Professional Blogger. Social Media Strategist. Davao Bloggers Society Founding President. Aspiring Vlogger. Brand Ambassador. With over 10 blogs developed, you could say Ria has tried it all. Well, at least online. After more than 10 years as resident blogger and editor-in-chief of MyDavaoCity.com, she remains passionate and committed to sharing her hometown to the world.
Continuing our monthly favorites series with our top picks from last month. Here are our November Favorites. It is a mix of old and new dishes to try.
November 2024 Favorites
Our top 5 recommendations for November are:
Shawarma by Dani’s Palace,
Piri-Piri Plate by Bairrada,
Combi A Lachi’s, and
Strawberry Cake by Alor’s.
Some are new. Some are old. Everything is a must-try.
Shawarma
We have had many shawarmas in our life but we think Dani’s Palace Shawarma is one of the best.
Chicken and Beef Shawarma by Dani’s Palace
Their Shawarma is filled with tasty and savory beef (or chicken) and fresh vegetables wrapped in a light pita bread. It is served with a spicy sauce and a garlic sauce. We recommend ordering the Single serving. It also comes with sides of fries and coleslaw.
The garlic sauce is sublime. Smooth. Full of umami flavor. The shawarma itself is undoubtedly good but the garlic sauce makes it over the top good. If you have a huge appetite, their Overloaded Shawarma is extra big and comes with your choice of three sauces.
Dani’s Palace recently opened their Maa Branch at Limaria right outside Le Jardin along Maa Road.
Piri-Piri Plate
Our second recommendation is Frango Piri-Piri Plate by BairradaChurrasqueira.
Piri-Piri PlatePotatoes and Tomato Salad
The Piri-Piri Plate includes half of a chicken, potatoes, tomato salad, and rice. The chicken is wood-charcoal-grilled. It is spicy and salty. This is contrasted well by the tomato salad with its tangy dressing. Our favorite on the plate is the salty, umami-filled potatoes. It seems to be smashed and double-fried. It is crispy with a moist interior. There is a good mix and balance of flavors and textures in one plate. If you love spicy food, give the Piri-Piri plate a try.
Bairrada recently opened at The Compound along Tulip Drive.
Planning your holiday celebrations? Make each party sweeter with a cake from our favorite bakeries and pastry shops. Here is our list of Best Cakes in Davao.
Fortunately, there are now a good variety of bakeries and cake shops in Davao. When choosing or recommending a cake (or cakes) there are many things to consider: budget, occasion or theme, and preferred flavors.
10 Best Cakes in Davao List
For this list, we have selected 10 cakes that would be great to bring to a holiday party to be shared with family and friends. In no particular order.
Ribbonette Cake
Moist Chocolate Cake
Mocha Cake
Cookies and Cream Cake
Creme Brulee Cake
Fruit Fluff Cake
Purple Haze
Matcha Mille Crepe
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Nelusko Cake
This list is based purely on our taste and preferences, limited to cakes we have tried and will continue to order. We have, of course, taken into consideration flavors that might appeal to many people. And the list has cakes at various price points. There are cakes we love but are not easily accessible. We did not include those.
We are also excluding two types of cakes: Sans Rival and Cheesecake. Several shops around Davao serve excellent Sans Rivals and Cheesecakes and we will share our recommendations for those soon.
Ribbonette Cake by Bistro Rosario
Starting with a classic. You can never go wrong with a Bistro Rosario Ribbonette Cake.
Ribbonette Cake by Bistro Rosario
Fluffy, airy, sweet chiffon cake with generous servings of buttercream frosting on top and in between cake layers. The entire cake is also covered and adorned with classic buttercream frosting in your chosen color and design.
This is a cake that many Davaoenos have grown up with. It is usually served on birthdays, but we think this is perfect during the holidays. The Ribbonnette cake is simple done excellently. And it is sure to delight kids and adults alike.
If you’re going for a classic birthday cake, try Bistro Rosario’s Ribbonette Cake. It’s the og Davao Rainbow Cake before Rainbow cake was trendy. Layers of light chiffon cake with boiled icing in between and on top. Nostalgic.
