Whenever my friends visiting the city asked me what's not to miss in Davao, I always tell them one thing: never leave Davao without trying Aling Foping's Halo Halo. And fortunately, the last and final pit stop for our DFAT 2013 adventure is in my favorite halo-halo place at Matina Town Square.

I admit I am not much a fan of halo-halo. I'm quite picky when it comes to this dessert, most especially that I cringe on the idea that there are beans in it. But definitely, this one from Aling Foping's changed my mind. Why? With Aling Foping's Halo-Halo, you can choose the ingredients. My favorites are: ube, leche flan, macapuno, banana, jackfruit, nata and topped it off with a scoop of ice cream. A regular serving gives you a choice of up to 6 ingredients but you can add more for a minimal additional price. 

I thought I was already transforming into a Chinese mafia after all the tasty and flavorful Chinese dishes we consumed at Chef Lu and Lotus Court of Marco Polo Hotel Davao. However, our day has not ended yet as we were off to another hidden destination in Tugbok District at the Partoza Durian Farms, for our snacks and dinner. 

The Partoza Durian Farm was an hour trip from the downtown area of Davao City. Gluttony and the decongestant I took for my flu knocked me over that I became disoriented with the location. The next thing I knew upon waking up from my slumber was that we were already in this hidden haven of joy and peace.

Don't get deceived by its name. Although boasting of more than 500 trees of durian and other fruits, this family-owned farm has already been transformed into a leisure destination for retreats, camping, educational tours or an escape for some peace quiet. One can really escape from the hustles and bustles of the city-life as there is no Wi-Fi connection and mobile connection signals in the area. 

Just when we thought that we already had enough of authentic Chinese cuisine from Chef Lu, we were totally wrong. Our brunch was actually followed by a 5-course meal from no other than Davao's top of the class Chinese restaurant, the Lotus Court at Marco Polo Hotel Davao. I bet our tummies were already about to surrender so we resorted to a 10-minute walk from Chef Lu to Marco Polo Hotel in order to give way for the upcoming gastronomic feast.

We felt like royalties with the exquisite 5-course meal Lotus Court has prepared for us. The end result: 3 HOURS of incomparable gastronomic satisfaction which made me conclude that this was the best meal I had so far for the entire DFAT 2013 adventure.

Here's a glimpse of what Lotus Court has prepared for us, but in actuality and based on the following pictures, we got more than what was written in the menu. Get ready to drool!

Appetizer: Roast Suckling Pig Combination

Unlimited Dimsum  (Hakao, Pork and Shrimp Siomai and Shao Lung Pao)

Happy first of August! I have a feeling this month's going to be awesome!

After two days of nonstop binge-eating of delicious food from different participating restaurants, we still had to prepare our tummies for the third and final day of the DFAT 2013 adventure. This time, we reserved our tummies for authentic Chinese cuisine, thus giving you a taste of Hongkong, from Chef Lu restaurant. 

Just a tidbit of information, Chef Lu restaurant is named, of course, after Chef Lu, a Hong-kong trained chef and teacher of cooking lessons in Manila for over 40 years. If you're  a fan of Mandarin Tea Garden, then you'd be delighted to know that Chef Lu was actually one of the people who established it here in Davao.

During the event, we were served with different authentic Chinese cuisine and Hong Kong style dishes which this restaurant exclusively boasts of here in Davao. I admit I wasn't a fan of Chinese and Cantonese dishes but having a taste of what Chef Lu has offered us definitely changed my mind.

Here are their delicious offerings:

Egg Noodles with Spicy Meat Sauce

Salted Dumplings

Salted Dumplings (inside) 

Every bite of their signature dishes is delightfully delicious. I highly recommend the Salted Dumplings because it is far from the usual Chinese dumpling you tried in other Chinese Restaurant. The outer shell  made up of glutinous rice is surprisingly crunchy on the outside but soft and pretty chewy on the inside. In addition to that, the mixture of shrimp, ground pork, mushroom and spring onion really complement the taste of its shell.

Chef Lu's famous egg tarts

One of their popular offerings is the Egg Tart. I have not yet tasted this one but according to le boyfriend, it tastes really really good. 

My previous post for the DFAT 2013 adventure talked about the sumptuous meal offerings from Lachi's. However, if you're already dining in Lachi's then you should not miss out on their delicious and mouth-watering desserts. To be honest, I am having a hard time coming up with this post because at the same time, I am fighting my cravings. Not now, Lachi's!

I've known Lachi's for their famous and incomparable Sans Rival, hence the name of the restaurant. As years go by, Lachi's has produced more and more delectable desserts that you just can't resist. One good thing I like with Lachi's is that their desserts are way cheaper than most coffee shops around town, and I guess they also supply some coffee shops so in order for you to save a few bucks, then go straight ahead to Lachi's instead.

Just when I thought that their meals were already enough to cap off the 2nd day of our DFAT 2013 adventure, then I was totally wrong. After being served with these desserts, you simply can't close your mouths on these heavenly goodness. Get ready to drool and crave because here's what they served us with:

Assorted Cheesecakes

Assorted Cheesecakes

Assorted Cakes and Tortes

After getting our sunkissed skin and full tummies at Little Boracay Beach Resort, we headed back to Davao for the final pitstop for the 2nd day of our DFAT 2013 Adventure. Our 2nd day was capped off with delicious meals and desserts overload from no other than one of Davao's bests, Lachi's Sans Rival Atbp.

It was not my first time to get a taste of Lachi's. My sweet tooth dragged me to discover this place many years ago and I admit that I will never get enough of their delicious saccharine offerings. Over the years, from what used to be a very small restaurant, Lachi's has expanded their space as well as their offerings, which now include sumptuous meals to enjoy with their noteworthy desserts.

