Dinner at Arano’s

For our second dinner in Cebu we went to Arano’s for some Spanish food.

Arano’s was located in Fairlane Village in Guadalupe. From the outside it looked just like an unassuming house.

The small restaurant was very simply decorated with pictures of friends and Señor Arano when he was a young and handsome jai alai player.

I told Señor Arano he reminded me of Tom Selleck.

Angel Ibarlucea y Arano

Tes’ brother Manoling and his daughter Janina have been going to Arano’s since Janina was a little girl. Now that she’s about to get married she brought her new family to continue their tradition. They all spoke in Spanish and I just sat quietly and ate since I flunked my Spanish classes in Ateneo.

Manoling ordered the next 3 special dishes in advance. If you plan to try these be sure to call first. These dishes are meant for sharing among 4-5 people.

The black paella was just satisfactory to me. It didn’t have much flavor from the squid ink. It tasted better when eaten with the gambas and chorizo.

paella negros P500

The fish used for this was lamon-lamon (Blackspot tusk fish) which was native to Cebu. It was a light and very flavorful dish. The fish was hearty yet tender.

pescao & salsa verde P560

This was my first time to try goat meat and I didn’t like it. I found it too strong and overwhelming. The Spanish speaking people in our table liked it very much.

baked goat thigh & mushrooms P900

I loved their homemade lean chorizo. I must have eaten 1 1/2 pieces. It was so flavorful and I ate it as ‘ulam’ with the paella.

chorizo P70

My favorite dish that night was the gambas. Small succulent pieces of shrimp were bathed in spicy, garlicky tomato, pimenton and olive oil. It was the best gambas I’ve ever eaten. The spicy sauce was just perfect for dipping bread in as my friends did. I spooned the shrimp and sauce on my paella negra and swooned in happiness.

gambas al jillo P90

The beans had a strong smokey flavor from the chorizo and bacon.

alubias P240

I was astounded by how good the coffee was and it only cost P25 a cup. Señor Arano said it was a special blend from Bacolod. I should gotten more information so I can buy the coffee beans.

brewed coffee P25

crema P20

You really can’t beat these prices for a home cooked Spanish meal. For those who live in Cebu and those planning a trip I urge you to try Arano’s. Just make sure to reserve a table and order in advance. Double the order of chorizo and gambas ok? And have a cup of coffee for me.

Arano
31 Fairlane Village, Guadalupe, Cebu City
telephone: +6332-256-1934
Open from Monday to Friday from 6:00-10:00 PM