When craving for some non-fast food while travelling via NLEX (going south bound), try stopping at The Shoppe in Pampanga. It’s near Landers so if you’re on an errand to buy something, this is the place to be.
There are alot of food establishments in the area from Inasal Chicken, Filipino Food, American, Grilled Meats, Korean, you name it and I bet there’s always a place for you there. We discovered this place after visiting Landers in Angeles Pampanga with cravings for Birria Tacos and Chicken Biriani for hubby.
We were lucky to come across a Tiktok Account that featured Wildspices Cafe Infinity and it happened to be within the vicinity. We ordered the Birria Tacos for just PhP 290. They served two pieces which is almost half the price of Army Navy – Beef Birria Taco is PhP405. The only difference is that Army Navy offers a picked jalapeno with loads of onions and a tasty diluted dipping sauce. For this version of Birria Tacos, they have this mild-spiced sauce with lemon on the side. It tasted good except it’s a bit oily. They could’ve placed it on an absorbent paper towel a bit longer before serving but overall, I liked it.
Birria Tacos at Wildspices Cafe Infinity for PhP 290
Next is the Chicken Biryani for hubby. The photo didn’t do justice with regard to the size of the actual chicken – it’s not this small and big neither. It’s on the medium size served with slices of cucumber and tomato plus the sauce that’s not too empowering. I love chicken biryani and have tried it from numerous restaurants within and outside Metro Manila so I can say that this can be one reason I’ll go back to this restaurant. The price + serving size + taste…thumbs up.
Chicken Biryani at Wildspices Cafe Infinity for PhP 300
Aside from the two, we also tried their Kani Salad, Chicken Pesto Pasta, Chicken Tikka Masala, Porterhouse Steak, Blackened Salmon with Aligue Cream Sauce and Calamari Bites.
Kani Salad @ Wildspices Cafe Infinity for PhP 240
The Chicken Pesto we had is bland and the pasta is a bit soggy. It’s a small serving like 5 fork-full then it’s gone. This is the only order we didn’t quite like.
Chicken Pesto at Wildspices cafe Infinity for PhP240
Their Chicken Tikka Masala is a dish that you would come back for many times. The saltiness and creaminess of the sauce goes well with the bread. It’s love at first bite for hubby. Like you can imagine the invisible hearts through his eyes when he tasted this.
Chicken Tikka Masala for PhP 270
For their Blackened Salmon with Aligue Cream Sauce, I was expecting a charcoaled-like salmon as in black but it’s not. We opt for the mushed potato instead of rice because we already have too much carbs on our orders. It was good for a few bites but after some time, it’s kind of “nakakaumay”. Maybe because of the Aligue Sauce – it’s on the salty side. This is just a small portion but wasn’t able to consume all. The price is okay for the serving size as Salmon is really an expensive dish on restaurants.
Blackened Salmon with Aligue Cream Sauce for PhP380
The Porterhouse Steak – the meat attached to the bone is somewhat hard to chew or cut although this is medium rare. The gravy sauce is good and so with the mushed potato on the side. If I have to choose between this or the Blackened Salmon, I’ll go with this one.
Porterhouse Steak for PhP380
And last but definitely not the least is their Calamari Bites with potato chips. The calamari is well cooked – it’s texture is chewable and not rubbery. You know when a squid is overcooked, it tends to be rubbery and really difficult to munch. Also the garlic sauce ( I guess) is a good partner of both the calamari and potato chips. I even used the sauce on my Blackened Salmon to negate the saltiness of the Aligue Sauce.
Calamari Bites for PhP 230
Our overall experience with Wildspices Cafe Infinity is a good one. Aside from the food, the servers and owners were friendly. We’ll definitely come back for their Chicken Tikka Masala and maybe Chicken Biryani. Else, we’ll try other food establishments in the area.
Spent a long and nice weekend in the island of Siargao or what was originally “Isla de las Palmas”. ‘Tried different food varieties and I think the average meal price is around PhP 300 – 350 which is quite expensive. This maybe reasonable as the island doesn’t grow their own food. We weren’t able to scout for other food establishments outside Gen. Luna – where most hotels are situated, so the post below is within the touristy area.
Lunch at Apsaras Tribe Hotel where we stayed: Sky Restaurant. They have special menu for Chinese New Year on 2nd week of February by the way. We tried their steamed fish Lapu-lapu in sesame oil. Herbs were generously scattered that makes this dish so fragrant. The fish is medium in size and tasted good at first but the saltiness of soy sauce is too much after consuming half of it.
Steamed Fish Lapu-lapu in Sesame Oil for PhP588
Breakfast: Apsaras – Our breakfast is part of our hotel accommodation and I must say that these ones are good. The serving plate is big enough that makes it a heavy meal. You can also request how your eggs are cooked. And since food is a bit expensive in this area, might as well consider a package with breakfast inclusion.
