I Am Blogie

Davao City’s northern commercial district, centered around the Damosa area, has been rapidly developing these past few years. It is particularly encouraging to see the flourishing of food & beverage establishments in Damosa Gateway and Market Basket. And, one notable addition is a branch from a Cebu-based chain: Pino! Restaurant.

Pino! is decidedly Filipino, with such favorite dishes as the kaldereta, laing and pinakbet. Of course, Filipino cuisine has heavy Spanish influences, and so they also have callos and other such delicacies. By all accounts, this restaurant is clearly committed to serving excellent food, as attested by their very name. What’s more, I’m quite pleased to report that their sinigang — my #1 comfort food — is truly a treat! The vegetables were cooked just right, and I love how they made the soup sour with tamarind and tomatoes.

Located at the Damosa Gateway commercial center (right beside Tsuru Japanese Restaurant) in Lanang, Pino! is a breath of fresh air in Davao’s restaurant scene. The interiors and the décor are easy on the eyes, and the place is really comfortable and well-appointed. You’ll notice that their table settings are meant for groups and families.

I went to Pino! last week with my poker buddy, Hannah, who’d been there a couple of times before. We had baked scallops (₱48/100g) for appetizer, and sinigang na baboy (₱225), which turned out to be good for 3 people, and callos (₱185). I love callos, and Pino! serves it in all its authentic yumminess.

For rice, we ordered Javanese rice (₱185), also a hefty serving good for 3. I found it very tasty (the Kikkoman and the shallots) and filling (lots of minced meat and eggs). I was expecting, though, that it would be spicy, but it wasn’t. Pino! is also known for their Bamboo rice, which is mixed with vegetables and meat and steamed inside a bamboo pole.

The service at Pino! was admirable. I could see that they took care to serve their patrons well. I hope they maintain this level of customer service.

For a limited time, they’re offering buffet lunch and dinner at very affordable prices. Judging by the number of items on the buffet table (appetizers, main courses, desserts), I’d say it’s well worth twice what they charge!

Pino! opened its doors to Dabawenyo diners last December 2009. They’re open daily from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM and from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM. They are open even on holidays (except Good Friday).

Pino! Restaurant

Address: Damosa Gateway, Lanang, Davao City
Telephone: 234-8710
Website: www.pinorestaurant.net

It’s so great to unwind and settle for a dining place that’s inexpensive, laid back and unpretentious, but without having to sacrifice quality or taste. That’s how I feel about this new place in Barrio Obrero, Vianda Buena. The proprietors — my friends Ahbet, Rikki and Hubert — call it their “sosyal na carinderia“. It’s basically a traditional Filipino eatery, but all dressed up and cozy.

It’s an open-air affair, right along the road behind Victoria Plaza. It’s smallish, and can only accommodate about 20 to 25 people comfortably (although the seating capacity is about 35).

Rikki is the one who does all the cooking. And boy, can he cook! (In fact, this is the same Rikki who shared his cabbage dumplings recipe for Davao Delicious.) His specialty is Filipino cuisine, but he can also do other Asian dishes, such as his famous Bang Hoi noodles. (More on that in a future post!)

As carinderias go, you don’t really know what’s on the menu until you get there. There’s a buffet spread, but it’s not an eat-all-you-can thing: you tell them what you want to eat from the warmers, and you get served. Most of the dishes are only ₱35 each. My favorites there (having known Rikki’s cooking for some years now) are adobo, mechado, sinigang, pinakbet, … but there’s more!!

I know it’s a cliché already, but honestly, their food is home-cooked goodness.

Vianda Buena is open Mondays to Saturdays, serving lunch and dinner. They’re located on Veloso St., in between the corners of Cervantes and N. Torres streets, in Barrio Obrero. If you’re coming from Victoria Plaza, they’re on the right side of the road. Tel. no.: 305-4263.

