When we think of chocolates, I think most of us, including me, prefer those which come from European countries like Switzerland, Belgium, Germany but did you know that my beloved city of Davao also produces chocolates which are also of world-class quality? 

I already heard stories of locally-produced chocolates making news in other countries but it was only until the Davao Food Appreciation Tour 2014 that I finally got a taste of what they were talking about. 

Unknown to many, Davao City is also home to farmers growing cocoa beans, which are considered as one of the bests in the world. One local producer, Cacao De Davao, bravely stepped up into the game of turning these high quality locally grown beans into premium-grade chocolates. 

Highlighting the quality of locally-grown cacao beans in Davao, Cacao De Davao encapsulates its rich unadulterated taste in their products such as unsweetened choco callets, cocoa powders, 70% dark chocolate and cocoa nibs. In addition to that, Cacao de Davao also sells pastries, such as Fudgy Choco Brownies,  and drinks made from their products. 

One need not go to places anymore to savor the rich, extraordinary taste of chocolate that is considered at par with the world's standards. In fact, satisfying the sweet tooth with rich and bitter chocolate does not also need to be expensive as Cacao De Davao products are affordable without compromising the ingredients and quality. 

CACAO DE DAVAO
San Pedro Extension, Davao City
Mobile 0917 250 2226

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/cacaodedavao

Instagram: @cacaodedavao

Cacao De Davao products are also available in EchoStore branches nationwide and Sea Green Cafe and Lifetyle Shop. 

For this year's Davao Food and Appreciation Tour, the first destination was at RBG Bar and Grill which is the in-house restaurant of one of Davao's top hotels, Park Inn by Radisson. Originally, its concept was to showcase international cuisine but recently, modifications have been made to feature dishes with a touch of local flavor and distinctively Davao. 

We were treated to a sumptuous lunch - from appetizers down to the desserts, every dish was packed with flavor that will leave you asking for more. To give you a glimpse, here's what we had:

APPETIZERS: RBG Mini Burger with Fries and RBG Ceviche

RBG Mini Burger with Fries

Ceviche

In addition to the ordinary ceviche, RBG Bar and Grill's version incorporated fresh pomelo (Chinese grapefruit) strips which added a unique taste and made it even more satisfying. I can truly savor the freshness of the tuna pieces with the added citrusy flavor brought about by the pomelo. 

SOUP: SEAFOOD SINIGANG IN MANGOSTEEN

Known as one of Filipino's favorites, the seafood sinigang was made more exceptional with the flavor of mangosteen. I'm not much a fan of sinigang because of its aftertaste but I wasn't able to resist the seafood loaded in it. 

PASTAS: PASTA DE DAVAO AND LECHON PASTA

Pasta De Davao

Lechon Pasta

Pasta De Davao  is made up of fetuccine in white sauce with imbao (mangrove clam), bagaybay (fish gonad) and bihod (fish roe). If you're familiar with the ingredients, you might think of foregoing a taste but surprisingly, it tasted really really good.  In fact, from among these two, I prefer the Pasta De Davao over the Lechon Pasta which is made up of pasta in red sauce with lechon strips. It was the first time I preferred something over lechon. 

ENTREES:  GRILLED CHICKEN, CRISPY PORK BELLY AND BEEF SALPICAO

Crispy Pork Belly

Grilled Chicken

Beef Salpicao

I was already enjoying the pasta when I realized that I needed to make enough room for the restaurant's main courses. RBG Bar and Grill sampled their Grilled Chicken, Crispy Pork Belly and Beef Salpicao and although these dishes may sound ordinary, the presentation and the flavor were of a higher class. Without a doubt, the Crispy Pork Belly won my heart from among the entrees. 

DESSERTS: MANGOSTEEN AND DURIAN CHEESECAKES

A Davao experience wouldn't be complete without a taste of two of the fruits that the city is well-known for - the Mangosteen and the Durian. But if you're like me who cringe at the thought of eating these fruits fresh from the pulp, then better yet, try first these two cheesecakes from RBG Bar and Grill. The flavors were not too overwhelming and both had just the right amount of sweetness which will truly make you relish the taste of mangosteen and durian. 

It was indeed a pleasant experience to kick off our food tour with these delicious dishes and desserts from RBG Bar and Grill. When in Davao, don't miss to grab a bite at this restaurant as they continue to offer new and exciting flavors every now and then. 

RBG Bar and Grill by Park Inn by Radisson Davao

Ground Floor, Park Inn by Radisson Davao

Lanang, Davao City

Operating Hours: 6:00 AM  - 11:00PM

Contact Information: 082 272 7600

This Christmas, indulge in something new by dining the Korean way! 

Bulgogi Brothers offers a delectable Beef Bulgogi Platter for Christmas season starting December 1, 2013 to January 31, 2014. There are two sets of beef bulgogi platter to choose from and one set is good for 3-4 persons for only P995.00 per platter.

I am not the usual "buffet foodie" but sometimes, stress takes too much toll on me that I succumbed to rewarding myself with good food. And although, there are a lot of buffet restaurants already available in the city, I bet that like me, you're the type who doesn't want to come back and taste the same food again and again, that's why trying out new buffet restaurants won't really hurt. 

For over a month of occupying my news feed in Facebook, I finally got to try the latest addition in the list of buffet restaurants in Davao City - the VIKINGS. Davao City was chosen to have their first branch outside Metro Manila, and take note, this restaurant is proud to be the largest buffet restaurant in the Philippines with a seating capacity of five to six hundred guests.

Photo from Vikings SM Lanang Premier Facebook page

The interiors of their branch in SM Lanang Premier really blew me away making me feel like I was transported to a different location.  The restaurant was indeed really huge and that even though it is jam-packed with customers, it didn't give a claustrophobic feeling. Now, that's one good reason why hotel buffets should be threatened. 

Vikings boasts of seven stations with a full live show kitchen that also provides entertainment as their chefs showcase actual preparation of high-quality and fresh food. Allow me to share with you my latest gastronomic adventure at Vikings wherein I was one of the lucky bloggers invited to enjoy a luxurious buffet experience.

I'm now letting you drool over this plate of Buenos Nachos from Bigby's. It's a mountain of corn tortilla chips drizzled with nacho cheese sauce and topped with ground beef and salsa fresca. It's been quite a while since I last munched on this and now I'm badly craving for it right now. 

The Boat Load: delicately marinated jumbo prawns in butter, tarragon and fresh seasonings

Having ventured in the city's food industry in Davao City for a year now, Outback Grill prides itself as being the "BEST" BBQ in the city. For quite some time, they have been filling our nights with fun, friends, entertainment and most of all, incredible food. 

Outback Grill offers a very wide and delectable selection in their menu. They also have barkada platters and family sets perfect for groups and junior-sized meals for kids. Of course, the star of this restaurant is their grilled delicacies. Take a look at the following photos to see (and crave for) what Outback Grill has to offer.

Bulilit Cut : 200 grams of juicy pork ribs served with cucumber salsa and rice

The Wrangler (650grams) and Chuck Wagon (1 kilo): Juicy pork ribs with Outback's secret sauce

Outback Chicken Tower

Chicken Barbeque

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. 

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