We must also mention another Bistro Rosario classic, Mango Charlotte.
If you are born and raised in Davao, you have probably seen and tasted this at least once. This is a superb mango cake. Soft, pillowy cake with mango frosting in between the two layers and on top. Fresh wedges of mangoes and whipped cream adorn the top of this cake.
Bistro Rosario’s cakes are deceivingly simple. Some people might prefer these for sentimental reasons. But we dare say when it comes to consistency in taste and quality, these are the best cakes for every occasion. And they come in different sizes so you can get one based on your budget and the size of your event.
Moist Chocolate Cake by Joniel’s
And for chocolate lovers, the most popular and often recommended chocolate cake in Davao is Joniel’s.
Moist chocolate cake with a sweet fudgy frosting. Joniel’s Moist Chocolate Cake has been the go-to cake shop for many Davaoenos. Their Moist Chocolate Cakes now come in various sizes at affordable prices. Joniel’s Chocolate Cake is affordable and accessible. Great basic chocolate cake for any occasion.
Another Chocolate Cake that deserve a mention is the Cookie Monster by Margie’s Bakeshop.
Mocha Cake by Cecil’s
Another classic is Mocha Cake by Cecil’s.
Another simple cake that is worth every peso. Cecil’s Mocha Cake is a fluffy mocha chiffon cake with sweet, creamy mocha buttercream. Simply decorated the same way for decades now. Nostalgia aside, this is objectively one of the best cakes in the city. They make it simple yet perfectly sweet every time.
We love eating out and we love sharing with you our recommendations. This month, we are starting a new series where we share our favorites from the past month. Here are our October Favorites.
October 2024 Favorites
We will keep our lists simple and recommend just 3 to five dishes per month. Maybe a bit more at times. The past month, our top 5 recommendations are:
CHEESE TTEOKBOKKI by Chung’s Kimchi,
KATSU CURRY by Nonki Japanese Restaurant,
SALMON HEAD ARANI by Nonki Japanese Restaurant,
MATCHA MILLE CREPE by andMatcha Cafe, and
MILO DINOSAUR by Kopi lah Roti.
Everything on our list this month are intentionally all Asian cuisine dishes.
Cheese Tteokbokki
First on our list is Cheese Ttteokbokki by Chung’s Kimchi.
Cheese Tteokbokki by Chung’s KimchiCheese Tteokbokki by Chung’s Kimchi
Most of the Tteokbokki dishes we have tried are one note, just spicy. The Cheese Tteokbokki by Chung’s Kimchi is savory and spicy, a little bit sour and sweet. It is super cheesy. There is a good balance of flavors. It also has a generous amount of odeng (fish cakes) and of course, melted cheese.
This is the perfect starter for a meal at our favorite Korean restaurant. It will delight diners who already love Korean cuisine and those who have not tried Korean food yet.
Chung’s Kimchi is located along Sobrecarey Street in Obrero.
Next on our list are two dishes by our favorite Japanese Restaurant, Nonki.
Pork Katsu CurrySalmon Head Arani
We love Nonki but this is the first time our Editor Ria has tried their Katsu Curry. You may choose pork or chicken. We tried the Pork Katsu Curry. The pork is exquisitely breaded and fried. It’s is crunchy and not greasy at all. The Katsu is well-seasoned. The curry sauce has the right balance of umami, spicy, salty, and sweet. The potatoes and carrots are nicely cooked, not mushy. It comes with rice and a side salad.
We also got to try their Salmon Head Arani. It was the owner’s birthday and he gave this complementary dish to every table that night. We all love it. The salmon is perfectly cooked and the sauce is salty and sweet. This is a good dish to be shared on the table.
Nonki Japanese Restaurant in Davao is located at Autoville Compound along Torres Street, in Poblacion.
Tsuru Japanese Restaurant has been in Davao for about 30 years. They are considered as one of the best food establishments in the city. If you plan to dine at Tsuru but do not know what to order, we got you. Here are our Tsuru Favorites.
Their menu offers familiar Japanese dishes and a few exciting innovative items. Ingredients are always fresh and of high quality.