It is always very pleasing when you discover a restaurant that gives you that warm, homey feeling as soon as you walk in. That’s how it is at Grub Resto•Café. There is in this place a delightful mix of cozy ambiance and good, hearty food.

Grub Resto•Café used to be located in another part of town, but has now transferred to Gov. Duterte St., across the street from Shakeys, in downtown Davao City. This area has always been known as a food district, and is showing no signs of slowing down.

You will surely love their large portions and the tastiness of their dishes. The Dino Chops (₱185 for the regular; ₱110 – Junior; ₱300 – Senior, which is served with two slabs) that I had was humongous! But more than that, it was prepared lovingly with finely-chopped parsley and golden garlic. It comes with brown rice, but I think you can order a side of mashed potatoes instead. Oh and the apple sauce thats served with this is a total taste match (but there’s no stopping you from asking for the good ol’ Filipino-style dip of soy sauce, calamansi and siling labuyo).

The appetizers that we had were winners — Cheese Loaf (₱140) and Buff Wings (₱128). The Cheese Loaf is a basket of sliced french bread, sprinkled with herbs, with two types of cheese melted over, slice of ham, and a dash of Tabasco.

The buffalo wings were promised to be very hot spicy, but, for me, it was just normal fare (well, I do eat chili for breakfast, so…). Still, it was finger-lickin’ good!

Weekends, they have special items not on the menu, and currently it’s Seafood Chowder, which has baby clam, fish, abalone. I still have to try it, but knowing that they prepare it from scratch, I will certainly be back very soon! Their coffee brews are also on my to-do list.

Proprietors Elisa and Dotty have created a comfortable setting for intimate gastronomic gatherings, one that will not fail to please both eyes and palates. The service is personalized, especially when the two ladies are in attendance. Do give Grub Resto•Café a try soon! They’re open everyday except Sunday, from 11:00 AM to 10:30 PM. Tel. 301-8069.

Sa mahalagang araw na ito, ibinabalik-alaala nating mga Pilipino ang Araw ng Kasarinlan ng ating bansa. Noong ika-12 ng Hunyo sa taong 1898, kumalas tayo nang buong layunin mula sa mga nagnakaw ng ating kalayaan matapos ang napakahaba’t magulong panahon. Ngunit, anupaman ang kalagayan ng ating bayan ngayon, anupaman ang mga suliraning ating dinaranas, tayo ay malaya, tayo ay Pilipino.

Nagagalak naman akong ipag-alam na ang Google, na siyang pinakamalaking search engine sa kasalukuyan, ay nakipagdiriwang sa atin ngayon. Sa pamamagitan ng Google Doodles, naipararating ng Google sa buong mundo ang halaga’t diwa ng ating kasarinlan at dangal bilang Pilipino.

Heto po ang isang magandang paliwanag mula sa kababayan ko’t kapwa blogger na si Andrew dela Serna, ukol sa Google Doodles.

Mabuhay ang Pilipino! Isulong ang ating Kalayaan! Pugsain ang anumang balakid sa ating Kapayapaan!

NO TO CON-ASS!!!

Antonio’s Bar & Grill has two restaurants in Davao City: the first one in SM City, the other and better-looking one in the new Metro Lifestyle commercial building on the corner of Jacinto Ext. and F. Torres St. The newer place is much more inviting and furnished like a stylish bistro. The comfortable tables and booths, as well as the engaging décor, seem to inspire patrons to relish Antonio’s Filipino delicacies, and come back for more.

Last night I went to eat at Antonio’s for the first time, and a couple of food-tripping friends joined me. We had a lovely meal and enjoyed the ambience (it’s always nice to have a good number of other diners around, don’t you think?) and the excellent service. The waitstaff who attended to our needs were very helpful, polite, and always wore a smile.