During the 2nd day of our DFAT 2013 adventure, Lachi's treated us to an amazing feast of their tasty meals and their desserts. I'll break down this post in 2 parts - one part will be their meals and the other part to highlight their desserts - because I don't want to be flooding too much pictures in just one post.

So for now, let's focus on the tasty and delicious meals that Lachi's Sans Rival Atbp is currently offering to their diners.

Crispy Lechon Kawali

Crispy Lechon Kawali

Spicy Honey Chicken

Breaded Soft Tofu with Teriyaki Sauce

After having a feast for brunch at Fiesta Sorpresa for the 2nd day of the DFAT 2013 adventure, we again travel for approximately 1-2 hours to conquer one of Southern Mindanao's hidden treasures, the Little Boracay at Sta. Maria, Davao del Sur.

It was my first time to set foot on the place. I have been wanting to go to this place but feedback about not having that much accessible transportation hindered me from embarking on an adventure. However, the road was pretty fine except that you really need to hire a private transportation for a hassle-free adventure. But trust me, this place is worth it!

In Little Boracay, we were treated to a buffet of fresh catch from the beautiful and serene deep blue sea.

Kinilaw

Fish Soup

Good morning foodies!

I have finished sharing about the first day of the DFAT 2013 and now we're off to the 2nd day. The 2nd day was a bit exciting than the first one because we're off to a place not so far away from Davao to discover dining places that will surely give you a great gastronomic adventure even when you're away from home.

Our first stop for the 2nd day is at Fiesta Sorpresa in Digos City, Davao del Sur. Yes indeed, we traveled 45 minutes to 1 hour to get our tummies filled with their delightful and savory offerings. It is located in the heart of Digos and specializes in offering Filipino classic fiesta dishes. During the DFAT 2013, Fiesta Sorpresa treated us to a sumptuous brunch - a very good way to energize us after traveling.

Here's what we had for brunch which is actually more than enough to feed a hungry lion (like me):

Binagoongang Bagnet

Garlic Fried Chicken

Sizzling Stuffed Squid

During the first day of the DFAT2013 adventure, our third and final pitstop for that day is at Greenwich Ilustre where they hosted a bloggers blowout not only limited to the DFAT participants but to other bloggers as well. It was a fun-filled gathering of food and prizes and to introduce the new and improved version of the Lasagna Supreme, Hawaiian Overload and Greenwich Special Overload.

Greenwich Lasagna

Just when you thought that the best couldn't get any better, Greenwich introduced a better version of their well-loved Lasagna Supreme with thicker noodles, chunkier meat sauce and blended with a much cheesier and creamier sauce. Every plate comes with a piece of Garlic Stix, a perfect addition to this popular Greenwich favorite. The Lasagna Supreme comes in two sizes - the Snack Size which is priced at Php 79.00 and the Full Size for only Php 99.00.

Greenwich Ultimate Special Overload

The Greenwich Ultimate Special Overload Pizza is undeniably one of my favorites from this food chain. This time, it has been made even better and more overloaded with 13 mouth-watering toppings including a sprinkle of fresh vegetables and generous serving of mozarella and cheddar cheese that will truly give you an extreme gastronomic journey. It is indeed a flavorful experience in every bite.

My self went into manic mode when I found out that Tsuru Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar got included in the list of #DFAT2013 pit stops. If the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, then the way to my heart is through Japanese food and that better be Tsuru to really  impress me.

Tsuru is proud to be known as the oldest and longest running Japanese restaurant in Davao City and has been delighting Davaoeños with authentic Japanese cuisine since 1990. I admit I am not a frequent visitor of this restaurant but I have been a customer during their buffet for several times already. One of which was when the BF took me out on a Japanese buffet date here in Tsuru in celebration of his first paycheck as a medical resident.

Moving along, Tsuru introduced four new additions to their menu during the second pit stop of the #DFAT2013 adventure. I was very delighted to know that Tsuru always continue to innovate their dishes to come up with something new and appealing to Davao's ever-changing gastronomic market.

Here are Tsuru's new offerings: 

Crazy Maki

Crazy Maki : Kani sticks with tempura bits

The #DFAT2013 adventure started off with a "light" lunch and a quick orientation about the itinerary and things to do at Mam Bebs Bakeshop.

Blast from the past: When I was still aspiring to be an official member of the Davao Bloggers, one of the requirements is to pay a registration fee to Andrew Dela Serna at Mam Bebs Bakeshop. To be honest, I was really clueless about this place that I searched the entire C.M Recto St (from San Pedro Church going to Marco Polo) but failed because it was located near Planters Bank in front of City Triangle.

When I became an official Davao Blogger, Mam Bebs Bakeshop is no longer a new place for me. Several blogging events were already conducted here yet it never fails to tickle my palate every time that I am here savoring every bite of their sumptuous offerings. One of the dishes you must try whenever you get the chance to visit Mam Bebs is their famous Pancit Luglug.

Mam Bebs Bakeshop Pancit Luglug

Aside from being not your ordinary kind of bakeshop, Mam Bebs Bakeshop is more than just a bakeshop since it also offers affordable combo meals yet very satisfying to your hunger. Every meal comes with a bowl of delicious noodle soup.

Double-cooked Pork Adobo

Korean Chicken

Fish Fillet

Twenty-five bloggers embarked on a fun-filled gastronomic adventure last June 14-16, 2013 for the Davao Food Appreciation Tour 2013. These bloggers got the chance to try the sumptuous offerings of different local restaurants here in Davao City and I am very grateful that Shutter Cravings got included in this adventure.

Want to know the happenings behind this event? I prepared a teaser for you! The following images are just a few of what we had for the entire #DFAT2013 event!