Restaurants
Food no good? run to your safe zone!
Friday, September 19th, 2008Once again, Chattee and I attacked the streets of Davao at night. But this time, the objective was food. We had planned on joining Chow King’s congee-picture-taking contest yesterday, so off we went to the Bajada branch… but they were out of stock! This branch is open 24 hours, but they wouldn’t serve us [...]
WordCamp org meet @ Café Andessa
Saturday, July 19th, 2008Andrew, Migs, Ria and I had another organizational meeting for WordCamp Philippines 2008 yesterday, this time at Café Andessa. It was also a mini food trip for the four most intrepid bloggers of Davao City (we’re missing Winston, who’s in Cebu). My friend Sue Anne Orig, whose family owns this restaurant, graciously agreed to host [...]
Davao’s pizzerias
Friday, July 4th, 2008The other night, I met up with a couple of friends, Ahbet and Rochelle, at cups & lowercase, that posh café on F. Torres owned by the Lizada family. I was surprised to find a new establishment in between the café and Bistro Rosario (that venerable steakhouse) — a new pizzeria in Davao!
I’m not sure [...]
The Davaoeño in Cebu
Monday, June 30th, 2008Contrary to expectation, I had a very enjoyable and restful stay in Cebu — exactly what I’d come here for. The Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City provided a relaxing respite for a stressed-out worker bee who hadn’t had a vacation in more than a year!
The Waterfront in Lahug is one of the largest hotels in [...]
Monday: Transport Strike, Work and Food
Tuesday, May 13th, 2008I decided I’d do a five-post series about my last five days in Davao. I’ll be leaving for Cebu this Saturday and I want to keep track on how I will spend my five remaining days.
It’s Monday. There is a nation-wide transport strike going on. I can somehow see its effect. The city [...]
Davao F.A.T. - the conclusion
Monday, March 17th, 2008The culminating dinner of the Davao Food Appreciation Tour, on 16 March 2008, was at Bryan’s Grill & Café. At this al fresco poolside restaurant, my good friend Bryan Bajado served the bloggers samplers of his fine cuisine.
For appetizer, we had three samplers: grilled pepper-crusted sashimi (my absolute fave here!), shrimp in white wine and [...]
Looking for the best burger in town
Sunday, January 27th, 2008I’ve been getting the same inquiry from different people lately: Where is the best burger in Davao being served?
Well, in terms of flavor and value for money, my personal favorite is still Space Burger, although the taste isn’t quite like it used to be. And I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, but their [...]
My Brother’s Kitchen
Saturday, December 22nd, 2007I had a very satisfying dinner with three very good friends at a private restaurant last week. Couple Mandy and Maej invited Alex and me to My Brother’s Kitchen, owned and operated by Richie Ferazzini. It’s located in the Ferazzini compound in Bajada. However, it’s not really open to the public, and that’s why I’m [...]
Japanese Christmas party
Monday, December 17th, 2007A Japanese client invited me and a friend to a Christmas party last night, at Zakoya. I’ve never been to Japan, but I think I have enough Japanese friends to know that last night was a very Japanese get-together. My friend, Alex of Global Wings Travel, remarked that the party-goers didn’t behave in the ‘usual [...]
Picobello Ristorante Italiano
Sunday, November 4th, 2007Tomorrow is my folks’ wedding anniversary, but my brother Jake, who’s in town for the long weekend, would be heading back to Manila already, so we decided to take Mom and Pop out for lunch today. We brought them to Picobello Ristorante Italiano, which is a great little place for family get-togethers.
Picobello’s offerings are some [...]
Fwendz Diner - reprise
Saturday, October 20th, 2007I’m happy to see that my friend Tope Cubos and his wife Fritzie seem to be running a pretty sound operation in Fwendz Diner. Already they’re getting quite a few regular patrons — last night I overheard someone say that, at last, he had found a new hangout.
This isn’t surprising either. For one, the food [...]
Alias Bar & Shahzad Resto
Friday, October 5th, 2007Food is a tricky business — if you don’t get the right formula, chances are your restaurant or café or bistro will close shop. That’s probably why many businessmen who venture into the food & beverages industry stick with what’s proven. In Davao that would be barbecue joints or Chinese restaurants. Or if there’s ample [...]
The Cellar @ Swiss Deli
Friday, September 28th, 2007Swiss Deli, that chic European restaurant in Lanang, has recently completed renovations and now features extended dining space in a new wing. The al fresco area is also now much cooler, even during hot afternoons. Most importantly, Signor Romano Venuti has added a charming wine cellar at the basement of the new wing.
Last Wednesday night saw [...]
Filipino fare @ Pinutos
Monday, September 10th, 2007It’s always a delight to discover little places with great food. And that was my experience when I went to Pinutos for after-drinks dining with friends. The place is al fresco, decorated simply — far from the look and feel of expensive restaurants, but comfortable enough.
The food, though, now that’s what you’d go to Pinutos [...]
Fwendz Diner
Wednesday, August 29th, 2007Do you go for no-frills dining but expect gastronomic treats? Try Fwendz Diner and see just how much you’ll enjoy their food. It’s at the new arcade, Metro Avenue, at the back of the Gaisano Mall of Davao.