For starters, we had the Shrimp Tempura. They’re not a Japanese restaurant, so I tried not to expect too much. It was good, though, not bad at all. The shrimps were big and the batter was crispy enough and not soggy with oil. The el cheapo hot-sauce dip was a bit of a spoiler… but like I said, Antonio’s isn’t a Japanese restaurant. One order is good for two people.

The Inihaw na Liempo was a pleasant surprise. I found it good that they serve the pork belly in thin strips, marinated well and grilled just right. There was a bit of toughness around the edges, but that’s sometimes to be expected in barbecue. The smoky flavor was really good, though, and it was all I could do to keep myself from stuffing my face! And, I appreciated very much the care they apparently take in preparing their dipping sauces. In many other restaurants that serve grilled food, they just give you out-of-the-bottle stuff for dipping. At Antonio’s, the inihaw orders come with a soy-sauce dip that’s mixed with some spices and other condiments (but I couldn’t quite identify them…). Lip-smacking good!

What my friends and I found suspicious right away, however, was the Inihaw na Bangus that we had. The way the milkfish was prepared and presented seemed really delectable, but the fish itself was, well, fishy. The meat didn’t look the way it should — grayish, crumbly — and after trying some of it, it made my tongue itch a little. The fish wasn’t very fresh. Too bad. On the flip side, the staff was really concerned about it and promised to look into the matter. Judging by the way they take care of their customers, I’m sure it won’t happen again.

What made our meal most satisfying was our order of Stir-Fried Vegetables. The broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, bell pepper and other green goodies were really fresh and succulent. It wasn’t too oily, and I loved the subtle flavoring (oyster sauce, pepper, and very light on the salt). It’s the dish that I would recommend to round off a table full of grilled and fried food!

The family-style garlic rice, I should also mention, was fabulous. For me, rice can make or break a meal. Sometimes, no matter how good the food is, but if the rice is bad, everything goes down a notch. At Antonio’s, the garlic rice is steamed to perfection, and lightly cooked again with golden garlic and sprinkled with a little celery. Yummy!

I’ve heard that Antonio’s is also known for their steaks and Crispy Tadyang. That I will have to see next time I dine there.

The Antonio’s Bar & Grill branch at the Metro Lifestyle compound has a conference room, which can also be used for small parties. For reservations, call 225-4394. Both branches are open all week for lunch and dinner.

Food-tripping at Tunalicious

It’s very refreshing to see food establishments in Davao that come out and offer new things to stimulate the taste buds — those that veer away from the typical chicken barbecue that you see all around. This is what my friends and I have discovered at Tunalicious, a relatively new ‘native’ restaurant in town.

From the outside, the place doesn’t look very impressive (especially because there’s still some construction going on around it). Also because it looks much like all the chicken-barbecue places out there. The tables and chairs aren’t anything you might find terribly comfortable, and the surroundings look decidedly low-budget. But the food–! Delicious!

Pinutos na Adobong Baboy

I had the Pinutos na Pork Adobo, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. They have 3 kinds of Pinutos: pork adobo, chicken adobo and, of course, grilled tuna. And get this — the price tag on this dish? Only ₱38 for a generous plate of rice and meat (or fish) wrapped in banana leaf! I loved the banana-leaf-infused flavor of the steamed rice, which was cooked just right. For the price, I wasn’t expecting it to be that good, but it was.

I was able to talk to the manager, Rainier Bello, and he said something that made a lot of sense. He said that, instead of offering “unlimited rice” — a common tactic hereabouts to attract patrons — they decided to serve the Pinutos dishes with a healthy amount of rice. Aside from the fact that rice isn’t cheap anymore, large intakes of rice isn’t really very good for the body.

I will surely be back to sample the other Pinutos (which literally means “wrapped”) dishes soon!

Sinuglaw

The Sinuglaw (₱108) was also quite enjoyable. The tuna was very fresh, and the grilled pork blended quite nicely in the whole ensemble. Sinuglaw is a concatenation of “sinugba” (‘grilled (pork)’) and “kinilaw” (the term used to mean ‘eating raw food’, usually fish).