Apsaras Tribe Sausage Breakfast Plate
Apsaras Tribe Fried Milk Fish Breakfast Plate (Filipino Breakfast)
The Food Truck Tacos – before going to Siargao, I did my homework on different restaurants or food that we ‘must’ try – meaning where there are lots of good reviews. So when we saw the Food Truck, we tried their sampler tacos. Almost all samplers from other restaurants include best-sellers so this is what I thought when I ordered. Not sure if it’s just a hype or I didn’t order the right one.
The taco is soft but I can still taste the fresh flour and it’s so visible to the naked eye- it’s a no for me. I don’t remember which one tasted best among the four – there’ s chicken intestine (1st taco), then the fish fillet (2nd), pure veggies and can’t remember the last one. No hot sauce was offered and the calamansi didn’t go well with the tacos – I preferred lemon or lime.
The Food Truck Taco Sampler
Dinner: Wellington Grilling Station – This is one of the best grilled meat I had as the marinade was so flavourful. This is a “karinderya-style” or “small eatery”turu-turo” and their grilled menu is only available in the afternoon until the evening. If I’m to rate this, it would be 10/5. I think nobody has reviewed this yet but it’s good – the meat is cooked to perfection, soft, tasty and affordable. We ended up ordering 2 plates of Chicken Barbeque, Chicken Intestine (isaw ng manok) and Pork BBQ. Other options are chicken leg and wings, pork intestine (isaw ng baboy), squid and not sure of the others as we had our dinner a bit late.
Wellington Grill House
Grilled Chicken, Pork Bbq and Chicken intestine Barbeque
Day 2 Lunch at Happiness. We dined here at around 11-ish and they still serves breakfast. I think they offer lunch menu at 12pm so on our 2nd day, we had two breakfast.
Super Banana is a combination of Chia seeds, peanut butter, tahini and ofcourse banana fruit. Ice was well blended and the sweetness is not too much. We liked this one. By the way, that’s a toasted banana garnish.
Super Banana for PhP 220
The Green Power Bowl is an energy booster made from Puree of mango, banana, pineapple, ginger, coconut milk topped with moringa, chia seeds, goji berries, banana, toasted coconut flakes and home-made-granola served in a wooden bowl. It’s a bit pricey for the serving size but I must say that this was surprisingly good. On my last scoop, that’s when I realiazed that the sourness of pineapple is overpowering.
Green Power Bowl for PhP 320
Better Together Sourdough – It doesn’t matter if you eat this together or separately coz it plays with your taste buds. As the name suggests, it tasted better together. Both sourdough has their unique taste but the one with tomato overload is better for me. Maybe the spread complements the sourness of the tomatoes, I don’t know. It magically enhances the fruit. Yes, tomatoes are fruits. Although this one is delicious, the price is not affordable.
Better Together Toasted Sour Dough for PhP 320
Snack at Atabai Snack Bar is a snack bar at the roadside. They can only accommodate like 8 persons at a time – 4 seats at the front and another four on the side. We ordered the Nachos, Snow Special Burger with Fries, Winter Special Burger, Chocolate Milkshake and Caramel Macchiato. Their prices are reasonable for how it tasted and the service sizes.
The Nachos is not that tasty but for the price of PhP120, it can be considered an okay appetizer for a medium-sized plate.
Atabai Snack Bar Nachos for PhP 120
Their burgers are bigger in person so don’t be fooled by my small photos. These were tasty burgers and the patties are thick with generous veggies. Although I’m still wondering how they come up with the burger names.
Atabai Snack Bar Snow Special with Fries for PhP 149
Atabai Snack Bar Winter Special for PhP 189
The glasses used on our drinks are bigger and as per the photos below, both drinks were overflowing. The caramel Macchiato is sweeter than the chocolate milkshake so I preferred the latter. Both drinks were good for the price.
Atabai Snack Bar Caramel Macchiato for PhP 120
Atabai Snack Bar Milk Chocolate for PhP 129
Dinner at Kanin Baboy on Day 2. Hubby and I tried our luck going to Cev (Ceviche and Kilawin) and since it’s crowded and fully-booked, we roamed around and ended up at Kanin Baboy. We ordered the spicy (for me) and non-spicy platter for hubby. When our orders arrived, the servings looked familiar and yes, it’s the same with what we had when we’re in Bali Indonesia. I’m sorry but this one is incomparable from what we had. Aside from the serving size and price, this one lacks the aroma and spices. This is just like you took a plate on a Filipino Buffet Restaurant and stuffed it with all pork dishes. Even the sambal sauce didn’t add anything on the pork dish. You can check my Bali Food here – .Warung Babi Guling Dolbi (https://myeatsperience.com/2023/11/22/bali-indonesia-food-experience/)
Kanin Baboy Special for PhP 385
Kanin Baboy Regular for PhP 295
Day 3 lunch at Thai Foon. Their Papaya Salad is very fresh with good crunch from the nuts. Papaya was shredded to perfection and so with other vegetables in it. The only down side for me is the sourness of the vinegar which was too much maybe because it’s almost like a soupy dressing as shown on the photo below.
