As part of the Davao Bloggers’ Food Trip, we had a sumptuous and very satisfying free lunch at Belly’s Grill today. In attendance were Ria, Tiara, Winston, Maita, Bbboy, Andrew, and Gwing. Belly’s Grill became known for their tasty Grilled Scallops which I got to taste before. Unfortunately, there were no scallops today due to the bad weather. I know this because Celine, the owner, explained it to us. The owners who were so nice (but Celine’s husband was kinda shy), allowed us to order anything on the menu.

So for appetizers / viands we ordered their Special Kinilaw, Sisig, and Calamares. The Kinilaw was not “overcooked.” It had the right combination of vinegar, spices, fish, and pork. The sisig was good, not too spicy, and not too salty either, it was just right. Although Andrew thought it might have some liver, I didn’t taste any of it. The calamares also tasted great even when I didn’t dip it in the mayo-ketchup dipping sauce.

Then we had big cups of rice with Crispy Hito, Crispy Pata, Tuna Belly, and Ostrich Steak. The waiter told us their hito (catfish) was small so we ordered two. We were shocked to see how big the hito were. It was a bit oily, but it tasted great anyway so both pieces were finished off. The Crispy Pata was what Gwing described as “deadly.” The skin was crispy and salty, the meat was tender and flavorful. The grilled tuna belly was also enjoyed by everybody. For non-Davao residents, a visit to Davao City is not complete without trying our grilled tuna belly, and Belly’s Grill has a big serving for a cheap price (PhP50/100 grams, I think). Andrew ordered the Ostrich Steak so that the others can try out the exotic dish. And everybody agreed, it tasted just like beef. We had to ask Celine where they sourced it because some didn’t believe it was actually ostrich meat and not just beef.

Ria and Andrew thoroughly enjoyed their meal with their refreshing Mango Lychee Shakes, while Winston tried the Strawberry Banana Shake.

The Belly’s Grill experience is definitely something that the participating bloggers will not forget for a long time. Not one of us was disappointed. We all went home with full, satisfied tummies and big smiles. Did I already mention the waiters and the service were also good? They were totally helpful and served fast even though there were few of them and plenty of customers.

Belly’s Grill is open for lunch and dinner at Quirino Avenue corner Mabini Street, Davao City. They serve Mongolian Grill every Friday and Saturday for dinner.

Photos of logo, bloggers, and the tuna belly by Bbboy Canusa. Other photos by Andrew dela Serna.