The vinegar they use in their Sinuglaw is sukang tuba. It’s the kind that comes from ‘coconut wine’ — fermented coconut sap. And they don’t scrimp on the ingredients: chili, radish, cucumber and everything that makes kinilaw a uniquely Filipino appetizer.

Tuna Chicharon

True to their name, Tunalicious also serves Tuna Bopis (₱88), Tuna Sisig (₱88), even Tuna Chicharon (₱68)! Rainier, who has helped set up other restaurants in Davao City, said that they really want to specialize in various tuna preparations, to provide Davao with a healthier dining alternative.

The Tuna Chicharon was good. It tasted just like the real thing. And, it’s guilt-free! But the Tuna Bopis was rather fishy… Their sisig, however, was a hit. Even Andrew, who gets queasy about unfamiliar food, found it to his liking.

Tunalicious is actually just one of the shops in what is now known as “The Strip” at the old “The Venue” (couldn’t they get even more generic??). The place is on Jacinto Extension, across the road from the Bangko Sentral complex. But, Tunalicious seems to be the one that people look for when they go there. Aside from their tuna dishes, they also have what they call Sabaw Republic, or their line of stimulating soup dishes for the after-party market, if you know what I mean.

Tunalicious is open daily, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, then from 5:00 to 11:00 PM. Sabaw Republic, on the other hand, is open until 4 in the morning — although, Rainier said they’re thinking of keeping it open until 8:00 AM in the near future.

For takeout or for catering requests, here’s their phone number: 225-8588.

This restaurant has been around for a long time now, and it’s one of those that I enjoy each time I visit. The food — Filipino cuisine — is simply delicious. Yellow Fin Seafood & Restaurant is on its way to becoming a culinary institution in Davao City.

Typical of early Davao dining places was the turo-turo, or buffet spread. But it’s not the type where you eat all you can — you choose what you want and you pay for what you eat. Yellow Fin still has that, as well as à la carte servings. Their huge selection of Filipino dishes, from superb soups to grilled goodies, is something to look forward to, and the place is perfect for big or small gatherings.

Fried Chicken Meal @ Yellow Fin

It is a seafood restaurant, but curiously enough, Yellow Fin is quite well-known for their fried chicken meal. They could actually give restaurants that specialize in fried chicken a run for their money! For less than ₱200 per plate, you get half a chicken, a side of salad, and perfectly cooked steaming rice. You’d appreciate it, too, that they serve huge portions.

Like all Davao seafood joints worth their salt, Yellow Fin has tuna and other types of fish on the menu (as well as on the turo-turo spread). And those dishes are always worth the trip to their place. But what really makes my mouth water just thinking about it is the Tinolang Imbao at Yellow Fin. When I was there with fellow foodie bloggers last weekend, I was so happy they didn’t care much for clam soup — more for me!

Imbao Soup @ Yellow Fin

You could tell that they pick only the choicest clams, fresh and lusciously delicious. For the thin soup, they put just the right amount of leeks and garlic and other spices to complement that tangy taste of the clam. My father also knows how to prepare clam, and I’ll let you in on a secret he shared with me, in case you find yourself in a wet market looking for imbao. Buy only female clams, and look for those that are fat and whose shells are not too smooth. Don’t ask me why, but it’s always worked for us.

Yellow Fin has grown from a small, open-air affair to what it is now. Today they even have function rooms, as well as an enclosed restaurant space for those who’d rather order off the menu. Marco, whose family owns Yellow Fin, is also experimenting with coffee. So they now also have a coffee shop in the al fresco dining area.

Ask Dabawenyos who know about good food, and they will always recommend Yellow Fin.

Yellow Fin Seafood & Restaurant
Sandawa Plaza, Quimpo Boulevard
Ecoland, Davao City
Tel. 297-8777, 298-0299
Operating Hours: from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM, daily