Som Tam (Papaya Salad) for PhP 190
Their fried spring rolls are nothing special and the common thing that should make it stand out is the dipping vinegar sauce paired with it. This lacks garlic and the sweet and sour taste. I’m also surprised that they didn’t cut their spring rolls which adds feast to the eyes when you’re able to see the filling.
Thai Foon’s Fried Spring Rolls for PhP 170
The Chicken Cashew is soy-based flavor and as per hubby, it tasted more like our Adobo. The good thing here is they didn’t skimp on bell peppers, cashew nuts and the other greens.
Thai Foon’s Chicken Cashew for PhP 280
Thai Foon’s Mango Sticky Rice is the best order we had, well for me. Let’s explain in detail: First the presentation. The white, blue and yellow color combination looked appetising. Agree? The blue rice color is from the blue ternate flower that is edible. The rice and coconut milk were unsweetened. I’m not sure which one has a hint of saltiness but it balanced the sweetness of ripe mango. We could have ordered another plate but we’re so full.
Mango Sticky Rice for PhP 180
Their Coconut Juice is just so-so. For the price, I think I’m not just paying for the juice but also the coconut meat but wasn’t able to because of how it was presented. Too bad I didn’t ask them to open it. I also expected that coconuts are cheaper here because they have plantation everywhere.
Coconut Juice for PhP 100
Dinner at Cev (Ceviche and Kilawin) – We initially visited this on our 2nd night in the island but it’s full house so we’re advised to reserved a slot the next day. Almost all customers are non-Filipino and I got excited because they all seemed chilled, relaxed and enjoying the food. Fast forward, we came a bit earlier for our reserved 8:00pm slot but were immediately seated. On to our food orders:
I’m a bit bias on my review here because I compared it to the taste I’m familiar with while growing up. Fish Ball for 5 pieces – as a Filipino I still preferred the local taste of home-made fish ball made from Galunggong. I actually can’t remember how this tasted but I think sauce made it better and there’s no fishy after taste.
CEV’s Fish Ball for PhP 200
The Ceviche or Peruvian version of our Kilawin is consist of sweet potato (kamote), squash and bits of corn to lessen the spicyness of the dish. There’s crunchy onion on top. In short, I think our kilawin version or the one I tried in Davao is better (https://myeatsperience.com/2023/03/11/luz-inihaw-kinilaw-place/). Less ingredients but more flavor.
CEV’s Pacifico Ceviche for PhP 360
CEV’s General Luna Kinilaw for PhP 360
CEV’s Garlic Rice
Their Kilawin version has so much ingredients paired with garlic rice. Aside from the fresh fish meat, there’s mushed grilled eggplant, fresh and toasted onions, onion chives, mango, white and green sauces. The taste was foreign to me not like the regular kilawin I had so it’s a bit difficult to appreciate it but I give thumbs up on how they present their dishes. So far, their garlic rice was the star of my orders – no kidding. Ofcourse I finished all our orders because it’s pricey.
My food experience in Siargao is both a hit and a miss – mostly expensive but this is expected as Siargao Island is a tourist destination so prices are targeted to foreigners. There are other food establishments in Gen. Luna which we weren’t able to try so if I’ll be returning to the island in the future, I will surely have a different list. Food reviews are really subjective, but it’s still helpful when trying food on a new place for the first time. Again, these are based from my experience so one may agree or disagree.
By the way, prices of the dishes above are from February 2024 so it may differ when you visit Siargao.
Two of the many foods I really enjoyed while growing up were pizza and pasta and there was never a good restaurant as far I can remember in (my) Aurora Province. I only have my mom’s pasta (Pinoy Style Spaghetti) on Christmas Day. Pizza? I can’t think of any. When Aurora opened its doors to tourists because roads became accessible to any vehicle type, alot of business establishments opened and one of those was the best Pizza and Pasta Restaurant named Happy Huts. Does it make its customers happy? I believe so..
My brother in law (BIL) and sister discovered this hidden on a secret place somewhere in Baler and keep on asking me – do you know where the best pizza in Aurora is? It’s like exaggerating something that sounds unreal. My hubby and I didn’t try it first because the street to where ’twas previously located was narrow so it’s a no. Fast forward after a year when Happy Huts transferred to their new location – Smart Beach House, Querijero St. along Sabang Beach in Baler, that’s when we finally gave it a try. Although the street is still narrow, it’s passable passable and more accessible (1 vehicle at a time) than the previous one.
