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.
Have a sweet tooth? Treat yourself to something delicious. The good news is there are a lot irresistible desserts around Davao. Bakeshops, desserts shops, food entrepreneurs, and home bakers are aplenty. Problem is it can get confusing. So we bring you here our favorites and recommendations so can better choose the best ones to suit your budget and your taste. These may not necessarily be the best Davao Desserts but we can assure you all these are personally picked and endorsed by Davao Bloggers.
Classic Davao Desserts
Let’s start off with two favorites by many who grew up in Davao City.
Butter Roll by Bistro Rosario
Plain and simple. But definitely not boring. We will never get tired of Bistro Rosario’s Butter Roll. This is Miah‘s favorite. And she shares that it is her daughter Miel’s favorite, as well. Miel can even finish off an entire roll on her own. We’re pretty sure Miel is not the only one who can finish this entire roll on their own.
We also love their cakes. We highly recommend their Mango Charlotte Cake and their pretty Ribonette Cake. These are perfect for special occasions. Or to make ordinary days special.
Bistro Rosario is open for dine in and takeout. Contact them at +6382-2217780. Follow them on Facebook at fb.com/bistrorosariodvo.
Cecil’s Bakeshoppe
Another Davao homegrown bakery that we recommend is Cecil’s Bakeshoppe.
EclairMocha Cake
Nep-C of the Pop Blog picks their Eclair as one of her favorites. And we agree. It is the perfect mix of pastry, cream, and chocolate. This is priced at just P35. And it is easy to find. Just drop by any of their branches. More info below.
