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.
Are you a matcha lover in search of the best cup? We’ve got you covered!
Here’s our list of the Best Matcha in Davao City:
Best Matcha in Davao: &Matcha
Our choice for the best matcha in Davao is &Matcha.
They use authentic ingredients, crafting rich and diverse matcha blends that cater to every taste. Keep an eye out for their seasonal offerings which include specialty matcha blends.
Their beautiful, minimalist interiors add to the experience.
MADAYAW! Welcome to Davao. The Kadayawan Festival is here. You might be wondering what you can do in Davao while you are here for the festival. The good news is there are a lot you can do in Davao any time of the year. The bad news… there are too many places to go to, so much food to try, so much to see that it can get confusing. Here are some Kadayawan Itinerary Recommendations from the My Davao City Team and Davao Bloggers.
Kadayawan Schedule of Activities
First things first, check out the Kadayawan Festival 2018 Schedule of Activities.
Download this Kadayawan 2018 Schedule of Activities and save to your smartphone.
For more details about these events, visit this post by Davao Bloggers. http://www.davaobloggers.net/2018/07/21/kadayawan-festival-2018-schedule-of-activities/
Davao Bloggers list the Bourke Hotel, Home Crest Hotel, Green Banana Business Hotel, Madeline Boutique Hotel and Suites, and City North Inn in their recommendations. All five hotels are located within the heart of Davao and are easily accessible whether you are commuting or bringing your own car.
Kadayawan Festival is a celebration of Davao’s indigenous peoples, their arts, culture, and their invaluable contributions to Davao. There is no better way to celebrate the season than by knowing Davao’s roots and how the Indigenous Peoples, Christians, and Muslims came together to build the progressive and peaceful Davao that we now know.
A trip to Kadayawan Village in Magsaysay Park is a must. The village is home to replicas of houses and other architectural structures and buildings of the 11 Indigenous Tribes of Davao. During the Kadayawan Festival, it is the venue for many events and exhibits that showcase the life and culture of the Indigenous People of Davao.
Another place to visit is Museo Dabawenyo along Pichon Street, Davao City.
Artwork at Museo Dabawenyo.
Museo Dabawenyo is home to historical relics and artworks by Davao artists. Get to know how Davao was built and the pioneers who ventured south to be part of Davao’s history.
Appreciate Davao Arts and Culture
Marco Polo Hotel Davao is showcasing the works of rising Davaoeño fashion designer Wilson Limon and his collaborations with artisans of the Bagobo Tagabawa, Blaan, Tagakaolo, and Tboli tribes.
Tinky in Custom NiNOFRANCO Skirt.
The 4th Fashion Fusion also features works by Photographer Jowe Posadas, musician Maan Chua, and other Davao talents. The exhibit and pop up shop will be at the Marco Polo lobby until August 31, 2018.
For more information about NIñOFRANCO, visit their website at http://www.ninofrancoph.com/. To be updated updates, follow them on social media: at https://www.fb.com/ninofranco.ph on Facebook, and @ninofranco.ph on Instagram.
Davao Bloggers list several other Davao landmarks as must visit stops for your Kadayawan itinerary. http://www.davaobloggers.net/2018/08/04/five-must-visit-landmarks-in-davao-city/
In downtown Davao, you can visit People’s Park, D’ Bone Collector Museum, and the San Pedro Cathedral. Continue reading →
The Davao Food Appreciation Tour 2011 (DFAT) wouldn’t be DFAT if we didn’t stopover Lachi’s Sans Rival Atbp, the birthplace of all Davao Food Trips.
Lachi’s is one of the most popular restaurants and pastry shops in Davao City. Established several decades ago, Lachi’s popularity rose when they opened up a little shop. From this little shop, Lachi’s homecooked meals and pastries have become a buzz word. The little shop has expanded into something a bit bigger and their pastries are now staples at many cafes and restaurants. Continue reading →
Last year, two of our good friends and Davao lovers Jay de Jesus and Aileen Apolo were the only Manila-based bloggers who joined the Davao FAT 2008. This year, the Pambansang Sweeties return to Davao City to eat at Lachi’s and to experience more gastronomic and outdoor adventures. Here they are the night before the official start of DFAT 2009:
