CEBU -- Good food is all about stories. Good food is all about emotion. That is, according to the people behind Cebu hole-in-the-wall restaurant Tales and Feelings to which boasts of food that would be found in a swanky fine dining restaurant.

“Everything we do in this restaurant, the food, the wine, tells a story. And we hope our diners get an emotional connection when they come here.,” said Julian Prosevicius who runs this rather unique restaurant with his brother-in-law, Elso Third Asmodiel, who runs the kitchen.

Prosevicius, who is originally from Lithuania, has a storied career in the hospitality industry working his way up with famed Michelin-starred restaurateur Jason Atherton, whom he worked with for eight-and-a-half years.

He was then put in charge of food and beverage at Cliveden House, a five-star hotel owned by the British royal family.

His Cebuana wife was given an opportunity to come home and they have since called Cebu their home.

Asmodiel is also an Atherton alumnus, having been part of the opening team of the restaurateur’s Cebu restaurant.

As a foreigner in Cebu during the COVID-19 pandemic, finding work was difficult so they decided to open this restaurant. Prosevicius used the money he and his wife were supposed to use for their wedding to start Tales & Feelings.

At first, the menu was composed of rice bowls and silogs to cater to the hospitals and student dorms in the immediate vicinity. But soon enough, word got around about the quality of the food that a different sort of clientele from Cebu’s trendy areas started coming up those narrow steps. They soon had to start putting specials on the menu to impress these foodies and have them come back.

Getting to the restaurant is an adventure in itself. Located on the second floor of a nondescript building in Cebu’s downtown university area, one has to navigate a narrow set of stairs to get to the door. Once inside, though, the seven-table bohemian interiors are full of color and makes for comfy picturesque venue for a nice lunch or a dinner date. Everything inside is labor of love by the team including the iconic painting on the far wall which was made by Prosevicius’ wife, Kim, while she was pregnant.

With the rather small space, Tales & Feelings has a tiny kitchen with just the basics, but Asmodiel just makes magic, cooking up dishes that could have come out of kitchen with all the latest gadgets. They brand themselves as an Asian fusion restaurant and it does show in the menu that the duo regularly updates and change while retaining signature dishes for loyal patrons.

Here is a sample of the tales and feelings this restaurant has on the menu.

The Bruschetta with cream cheese and feta is a great start with strong flavors open up the tastebuds. Jeeves de Veyra

This is Korean fried chicken for vegetarians, with cauliflower being coated with spicy sweet gochujang instead of chicken. Jeeves de Veyra

Break open this ball of burrata and mix in with the cherry tomatoes, herbs, and extra virgin olive oil makes for a tasty salad. Jeeves de Veyra

Dry cured salmon with the crunch of the black tuile, freshness of the Green Goddess dressing and the briny bits of Ikura come together for a great bite. Jeeves de Veyra

The Chicken with Polenta is one of the restaurant’s favorites, and a good entrée to start exploring the menu. Jeeves de Veyra

One can only guess how long they braise the pork in miso to get it this tender. The pureed squash adds a bit of sweetness to the umami-ness of the dish. Jeeves de Veyra

This squid ink pasta with marinara sauce made from scratch is just loaded with shrimps and lobster. Jeeves de Veyra

If you ask loyal customers what to order, they will probably tell you to get the Hamachi. This is smoked in house retaining its clean buttery texture that just goes so well with the restaurant’s homemade ponzu sauce. Jeeves de Veyra

Red Mullet with a warm caviar sauce on risotto was an off-menu special for this meal. This was rich and buttery with some salty notes from the salmon roe. This should make it to a version of the menu in the future. Jeeves de Veyra

The restaurant has a small, but very well curated selection of wine. The staff can recommend bottles to pair with a particular dish.

This is that rare restaurant that just redefines what a hole-in-the-wall can offer. With an ever-changing menu backed up by Prosevicius’ and Asmodiel’s fine-dining sensibilities, there will be more flavors, more tales and more feelings in the years to come.

Tales and Feelings is located at the 2nd floor of M. Diaz Building on the corner of F. Ramos St. and V. Ranudo St., in Cebu City and is open every day from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Please check out their socials on @talesandfeelings for reservations, their complete menu and promos.

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