What we ordered? Not much, really…
For the appetizer: we had Sloppy Potato (PhP 269) and Chicken N’ Wedges (PhP 359) – photos below. The serving sizes are good for sharing as per the menu which is true if you have other orders, but if just one of these, then it’s not. The crispy shoestring potatoes with thick potato wedges smothered with ground meat, ranch and melted mozarella are good combination – though the photo didn’t justify how appetizing this was. The crispy Chicken tenders and potato wedges has two dips – ranch and honey mustard. The chicken meat is tender and goes well with the dips but I still preferred the Sloppy Potato over this. Oh and by the way, this is part of their “Mains” but it’s more of an appetizer for me.
Sloppy Potato
Chicken N’ Wedges
For the Pasta orders, we had the Tuna Aglio Olio Pasta (Solo for PhP 189) and Creamy Tandoori Chicken or Leon’s Carbonara (Solo for PhP 189) – sorry I really can’t remember which one we ordered but the taste is more of a chicken carbonara and lacks saltiness on my palate. I’m a bit bias here as I really love anything about tuna so I vote for the Tuna Aglio Olio eventhough I can’t remember which one has a mild spicy taste (plus point if the tune pasta). The taste is simple but clean and leaves no fishy taste unlike in other restaurants. The solo servings are generous for its price so you’re a winner in either pasta meal.
Tuna Aglio Olio Pasta
Creamy Tandoori Chicken or Leon’s Carbonara
This visit to the best pizza and pasta in Baler Aurora won’t be complete without the Pizza. We had the Duo Pizza which costed around PhP 339 for two flavors in one. It’s Texas Chicken BBQ and Margherita. It’s thin crust so it’s crunchy and loses it’s charm when left cold. Surprisingly, the crunchiness didn’t leave until we consume everything – I think around 30 minutes or so. 🙂 The combination was good ‘coz I’m not a fan of pure meat so this is better for my taste.
Duo Pizza
Last and definitely not the least, is their Pan-seared Fish Curry which was around PhP 299. The sauce topping is well blended on the fish and my hubby liked this. I can’t really identify the ingredients of the curry sauce but I’m sure there’s lots of tomatoes in it like sarciado but in a good way. The serving size is also big enough for its price.
Pan-seared Fish Curry.
Overall, I can say that this pizza-pasta joint is a must try when you’re in Baler. The prices are affordable for the quality and serving sizes of their offerings. They occupy two floors – air-conditioned on the ground floor and open-air on the second. The owners and servers are friendly and attentive so it’s a plus x2.
Prices above are from 2023 so to give you an idea, here’s their 2023 menu book:
How we’re able to try Sincerity Cafe and Restaurant? My hubby was craving for a Chinese Food when we got to SM Megamall and found it at the basement of Building B. ‘Navigated their Facebook Page and their menu then decided to give it a try. We also observed that the tables and chairs were almost full past lunch time.
Their menu: the photos are feast to the eyes all the way down to our stomach as it really looked appetizing. The prices are not really that affordable like for the rice, a small cup is PhP 35 for plain while all other “flavored rice” ranges between 90 to a hundred.
Sincerity Cafe and Restaurant Menu 1
Sincerity Cafe and Restaurant Menu 2
We ordered the following: Canton (small order for PhP 145), Pork Asado (small order for PhP250), Chicharo Shrimp (PhP290), fried chicken (PhP215) and Sincerity fried rice (PhP80).
The Canton was served in a small bowl good for one person – it has more “other” ingredients than noodles. It’s a bit bland for me unlike the usual pansit canton from cheaper eateries. The Pork Asado was surprisingly good so the photo didn’t justify the taste. It also has small portion which is good for 1 person.The Chicharo Shrimp was not cooked as what I preferred – chicharo was slightly overcooked with a little bit of shrimps. Maybe if they added butter, it would be tastier.
Sincerity Chacanton or Pancit Canton with pork asado and 1 cup fried rice
Pork Asado
Sincerity Chicharo Shrimp
Their Golden Fried Chicken has me thinking – “it’s a good thing I tried this”. It’s comparable with other fastfood chains selling fried chickens – crispy outside and juicy inside. Their half order (PhP215) was 5 pieces. While their sincerity fried rice is pricy for an PhP80 price point.
Sincerity Golden Fried Chicken
Sincerity Fried Rice
Overall, I’m not satisfied with the taste of most of our orders – It’s on the pricy side compared to other restaurants with the same price range but offer more delectable foods. It just looked affordable outside because of the setup. Maybe when you eat in groups it would somehow be cheaper. And after checking their facebook account, I think their food servings are better in Binondo Branches than in SM Megamall.