Fwendz Diner is a simple enough place, no nonsense and unapologetically inexpensive. Imagine: baby back ribs for Php99! [...]
Aseya @ Humberto’s
Sunday, August 12th, 2007My brother Jake’s leaving for Manila already — moving up the corporate ladder — and so the family had a despedida dinner for him last night. I was delighted that Mom decided on Aseya, that Asian fusion restaurant in Humberto’s Inn. I’d already tried their sumptuous Thai fare when they catered the launching of Suay [...]
Boyd’s
Wednesday, August 8th, 2007Had lunch today with Andrew, Ria, Marc and Aileen at Boyd’s. I’m not exactly sure when this pizza place opened, but I think it wasn’t very long ago.
The pizza was good! We had two kinds, but I wasn’t there when my friends ordered, so I’m not sure what they were. But both were really delicious. [...]
Barbecue craze
Saturday, July 14th, 2007I read in Matt Mullenweg’s bio that he loves going around the world sampling barbecued foods and comparing them to his native Texas’ own variety. Well then, he should come to Davao and see how our grilled tuna and other barbecue offerings stand up to “the gold standard of Texas BBQ.”
In fact we did invite [...]
Sagay @ Casa Leticia
Monday, July 9th, 2007I was just blogging about Karl’s (my previous post), and I realized I hadn’t written about this coffee shop / restaurant where I am now! It’s called Sagay (named after a place on Negros island, near Bacolod), Casa Leticia’s lobby restaurant. The food here is influenced by the owner’s Ilonggo roots. Try their kansi — [...]
Belly’s Grill
Tuesday, July 3rd, 2007This is about Belly’s Grill in Davao City — a testament to the fact that Davao is indeed barbecue country.
Banana Leaf
Friday, May 25th, 2007I don’t recommend this restaurant: Banana Leaf Asian Cafe. The food is horrible.
Papa Ching’s Resto
Friday, May 18th, 2007My friend Ian brought me to this fairly new chicken place in downtown Davao, Papa Ching’s. I want to say straight away, their greaseless chicken is awesome!! It really was greaseless, and the taste was just heavenly. I don’t particularly enjoy chicken as much as, say, beef. But that experience last night made me reconsider… [...]
Tsuru - Japanese cuisine
Wednesday, May 9th, 2007When my aunt asked me for suggestions of names for their upcoming restaurant, that was way back in the very early 90s (or was it the very late 80s?). Tsuru is Davao’s longest-running Japanese restaurant (but not the first, which was in the old Hotel Maguindanao back in the 70s). The name that my aunt [...]
Honey Bear Chicken House
Sunday, May 6th, 2007Restless on a Sunday afternoon, I set off to do another walk of the city, since the afternoon weather was proving to be agreeable. At first I thought I’d check out the ongoing construction of the PTA grounds, but there wasn’t anything noteworthy (or picture-worthy) just yet. So I ended up at my favorite haunt [...]
Damosa: Davao’s new commercial center
Saturday, April 28th, 2007The Damosa area used to be a dusty, neglected-looking part of Davao, until recently. This part of Lanang was almost exclusively for warehouses and industrial-type buildings. When the Mindanao Kokusai Daigaku (Mindanao International College) along Mamay Road was established in 2002, its first batch of students found the area dreary and rather isolated. But things [...]
La Toscana
Friday, April 20th, 2007When it came to pizza, my favorite in Davao had always been Picobello (5/F Gaisano South). But my friend — who happens to be an excellent chef — upbraided me for my uneducated tastes (in his opinion), and claimed that the pizza offerings at La Toscana are much better. So to prove his point, off [...]
Customer service makes all the difference
Friday, March 23rd, 2007Last Monday I went out to dinner with a couple of Manileños and a fello Davaoeño, all kindred bloggers. Andrew suggested the place: Karlyn’s. He said the restaurant had just transferred from somewhere, and it’s now just off the Ecoland Diversion, just past SM City if you’re coming from the north.
The place is very simple, [...]
Davao cuisine
Thursday, March 15th, 2007In Davao there are quite a number of various cuisines to get excited about. There are several European restaurants: Claude’s le Café de Ville (French); De Bonte Koe (the name’s Dutch, but what’s on the menu’s Euro fusion); Picobello (Italian); and a few more. There’s American… hmm… McDonald’s? Asian, of course: Tsuru, Mabo, Zakoya, etc. [...]
More places to go to
Monday, February 26th, 2007I’ve been preoccupied with my Japanese clients lately I haven’t had time to check out Davao’s newly-opened restaurants and cafés. But it hasn’t stopped me from noticing them. As soon as I have the time — and extra cash — I’ll sample all of these new places and their offerings.
There’s Barbecue Boss over at the [...]
Twosome Palace
Monday, February 12th, 2007Sunday found me with birthday boy Ichido, his family and his guests from Japan at a Korean restaurant, called Twosome Palace. My Japanese friends actually like Korean cuisine — they share my passion for spice.
Mang Inasal Kabankalan
Thursday, November 30th, 2006“Home of Real Pinoy Style Barbecue! Kumbinsing”Iloilo’s best chicken inasal fast food chain is now available at Kabankalan City. Mang Inasal is located at Gaisano City Kabankalan ground floor area and now ready to serve and delight every Kabankalanon o…