Last week we found another gem restaurant in Iloilo City. Picea in Mabini-Texas Streets beside Ilolo Central Elementary School. Having passed by a Picea store in Mandurriao, they give an impression of being all desserts. But apart from their luscious cakes, they serve heavenly pasta and ribs, particularly the carbonara and the country style rib. Picea supplies big hotel restaurants in Iloilo City with cakes so definitely their cakes are on the top of your list when you go visit them. We had blueberry cheesecakes and sans-rivals.

Their baby back ribs is so tasteful that we have been back twice last week and could have been there yesterday if they weren't closed. I don't know why they're closed on a saturday night because saturday night is still "the gimik" night in Iloilo City.

Picea is one of those restaurants that definitely sets out on giving the best service and food quality to their customers. The food got to taste better when the kitchen is far bigger than the dining area. And oh, those indirect lighting makes the scene perfect. Lastly, quality doesn't come cheap but they're all worth it.

Even under piles of work we still manage to check out the latest additions to Iloilo City's growing number of great places to eat. Bad habits die hard, eh.

First off, Bigby's Cafe in Smallville complex. I can't find anything negative about them. Everything was well thought of. The interiors, the food, and everything. They all go together to give a distinctive environment and ambiance to the place. Bigby's Cafe has an explorer/traveller inspired theme. And so are their food. Their ribs (Rack a bye baby) is something to long for. True. I've been back 4 times. Eating at Bigby's is definitely worth the price.

Next we've tried Esca's Garden Restaurant in Aurora Subdivision on the second week after their opening. Esca's is a spinoff of the popular local pizza and pasta house, Afrique's. Esca's lived to their name as a garden restaurant. More greens than anything else, mostly geared towards events such as wedding receptions. There's a lot to be desired about the quality of the food and the waiters, though, given that Afrique's on my list as the best places to eat in Iloilo City last year. That's understandable because the 2nd week is almost always considered as a soft opening. I might try them again soon and I hope the food improves.

Floyd's is at the second floor of Atrium Mall. This one's a bbq/grill restaurant. Their slogan? World Famous BBQ. I wonder how famous since I haven't heard of them before but to their credit their BBQ actually taste good. If my wife and daughter's taste buds are any indication, Floyd's serves a decent BBQ in town. Just how many ways can you grill a chicken or pork? Trust me, Floyd's taste differently good.