Have you tried Sincerity Restaurant in other location/s?
Before I begin my food experience feedback during my 4-day stay in Bali Indonesia, let me share some things I observed from this beautiful island.
They place daily offerings along the side street of their business/homes made from banana leaf -half uncovered box with some flowers, biscuits and incense.
No beggar anywhere we went to, even on the far-end area of the island.
Their gates (home or business) are always extravagantly designed.
Incense here and there which may be the reason why…
No mosquitos flying around
No extra charge for early check-in (in our hotel)
Meals are more affordable than pasalubongs 🙂
On to my foodies… so after arriving early in the morning around 7-8am, our first stop was the Warung Babi Guling Dolbi. Side note, I just learned that “Warung” means a family owned business so whenever you see or hear an eatery name with “Warung”, you can assume that people working in it are mostly family members.
The ‘meal’ includes a medium-sized platter of all-pork dishes plus soup and chicken skin- there’s the crispy pork skin, shredded pork meat, crispy chicken skin, pork floss and vegetable side dish which I think is string beans with ginger and not sure if the yellow part was egg. Careful with this side dish as you can really get sweaty coz of the green peppers (string beans look-alike). The soup, though I’m not sure if it’s beef or pork, also has the aroma of different herbs and I couldn’t tell what are those. It comforts your throat all the way to your stomach on a hot day. This is the farthest eatery we tried by foot and also one of the good meals we had on our first day.
A few steps from our hotel, is the Warung Ketut’s which is owned by a couple right infront of Marriot’s Hotel in Nusa Dua. One blogger posted that the owners are very friendly but not intrusive. Like they always say hi/hello then smile but no pressure on having a conversation that may feel awkward.
They offer both local and western dishes. Their pizza dough is handmade, and all other dishes were priced affordably. My hubby really loved their Nasi Goreng and Mie Goreng and I couldn’t agree more. They’re willing to adjust the spiciness as you prefer.
Our first Bakso Ayam was very memorable because we just passed by the foodcart on a mortorcycle and looked at the display. It looked yummy and so we tried it. ‘Twas around IDR 20, 000 or around ~PhP71-72. This is a hot soup (literally) which actually helped cool down our bodies on a mid day.
Bakso Sapi
Almost everyday, we checked the foodcart since the soup is somehow addicting but we never succeeded getting our second try. Unaware we were, there was a better and cheaper Baksos just a few steps from the hotel we’re staying. When the door closes, there’s always a window that opens. hehe.. We loved the chicken and beef ball noodle soups and it only costed a few IDRs. Bakso Ayam (Chicken Ball Soup) and Bakso Sapi (Beef Ball Soup) were priced for 14,000 IDR and IDR 16,000, respectively.
Bakso SapiBakso Ayam
In between our meals, we were able to get a few snacks here and there. Side story: when we saw a small store near the hotel that has these small packs of snacks, I initially grab 2-3 then the seller looked at me like she was surprised. I tried to talk in simple English words but I think she didn’t get me. Then my husband whispered “pang-alay ata” or for offerings. Then I realized that the small snack packs were for offerings since they also sell small banana leaf boxes (without cover). I just said thank you then I think she understood me and pointed us to another store.
Form left to right: I really don’t know the names of these snacks but I can still remember how it tasted. There were only two spicy snacks on the 1st picture – the 1st one has herbs on the crackers and the orangey color below it. The 1st is weirdly good. I really can’t describe the taste but I love it. Then the clover chips-lookalike is super spicy like my eyes were tearing and so my nose. haha. The snack on the upper right is just so -so. The 4th one really tasted like squid. The dark brown is like popcorns that were glued together and helped me counter the other spicy snack/s. It’s sweet and has chocolate flavor.
I wanted to highlight the 5th snack on the 2nd photo. It also has spicy kick – a bit hard on crispiness but it lasted until we got back to Manila. This can replace your coffee to wake your senses ‘coz just a small bite and sure enough your sleepiness will run away. Others included were crispy fish skin, sweet choco rolls (how it was tasted) and watermelon.
And the last or third photo shows a slice of green match cake with mocha and 2 cupcakes – chocolate and banana flavors. Can’t remember the price but I think these were cheaper but the tastes were heaven.
Here are the other meals we tried at Warung Made’s near our hotel – the first one is just so – so coz I thought the chicken was grilled as shown on their menu. While the Chow Mien with sambal was super peppery but tasty.
Chow Mein with sambal
On our 3rd day, we travelled along the coast of Jimabaran which is famous for sunset dinners as it’s along the beach. You can actually see the airport from here and the sunset. I appreciate this place as it’s recommended by locals but to be honest, there’s nothing like the sunsets we have back home. The place is crowded with tables and chairs and I didn’t see anyone taking a dip here. Also, you can’t watch the sunset unless you dine in one of the restaurants along the beach – or we’re just not informed. Our driver dropped us at one of the restaurants with a nice view of the sunset.