Makimono
Start with one or two rolls from their Makimono Menu.
Crazy Maki
A sure crowd-pleaser is the Crazy Maki. It is made with sushi rice, kani, and Japanese mayo, all wrapped in nori. Then, covered in tenkasu (fried tempura batter bits) and topped with more kani.
Simple. Nothing is raw. It is lightly seasoned. And has crunchy elements. It is perfect for kids and adults.
Here are more favorites from their Makimono Menu.
Salmon Aburi MakiBonsai Roll Tempura Roll
We love the Salmon Aburi Roll. You are sure to love it, too. We also recommend the Bonsai Roll, and the Tokyo Tempura Roll.
Sukiyaki
If you are dining in a group of 2-4 persons, you will probably enjoy sharing Tsuru’s Sukiyaki.
Sukiyaki
Our Editor Ria highly recommends their Sukiyaki. It has generous slivers of beef, tofu, and veggies with noodles in a rich beef broth.
Also in Ria’s list of her Tsuru favorites is Mixed Seafood Teppanyaki.
Mixed Teppanyaki
Their Mixed Seafood Teppanyaki is a good option for diners who want to eat seafood but do not like them raw.
Madayaw! Welcome to Davao. Is it your first time in Davao? Or maybe you live here or have been here before but looking for the best food spots to try this Araw ng Dabaw weekend. We have our list of our Top Davao Restaurants that represent the best of Davao cuisine.
Our Top Davao Restaurants
Davao has a great abundance of fruits and vegetables, seafood, poultry, and other meats. And it is home to a mix of peoples, cultures, and cuisines. So for Araw ng Dabaw, we have chosen five establishments that we feel best represent local produce, cuisine, and our culture.
We carefully picked these restaurants based on how well they represent Davao cuisine and our fresh produce. And we took into account their consistency in terms of taste and service.
This is our list of recommendations, in no particular order.
Balik Bukid
Lito’s Grill
Yellow Fin
Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps
ArtisAna Comfort Food
Balik Bukid
Our first recommendation for Araw ng Dabaw is Balik Bukid Farm + Kitchen.
Pinakbet Kagikit Sinugba at EnsaladaTskolate Island
“Balik Bukid” translates to “back to the farm.” And that’s what a meal at Balik Bukid feels and tastes like. The restaurant has a buhay kubo feel with quirky elements made of upcycled materials. We won’t spoil them for you but we especially love their menu.
We never recommend based on aesthetics alone, so trust us when we say their dishes are superb. They create their dishes to highlight the produce from their farm. The availability of their menu items usually depends on the availability of ingredients from the farm and from their handpicked suppliers.
Balik Bukid features regional dishes from Mindanao and other parts of the Philippines. These include Sinuglaw, Kesong Puti, Sinaing, and Kagikit. And for those with a sweet tooth, end your meal with their homemade ice cream.
Our second recommendation is an underrated one: Lito’s Grill.
Imbao SoupGrilled SquidGrilled LiempoNative Chicken Barbeque by Litos Grill
Simple. Straightforward. No frills. Lito’s Grill is as homey as one can get. If you want good food prepared as your favorite tita would, Lito’s Grill is the place to visit.
There are many grill and barbeque restaurants in Davao. Many good ones, to be honest. But Lito’s Grill stands out for us for their consistency in delivering the same good quality over the years.
We recommend the Imbao Soup, the Native Chicken Barbeque, the Pork Belly in a Stick, and their much talked about Champorado.
They are located along Tulip Drive extension at the side of SM City Davao.
Yellow Fin Seafood
Next on our list is another Davao staple: Yellow Fin Seafood Restaurant.
Yellow Fin Seafood Restaurant has been around for several decades now and they still serve some of the best seafood dishes in Davao.
We recommend the Sizzling Seafood Platter, their Tuna Laing, and their Greaseless Fried Chicken. The last one is not seafood, but trust us. Their Fried Chicken is superb. Plus, their Halo-Halo is also really good.
Yellow Fin is also located along Quimpo Boulevard, beside Balik Bukid.
