Tag Archives: davao dining

Discovery Samal Valentines 2025

Discovery Samal Valentines 2025

This month, celebrate love in paradise. Know more about the Discovery Samal Valentines 2025 special offers.

Staycation in Paradise

Book a room at Discovery Samal this month and enjoy world-class amenities and Filipino hospitality.

Discovery Samal Valentines 2025

Choose from a range of stunning room options:

  • Junior Suite – Php 22,310 net per night,
  • Executive Suite Beach – Php 26,731 net per night,
  • Samal Suite – Php 27,468 net per night,
  • One Bedroom Suite –
  • Php 29,678 net per night,
  • Premiere One Bedroom Suite – Php 31,152 net per night, or
  • One Bedroom Villa – Php 32,625 net per night.

Each one offers comfortable accommodations, a gorgeous view, and a memorable experience. Your stay also includes:

  • Daily breakfast for two persons at The Shoreline,
  • Complimentary romantic dinner for two persons,
  • Roundtrip boat transfers from and to our Davao Welcome Center,
  • Roundtrip land transfers from and to the Davao International Airport,
  • Complimentary spa treatment for two persons,
  • 10% discount on Morning Catch, Haribar Lounge or The Shoreline, and
  • 10% discount on motorized aqua sports activities.

Get these special package when you book from January 15 to February 28, 2025 and stay from February 1 to 28, 2025.

Continue reading

Galentines in Davao

Hi, Davao girls! Looking to spending the upcoming Valentine’s Day with your girl friends? We have the perfect spots and events for you to spend your Galentines in Davao. So gather your best gals and celebrate the season with good food, great coffee, and some interesting finds. Maybe a glass of wine or two, as well.

What is Galentines? It is an occasion to gather your favorite girl friends (single or otherwise) and celebrate friendship and each other’s successes. Most people celebrate it on February 13. We think you can celebrate it any day this February. Or the rest of the year. Why not?

Galentines in Davao

Here in Davao, we have a few spots which we think would be a great places for you and your gal pals to gather at.

  • Club’s Bakery North
  • Koop Cafe
  • Yesterdays Coffee + Bar

Plus, some events this February that you might be interested in:

  • Louis Mireille & Friends at Fika Cafe
  • The Love Club by Little Toast

Club’s Bakery North

One of our favorite food spots we discovered in 2024 is Club’s Bakery. And we are glad they have now expanded to a new branch.

We chose this as our first spot for Galentines because it is cozy and quiet. They have the perfect menu for a brunch date. Or an afternoon coffee date with your gal pals. We love their Sea Salt Cream Latte.

And of course, their various croissants.

Our Editor Ria picks their Double Cookie Croissant, the Lemon Cruffin, the Pain Au Chocolat, and the Strawberry Croissant as her personal picks.

Club’s Bakery North is located at Veloso Street in Obrero.

Koop Cafe

Next on our list is Koop Cafe.

Koop Cafe is another cozy cafe in the Obrero area. They are popular for their sweet crepes. But they also serve savory crepes, pasta and rice dishes. And of course, coffee.

Our favorites are the Tomato and Basil Pasta, the Blueberry and Cream Crepe, and the Mango Crunch Crepe. Their Spanish Latte is also really good.

Koop Cafe is located along Loyola Street in Obrero.

Continue reading
Shuga Beibi

December Favorites [Davao Food Recommendations]

Hello, 2025! Here is another favorites list from 2024. Our December Favorites is here. Mostly, our favorites from the holiday events we attended. And it is longer than usual. Plus, three coffee drinks we love.

December 2024 Favorites

Our top recommendations for December are:

  • Tomato and Basil Soup by Made Simple,
  • Kare-Kare by Romualdo’s,
  • Beef Caldereta by Chippens,
  • Mango Passion Fruit Kakiguri by Shuga Beibi,
  • Paris Brest by Dulce Desserts,
  • Sea Salt Latte by Club’s Bakery,
  • Spanish Latte by Priore Cafe, and
  • Kori-Kohi by Beans and Berry.

List is longer than usual and we have 3 coffee drinks on it.

Tomato and Basil Soup by Made Simple

We went back to Made Simple and we tried the soup.

December 2024 Faves Tomato and Basil Soup by Made Simple
Tomato and Basil Soup by Made Simple

The Tomato and Basil Soup is rich and flavorful. Tangy, a bit salty and creamy. It goes well with their bread. It is a good starter to your meal or could be an entire light meal on its own.

Made Simple is located at CT Drive along Tulip Drive.

Kare-Kare by Romualdo’s

Our next two recommendations are by two of our favorite caterers in Davao.

The Kare-Kare by Romualdo’s is a winner. Tender beef and oxtail and vegetables in a tasty rich peanut sauce. It is apparent that it is cooked with care with homecooked quality to it. Superb.

The team behind Romualdo’s recently opened their first restaurant, Recuerdo in Juna Subdivision.

Beef Caldereta by Chippens

Another favorite from the holiday events we attended is Beef Caldereta by Chippens.

Chippens is undoubtedly the most popular caterer in Davao. Oone of our favorites is their Beef Caldereta. The beef is tender and flavorful and the sauce is rich, savory, sour, and just a bit sweet and spicy. There is a perfect blend of flavors that make any occasion just a little bit more special.

Their Beef Caldereta is also available in their stores freshly cooked or frozen.

Special mention to their Lechon Baka which we also love.

Chippens is located at Roxas Avenue. You may also enjoy their Calderata at Salome’s Garden in Cabantian.

Continue reading
November Favorites

November Favorites [Davao Food Recommendations]

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.

November Favorites Dani's Palace Shawarma
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.


Featured
Dani's Palace Shawarma and Grill
Limaria Le Jardin de Villa Abrille, Maa Road, Maa, Davao City, Davao del Sur 8000
Social Accounts

Piri-Piri Plate

Our second recommendation is Frango Piri-Piri Plate by Bairrada Churrasqueira.

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.

Continue reading
October Favorites: Katsu Curry by Nonki Japanese Restaurant

October Favorites [Davao Food Recommendations]

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.

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.

Chung's Kimchi
Sobrecarey Street, Obrero
Social Accounts
Price Range
PhP100.00 - PhP1,000.00

Nonki Japanese Restaurant

Next on our list are two dishes by our favorite Japanese Restaurant, Nonki.

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.

Continue reading
Bonsai Roll by Tsuru Japanese Restaurant

Tsuru Favorites

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.

Tsuru Favorites Crazy Maki
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.

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 by Tsuru Japanese Restaurant
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 by Tsuru Japanese Restaurant
Mixed Teppanyaki

Their Mixed Seafood Teppanyaki is a good option for diners who want to eat seafood but do not like them raw.

Continue reading