How to order – choose any seafood on display, weigh then cook – fried or grilled were the only options you have unlike in Manila’s “dampa”. The set menu included a big bowl of rice – that green bowl with white cover is the rice ( and we’re not able to consume half of it), stir-fried water spinach (kangkong), a pitcher of water and 4 small slices of fruits – honeydew and watermelon. The grilled fish was seasoned with sambal as sauce so it’s peppery with a hint of sweetness. And yeah it’s well cooked but I can still get a whiff of the fishy smell.
Coconut Juice
We ordered a coconut juice – nothing special aside from how it was served . The straw and spoon were attached to the coconut as seen on the picture. The food is just okay for me but the price is around IDR 400,000+ which is pricey compared to how it tasted. I think other dishes we tried that were less than half of its cost were better and maybe you just pay for the view and not really the food.
On our last day at the airport, we checked Warung Made’s Nasi Goreng (for hubby) and Beef Rendang (for me).
Beef Rendang is mildly spiced not for me and I do love that did not overpower the beef and coconut taste. The dish is complemented with steamed water spinach (I think) with the yellow sauce from the tofu. I’m really not sure what sauce this one was, but it has mild taste which I no longer remember..yeah nothing special that I can remember.
Indonesian Beef Rendang
Warung Made’s Nasi Goreng includes vegetable sidedish – thinly sliced cabbage, cucumber and carrot, then a small bowl of diced tomatoes and onion (I think it’s another kind of sambal) plus a big crispy cracker. When I asked hubby which one tasted better, he still preferred the Warung Ketut’s version.
I really miss Bali Island and their foods (+ beach). Hopefully we can visit other parts of Indonesia and experience their other cuisine that we haven’t tried.
Bye for now and will have more posts for my next food trip in one of Asia’s food haven. *wink*.
When I said random eats, it literally means not part of my list – saw it then decided to try.
I’m gonna start with the black ice cream. I know this is no longer unusual to many places in the Philippines, I bet most provinces have their own version of it but it’s my first time trying the black or charcoal flavored ice cream. It costs PhP30.00 on a cone. We had an early flight and since the hotel’s check-in time is around 2:00pm, we decided to stroll and stay at the People’s Park. I think it’s almost 10AM when Manong Ice Cream was there. The taste was more like cheese flavor with a hint of charcoal – I liked it. I also wanted to try the Durian flavor but wasn’o’t brave enough.
Black Charcoal Ice Cream
We tried the night market along Roxas Street on a weekend and loved their Flavore-filled Buchis. The choices are endless – from Chocolate, Nutella, Matcha, Strawberry, Blueberry, Cheese, Cream Cheese and the list goes on. You name it and they have it -almost. Per piece is worth PhP 5.00 so it’s a good buy. I tried buying the frozen ones so I can bring it back to Manila because my nieces love Buchi but did not succeed. The supplier’s location is far from the hotel we’re staying at.
Flavor-filled Buchi
So before the night Market visit, Hubby and I need to find Dod’s Ihaw-Ihaw – the one featured in “Biyahe ni Drew” because as per Drew, the Tuna meat is grilled to perfection – not dry and salty. We succeeded on finding it but not fortunate enough to try it. They were closed when we visited and advised us to just try the Night Market. We walked from our hotel to this place, like we had 5k steps atleast. Not sure if they are still serving their patrons or not because the place was empty.
Dod’s Ihaw-Ihaw Place
Fast forward, we bumped into the Tuna Choice Place – it’s more of a karinderya. You choose the Tuna Panga for example and they will weigh and grill it. We had Tuna Panga and Sizzling Tuna’s Eggs.
For the Tuna Panga, there’s an uncooked side of the Panga but overall not dry. Very common taste in all grilled pangas I tried outside Davao City. The surprising taste of Sizzling Tuna Eggs was really good. The butter flavor complements the bitter taste of the eggs so you won’t really taste the bitter side of the dish. It’s sweet and garlicky flavor, I even poured the sauce on my rice. I forgot how much we spent on these two dishes but I think if I remembered it correctly, the Panga was like PhP680.00 while the Sizzling Tuna Eggs was around PhP 200.00+.
Grilled Tuna Panga and Sizzling Tuna Eggs
Here is the menu price of Tuna Choice Place. This is near the night market along Roxas Street.