Boiling Crabs and Shrimps by Blue Posts
We cannot make a list of our top Davao restaurants without Boiling Crabs and Shrimps.
They are most popular for their fresh crabs and shrimps cooked with your choice of sauce. Butter Garlic and Sambal are our top choices. If you enjoy getting messy while feasting on crabs and shrimps, Boiling Crabs and Shrimps is worth every peso.
You must not miss out on their other offerings. We recommend the Pomelo Shrimp Salad and the Sinuglaw.
Boiling Crabs and Shrimps by Blue Posts is located along JP Laurel Avenue in Bajada and they have a branch at the Annex of SM City Davao.
ArtisAna Comfort Gourmet
Finally, we recommend ArtisAna Comfort Gourmet.
Beef ParesCrispy Pata Like No Other Pork BinagoonganChuni Cake
And for something more refined and elevated, we recommend ArtisAna Comfort Cuisine. They served a mix of Filipino and Spanish Cuisine. Local produce are greatly highlighted in their well-crafted dishes.
A little bit more pricey than our other recommendations, but worth every peso, as well. They have a more cozy, less frenetic ambiance compared to most other local restaurants.
Happy Valentine’s Day! If you do not have your Valentines Date in Davao planned yet, we have prepared a list for you. This year, we are recommending spots that are a little bit out of the way and underrated. These are the perfect venues to spend quiet time with your partner or to have a nice bonding time with your family and friends.
Valentine’s Date in Davao Recommendations
Here are our 2024 recommendations for your Valentine’s Day Date:
Club’s Bakery in Matina Crossing
Wood and Coffee in Magtuod
Pilgrim Restaurant in Barangay Baganihan
Benjarong at D2 Dusit Thani in Lanang
Afternoon Coffee: Club’s Bakery
Our choice for a nice low-key afternoon coffee date is Club’s Bakery.
Lemon Cruffin and Iced Spanish Latte
Club’s Bakery has a great selection of classic French pastries and some interesting novel items. And their coffee is superb.
We recommend their Pain Au Chocolat, the Fresh Blueberry Danish, and the Lemon Cruffin. Partner it with their Iced Spanish Latte. The yummy pastries and coffee make for a good, simple, and low-key but memorable afternoon coffee date.
If you want to extend your date a bit, they also serve savory dishes.
Enjoy both art and nature in just one date. Plus, good matcha. Wood and Coffee in Barangay Magtuod is less than an hour’s drive away from downtown.
Croffle and Matcha
Our contributor Andrew recommends their Sardines Pasta, Puttanesca Pasta, Concrete Matcha, Mugwort Latte, and Croffles. Enjoy these with your partner or with your friends while enjoying fresh air and gorgeous green scenery.
Located in the same homey building is the Gil Bumanlag Art Gallery that features avant-garde pieces. Enjoy a quiet Valentine’s Date away from the noise of downtown Davao.
Our Editor Ria picks this as her top option for a solo date with herself.
Wood and Coffee is also on Best Matcha in Davao list. Check it out if you and your partner are matcha lovers.
And even further away from the city is Pilgrim Restaurant.
ScallopsTruffled Mushroom GnocchiCoq Au Vin by PilgrimBraised Beef Short Ribs
This quaint restaurant is located at Barangay Baganihan, 80 kilometers away from downtown. But it is worth the trip. Cozy ambiance. Superb food. Our contributor Andrew recommends their Scallops, the Truffled Mushroom Gnocchi, and the Coq Au Vin.
People usually have a meal here en route to Bukidnon or if they are staying overnight in the area. But if you and your partner love long drives, this is worth the trip. Make sure to prepare a nice driving playlist and drive safe.
Lab KaiGung Sa Moon PraiTom Yum GungTown in Heaven Signature Cocktail
If you are looking for a quiet place for your date, we recommend Dusit D2’s Thai restaurant, Benjarong. It’s pricey but we love it. Benjarong offers refined dishes but still with authentic taste. Ria recommends the Lab Kai and the Gung Sa Moon Prai. And their cocktails.
Plus, the entire restaurant is just exquisitely gorgeous with romantic low warm lighting.
