Red Cactus Restobar
Affordable and Tasty Noche Buena
Christmas Typhoon 2016 Series 3
December 24, 2016; we were supposed to be spending our
holidays at the Conrad Hotel as we had a post- Christmas
appointment for a Portuguese visa at the Greek Embassy.
But our early morning flight was cancelled as CamSur
was under Storm Signal # 3 due to the incoming super-
typhoon, expected to hit the province on Christmas eve.
A day earlier we fortified our house outdoor
to prepare for the worst as we always do,
covered our roof with protective fish nets,
… closed the window storm shutters,
…and secured our plants in the garden,
The day before Christmas was spent typhoon proofing our house
indoors by covering our appliances and furniture with water tarps.
We did the same thing with our beds, and books at the library.
In the afternoon, we went to church, and
searched for a place where we could dine.
It was Christmas Eve and most of the restaurants were full,
and some have closed early to give their employees a
chance to celebrate the holidays with their families and
give them prepare for the incoming typhoon as well.
We decided to park at the Villa Caceres Hotel and found
that all its in- house restaurants were also fully booked.
We walked to the Red Cactus Bar across
the street when we saw that it was open,
This is the second time we dined in the bar, the first one
was about two years ago and the predicament was similar-
it was the only restaurant with available parking that time.
I have blogged about that dining experience on this LINK.
We feasted on their delicious Fish and Chips.
We loved the chips as the potatoes were sliced
with surgical precision that it was so thin, served
hot, freshly fired, very crispy and not salty at all.
This breaded fish sticks fried to golden perfection was
just as good that we decided to order another one.
The Special Chopsuey appeared regular and didn’t
have any visual hint of being special as written in the
menu. One would only understand why it’s special
once you taste what probably one of the most delicious
chopsuey in the city. The veggies were fresh and crunchy,
it tasted so naturally delicious and devoid of any trace
of artificial flavoring common to most Chinese cuisine.
Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet is one of our favorite oriental
fares, and my family loved this tasty Red Cactus version
The Pork Hamonado was served late and we were already
feasting on the delicious spread on our table served earlier.
It may be the last dish served but definitely not the least.
It tasted like an upgraded adobo, not as salty, the pork was
tender and very succulent and had a delightful cured- ham
aftertaste. A must try to anyone dining in this restaurant.
Red Cactus, being a bar, may not be my first choice for families
dining with young children, but we have definitely enjoyed what
they had to offer during our last two outings in this restaurant.
Looking for a place to dine in Naga City on Christmas season
is like what the Holy Family experienced when they were looking
for an inn to stay. Everything was full, but Red Cactus welcomed
my starving family and we finally had a decent early Noche Buena.
With the super- typhoon looming in our midst,
It was already raining hard when we left for home
and we slept in heavenly peace on Christmas Eve.
Affordable and Tasty Noche Buena
Christmas Typhoon 2016 Series 3
December 24, 2016; we were supposed to be spending our
holidays at the Conrad Hotel as we had a post- Christmas
appointment for a Portuguese visa at the Greek Embassy.
But our early morning flight was cancelled as CamSur
was under Storm Signal # 3 due to the incoming super-
typhoon, expected to hit the province on Christmas eve.
A day earlier we fortified our house outdoor
to prepare for the worst as we always do,
covered our roof with protective fish nets,
… closed the window storm shutters,
…and secured our plants in the garden,
The day before Christmas was spent typhoon proofing our house
indoors by covering our appliances and furniture with water tarps.
We did the same thing with our beds, and books at the library.
In the afternoon, we went to church, and
searched for a place where we could dine.
It was Christmas Eve and most of the restaurants were full,
and some have closed early to give their employees a
chance to celebrate the holidays with their families and
give them prepare for the incoming typhoon as well.
We decided to park at the Villa Caceres Hotel and found
that all its in- house restaurants were also fully booked.
We walked to the Red Cactus Bar across
the street when we saw that it was open,
This is the second time we dined in the bar, the first one
was about two years ago and the predicament was similar-
it was the only restaurant with available parking that time.
I have blogged about that dining experience on this LINK.
We feasted on their delicious Fish and Chips.
We loved the chips as the potatoes were sliced
with surgical precision that it was so thin, served
hot, freshly fired, very crispy and not salty at all.
This breaded fish sticks fried to golden perfection was
just as good that we decided to order another one.
The Special Chopsuey appeared regular and didn’t
have any visual hint of being special as written in the
menu. One would only understand why it’s special
once you taste what probably one of the most delicious
chopsuey in the city. The veggies were fresh and crunchy,
it tasted so naturally delicious and devoid of any trace
of artificial flavoring common to most Chinese cuisine.
Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet is one of our favorite oriental
fares, and my family loved this tasty Red Cactus version
The Pork Hamonado was served late and we were already
feasting on the delicious spread on our table served earlier.
It may be the last dish served but definitely not the least.
It tasted like an upgraded adobo, not as salty, the pork was
tender and very succulent and had a delightful cured- ham
aftertaste. A must try to anyone dining in this restaurant.
Red Cactus, being a bar, may not be my first choice for families
dining with young children, but we have definitely enjoyed what
they had to offer during our last two outings in this restaurant.
Looking for a place to dine in Naga City on Christmas season
is like what the Holy Family experienced when they were looking
for an inn to stay. Everything was full, but Red Cactus welcomed
my starving family and we finally had a decent early Noche Buena.
With the super- typhoon looming in our midst,
It was already raining hard when we left for home
and we slept in heavenly peace on Christmas Eve.
Read my other Christmas Typhoon 2016 Series