Tuna Choice Place’s Menu
Tuna Choice Boodle Fight Menu
Last but not the least was the Singaporean hot chocolate drink. It’s so sweet that I’m unable to finish the cup and just requested to “takeaway”. I worked in Singapore for about 6 months on 2010 and sorry but this is not how it tasted. For the record, it’s good like you’re drinking a hot condensed milk with a dash of chocolate taste but I was expecting brownish milk chocolate drink. Though my photo won’t justify that it’s a bit whitish. My bad, I didn’t ask if it’s white or milk chocolate and the cashier didn’t mention what it’s gonna be. So there’s a communication gap in there. The price I think ranges from PhP 120.00+.
Hot Chocolate Milk
Kopi lah Roti hot white chocolate drink
A piece of advice when you’re visiting Davao from outside Mindanao – rent a car if you know how to drive to maximize your time and visit tourist spots since these are not located on the same area. We’re able to do this on our 3rd day because riding a taxi from point to point is really expensive. 🙂
So I’m not yet done with my food trip in Davao City last February 2023 so the posts still continue…please bear with me 🙂
When I heard and read the word “Kalderobo”, the initial idea I had in mind was the red sauced beef Kaldereta with a hint of Adobo. I really love these two dishes and was excited to try the infusion of their unique flavors. Yes I pictured it like Kaldereta but there’s a sweetness, vinegar-sour taste and garlicky flavor like Adobo.
Fastforward to February, I finally had a chance to visit Rekado Restaurant, which I think introduced this dish. Unfortunately, I’m not quite happy even though it’s one of their signature dishes and own version of Adobo. Hubby said the same.
Why?
Here it goes… The dish is more on a tomato-based sauce. Adobo is almost dry to my liking but this dish is a bit soupy and on the sweet side. No vinegar taste or garlicky flavor. But the beef is so tender that it almost melts in my mouth – high five to that. The serving is small so if a couple only ordered Kalderobo, you’re not gonna fill your hunger. One order is PhP 400.00.
Kalderobo
Here are the other orders hubby and I had and surprisingly, it made out visit to Rekado (out-of-our-way) worthy.
We had the Crispy Tokwa’t Tenga for PhP 330.00 per small order. I think they are more on the small-to-medium sized servings. The pig’s ears were cut into strips, coated then deep fried to make it crispy – same with Tofu. Adding to the flavor was the side dish that went with it – the burong mangga. Its sourness made the tokwa’t tenga stand out in your taste buds.
Crispy Tokwa’t Tenga
Another dish that I love was the grilled Norweigan Mussels. We spent PhP 510.00 on one order. Remember I had an almost similar order (bakes scallops) from Marina Tuna on my other post that’s cheaper but won’t try again? This is how I liked it. Oozing with cheese and toasty or burned flavor.
Grilled Norweigan Mussels (with Mayo & Cheese)
I don’t want to rate the restaurants I tried because I have high respect and appreciation to the team especially to those inside the kitchen that make and serve foods for people like us who love to eat. Will I try it again when I go to Davao in the future, the answer is YES because I still want to their their other dishes.
If you’re visiting Rekado’s in Davao City, make sure you alot around atleast PhP1,000.00. Check their menu below (last February 2023):
Imagine eating a Tuna Kinilaw with only four ingredients – Tuna Meat, radish, onion and just Calamansi, sans vinegar, cucumber and salt. Sounds bland right? What if I tell you that it’s one of the best kilawin I ever tasted?
Luz Inihaw Kinilaw Eatery is located in Davao City only has these ingredients and it really tasted good because of the fresh Tuna Meat. Using radish is new to me because tuna kilawin usually has cucumber in it. I believe it’s not just hype which I thought at first but after trying it out, I assure you you won’t regret it.
They only serve two kinds of dishes – Tuna Kinilaw and inihaw (grilled) of different sorts. Luz Inihaw Kinilaw Place price range may be on the expensive side for locals because one order or Tuna Kinilaw in a small saucer (platito) is PhP200 pesos (two hundred pesos) but I think it’s worth the taste. It may not be the best Tuna Kilawin yet because I haven’t gone to other places in the Philippines that serve this same dish but it’s one of my top favorites so far. It’s so plain and simple but will definitely stay in your memory.
Tuna Kinilaw
We also tried their Inihaw na Bagaybay (grilled Tuna’s sperm sac) which is my first time. It has toasty taste on the outside but soft inside. Like half-cooked inside because it’s so soft and mushy. The soy sauce with calamansi and siling labuyo makes it perfect. It costed us PhP350 pesos (three hundred and fifty pesos) so yeah a bit steep or on the expensive side.
Inihaw na Bagaybay
Our orders came with two free Tuna Soup – it’s like sabaw ng nilaga (stew) but instead of pork or beef, they used Tuna Meat. It didn’t smell fishy (malansa) at all and it’s good on my palate. You can taste the tuna but on a positive note with some green onion leaves. I’m not sure how to describe it but the taste is refreshing and not salty at all.
