THE FOOD...
All I can think of whenever I talk about their food is -- HOME. It felt so homey and makes me feel like I'm in the sofa, crossing my legs, savoring the heat and tastefulness of the soup made by my father while watching my mother's most favorite TV show; when in fact, I am in some corner of this province living alone hundred miles away from my parents.
They serve breakfast like Silogs. Silog is a contracted word from Sinangag (fried rice) and Itlog (Egg). They can be paired with Corned beef (Cornsilog), Tapa (Tapsilog), Tocino (Tocilog), Hotdog (Hotsilog), Ham (Hamsilog) and many more. This is one of the most famous and easy breakfast for Filipinos.
They also offer pizzas, pastas, quesadillas, coffee and other beverages.
THE CUSTOMER SERVICE...
Aside from the good food and drinks they serve, they also have a commendable customer service. The serving for your orders wouldn't starve you to death waiting for it to be served (definitely one of the perks of living in a countryside). I didn't know the staff here but they surely give you the warmest smile when catering your orders and just has that kind of vibe that would really make you come back for more.
I guess one of the reasons why people come back to a place is when they are served right and they have staff that wouldn't make you feel so hard paying for their service.
THE APPRECIATION FOR A SLOW-PACED LIFE IN THIS CANTINA...
Living in a slow-paced life creates a privilege of you appreciating the small things in life. From sipping my coffee to unhurriedly running my food from the plate to my mouth to feeling the warmth and coldness of the nightly air altogether while gazing at the beautiful view in front of me makes me want to be more grateful of all the little things I have in life.
Sometimes we become too caught up with aiming for the big things that we often forgot how we managed to see these big things. We are too maneuvered with the things above us not knowing that if we only look at what's under our very feet, we get to see what brings us higher than we've been before.
And these are the little stones -- the little stones that make up the mountains. These are the very same stones that build gigantic buildings. These are the little stones in our lives that help us grow and become who we are now.
So let us not forget about our little stones that move us. No matter how crooked or perfectly shaped our little stones may be, always remember that they help cultivate us. Remember to think about your little stones whenever you get to finally be on the summit of your dreams or your goals...
Really, this place provides me a wide array of overpouring ideas I cannot fathom. Too glad my coffee didn't spill on the table's thin sheet right now.
Anyway, if you are on for a peaceful, calm and quiet ambiance of a food shop when you are on your way to travelling the southernmost tip of Cebu, why don't you come by and visit Cesar's Cantina?
Together, we get to appreciate life in this small space that gives an ample room for our thoughts to be scribbled in our minds.