Tuna Meat Soup
I wish we were able to try other grilled dishes but we’re still full that time so we didn’t order rice and just a bottle of softdrinks makes the ending so sweet.
If you happen to visit Davao City, try this place and I guarantee that you will enjoy what they offer. They have big parking space behind the eatery so it won’t be a hassle if you bring your car. It’s along the highway of Salmonan Quezon Blvd, Poblacion District, Davao City, Davao del Sur. They are close on Sundays but you can dine in as early as 7am from Mondays to Saturdays. It’s not air-conditioned but ceiling fans are plenty so it won’t be a problem during summer, I guess. It’s a typical eatery or karinderya so don’t expect much of the place but food is what you’ll come for, right?
Your visit to Davao City won’t be complete if you’re not able to navigate the streets of Bankerohan Public Market. It’s situated in Marfori Street, Barangay, Davao City, 8000 Davao del Sur. Aside from dry and wet market, from fruit stands to pasalubongs, eateries are located at its center.
San makakarating ang bente pesos mo?
If you remember the commercial with a tagline “San makakarating ang beynte pesos mo?” or “Where can your twenty pesos go?” The answer is ofcourse in Bankerohan Public Market. With twenty pesos (PhP20), you can buy a cup of hot chocolate or opt to add PhP3 for a milky chocolate (PhP23). It’s pure chocolate so add a teaspoon of your choice sugar – white or brown.
Pair your “mainit na tsokolate” with puto maya, a purple sticky rice for only PhP12 (twelve pesos). It’s like suman but not sweet. Get a spoonful of puto maya and dip it on Tsokolate or pour in the hot chocolate on the puto to make it sweet – It’s how locals eat it.
Hot milk chocolate with Puto Maya
Another soup dish to add on your list is the Mami noodle soup with Pork Bones for only PhP65 (Sixty five pesos). You would really get your hands dirty with this soup as you need to hold the Pork Bones (two pieces) for a bite while sipping the oily broth and firm noodles. Don’t forget to bring your cholesterol meds for this.
Mami with Pork Bones
Bangkerohan Public Market is where you can also buy the cheapest fruits as per the locals. The guide in Museo Dabawenyo advised us to buy here for Pasalubongs. Just go to the innermost part of the public market and get to choose the fruits you want.
Note that they don’t have free taste for Class A Suha or the Menzi Brand. We’re also unable to taste the Durian because we need to buy the whole fruit and not just a piece of it. If you consider buying one, choose the “Puyat” and “Arancillo” Durian Variants as the smell is way tolerable than others.
A good friend of mine recommended Marina Tuna Restaurant- one among the “best” that serves seafood dishes in Davao City that’s why we included this in our list of restaurants to visit once we set food in Davao City.
The branch that we tried is in Quimpo Blvd., Sandawa Plaza, Matina. There are other establishments on the area including the Yellow Fin that I really wanted to try but unable to do so due to my stomach limitation. Oh well, so here’s what we ordered.
An order of Adobong Bihod, as suggested by the waiter, together with Tuna Belly with Honey Sauce, Avocado shake and Baked Scallops.
“Bihod” is the fish’s eggs cooked in soy sauce and vinegar. I honestly don’t like the taste because there’s this bitterness left on my tongue that I can’t remove right away. Good thing there’s the avocado shake. We’re unable to finish the serving because the taste is not familiar – It’s not burnt but somehow the bitter-taste part is not easy to like for a price of PhP287 (Two hundred and eighty-seven pesos).
Adobong Bihod or Fish’s Eggs
The baked scallops serving on the other hand is small and very dry. I tried other baked scallops in Manila and I preferred buttery, cheesy and a bit moisturized. The order we received were dry, no butter taste and less cheese which costed PhP325 (Three hundred and twenty-five pesos). Pricey for me – you can tell by the photo what I meant. Nine pieces of small scallops.
Baked Scallops
Last but definitely not the least, fried Tuna Belly with Honey Sauce. This is the only dish I liked compared to the other two dishes I mentioned earlier. We paid PhP780 (Seven hundred and eighty pesos) with small portion of serving. It’s like a dozen or less tuna belly cubes. The saltiness of the fish complements the sweetness of the honey sauce so it plays your taste buds.
Fried Tuna Belly with Honey Sauce
Final verdict? I’m not recommending this restaurant if you very tight budget – all were a bit pricey for me. If you want other seafood dishes, better try the Roxas night market or other restaurants that offer almost the same dishes.
My taste test on Marina Tuna doesn’t generalize other dishes they’re offering. I’m just limited to what we had during our Davao City visit. Maybe these are the only ones that got me not so excited. If time and opportunity permits, I would love to try other dishes on their menu but for now, I’m hesitating to spend again on their food.
My eatsperience 
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