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After a few days of rain, a bright and sunny Manila welcomed me as I step off the plane. It was the start of my 4-day vacation in Manila, a much-needed one after a month of being toxic at work to attend my cousin's wedding. I was actually having second thoughts about this trip but having scored promo tickets a month prior to this travel was a sign for me to push this one to happen. Well, I'm happy I did. 

Months prior to my travel, I was actually clueless what to do in Manila during that trip. It was only until Dominic, the travel blogger aka Dong Ho, introduced the idea of a Binondo food trip in one of our conversations. I can barely remember how it all began, whether it was because of my desire to taste a xiao long bao and fried siopao or just his friendly gesture of bringing me to Binondo for a food trip, I honestly could no longer tell. All I knew was that I was game for one.

Dom and I met each other at Bay 7 of NAIA 3 from where we then drove off to the busy streets of Binondo. He asked me if I wanted to get coffee first but since I already had my caffeine fix before the flight, I told him to go directly to the first pitstop of the foodtrip.

It was already 9 in the morning and after parking his car in a mall, we headed to our first destination, the New Po-Heng Lumpia House. Being the direction-impaired that I am, I was just following Dom's footsteps until we reached a secluded hallway of a building where this dining establishment is located. It's one of those simple-looking restaurants - nothing fancy but with a killer specialty,  their fresh lumpia.







This freshly-rolled lumpia was so far the best I've tried in my entire life even though it might first command you to lose your poise in every bite. It's fat, and packed with a tasteful mixture of shredded vegetable, tofu, seaweed and lots of ground peanuts. I preferred to eat it as it is, no sauce nor additional garlic toppings, since I'm not a big fan of garlic anyway. It was delicious enough that I can finish the entire piece but since we were on a foodtrip, I still had to make room for the other food we were about to enjoy.






It was also a privilege to bump into Ivan Man Dy of Old Manila Walks. He was in his element - guiding tourists for a cultural and gastronomic exploration of Binondo. He even offered to include us in his tour but we were too shy to accept his invitation since we also had our itineraries ready.



Aside from fresh lumpia, New Po-Heng also offers dishes like this soup below, but the quality of the fresh lumpia really stood out from the rest of their offerings.


    


Our 2nd pitstop was at Dong Bei Dumplings for no other than, of course, their dumplings. We were actually too early that they were still on process of preparing dumplings for the day so we just waited inside their restaurant while observing their workers doing their thing. It was just a very small restaurant, somewhat similar to a makeshift kitchen with a few tables. I was already wondering how Ivan's tour group could fit in since it was also part of their walk tour. 


We ordered 14 pieces of fried dumplings stuffed with pork and chives. I opted for the fried one as I thought that the steamed dumpling would be too soggy for the palate. It was surprisingly delicious - I can savor the meat and the spices however I find the vegetables a bit overpowering, but still delicious. Nonetheless, we were able to finish everything within an hour while pairing them up with a can of cold Wong Lo Kat Chinese Herbal Tea. 





Of course, a walk tour around Binondo entails getting lost and exploring the temples and churches around the area. We decided to drop by the Minor Basilica of San Lorenzo and checked out the Chinese temples nearby.







A Binondo foodtrip wouldn't be complete without grabbing their famous Shanghai Fried Siopao. It has the size which just fits in the palm of my hand but the crispiness of its bottom part makes it different from the usual siopao we're enjoying. It was just a small stall so we decided to look for an air-conditioned place where we could devour the fried siopao and get myself another dose of caffeine. 





We kept on walking until we reached the Lucky Rainbow Seafood Restaurant. Their menu was packed with loads of Chinese dishes to choose from but I was only able to save room in my tummy for an order of Xiao Long Bao. I was sensing that my tummy was already about to explode after all those gastronomic delights but nooo, I could not leave Binondo without Xiao Long Bao. The restaurant's version of Xiao Long Bao reached my expectations as the meat core was flavorful and the soup inside tasted really really good. Two thumbs up and I went out of the restaurant as one full, happy kid!



If there's one thing that I would like to experience over and over again every time I set foot in Manila, it will be this Binondo Foodtrip. Thank you very much to Dominic for allocating time and resources which allowed me to experience this. Next time, it's going to be my treat. 

Oh by the way, I forgot about the #Hopia. Maybe, hopefully, next time. 






When people ask me where to eat when in Davao, one of the restaurants I always highly recommend is Lachi's  SansRival Atbp. I've been a fan of  Lachi's ever since I first had a taste of their sweet desserts. Even if accessibility and the long queues of customers remain to be an existing issue, you just have to be patient because once you've start eating, you'll totally forgot all the hassle. 




Now if these photos did not convince you  or even give you the slightest intention to visit them as soon as possible, then check out my previous entries about Lachi's:



I recommend: Classic/Durian Sansrival, Cheesecakes, Pecan Pie, Key Lime Tart, Unforgettable Pork Ribs, Laing, Callos, Pork Marinara, Asian Chicken, Spicy Honey Chicken, Triple Chocolate Torte and all the other tortes! 

Best time to come: 11:00 AM and 5:00-5:30 PM as they tend to be full during lunch and dinner. The restaurant closes at 7:00 pm.

Have you tried Lachi's? What are your thoughts?

Lachi's Sans Rival Atbp.
Door H-1 Val Learning Village
Ruby St. Marfori Heights Davao City
Contact No: (082) 224 - 5552
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lachisdavao





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
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




In light of the 2014 Kadayawan Festival in Davao City, Vikings Luxury Buffet, the Philippines' largest buffet restaurant introduces their special Kadayawan menu. From August 11-17, 2014, favorite Filipino dishes with a twist of Davao flavor are added on top of their usual buffet selections. 

Here are the following dishes included in their special Kadayawan 2014 menu:

STARTERS

VIKING'S SPECIAL KINILAW
Not your usual Kinilaw as this one comes with tuna, salmon and lechon, seaweed and pomelo.

ENSALADANG TALONG WITH MALUNGGAY PESTO

BAGNET SALAD

BALUT A LA POBRE PATE

PINIRITONG LUMPIANG TINAPA AT MANGGA
Instead of having the usual pork meat in lumpia, this one has tinapa and a subtle taste on mango in it.

SOUPS

PANCIT MOLO SOUP

BALBACUA

SEAFOOD ENTREE

BAKED IMBAO WITH SPINACH

GINATAANG ALIMANGO (CRABS IN COCONUT MILK)

POULTRY ENTREE

RELLENONG MANOK WITH MANGOSTEEN SAUCE
Surprisingly, the mangosteen sauce that comes with it gives off a well-complemented flavor to the tasty and tender rellenong chicken.

ADOBONG MANOK

CHICKEN TERIYAKI

INIHAW

BABY BACK RIBS IN DURIAN BARBECUE SAUCE
One's experience in Davao will not be considered complete without tasting the king of fruits and the city's most popular fruit, the Durian. Others may even cringe at the idea but what more if it's incorporated in a dish? Surprisingly, the durian in this barbecue sauce did not come off as offensive and overwhelming but rather, it gave off a very interesting and unique blend of flavor. Seriously, I was blown away with this dish! 

BEEF/MUTTON ENTREE

BEEF STEAK TAGALOG
 

SPICY BAKED CALDERETANG KAMBING

VEGETABLE ENTREE

LAING WITH TINAPA

GISING-GISING
A very spicy dish usually made up of beans, Vikings' version is made up of water spinach and the right amount of chili sauce that will literally wake your senses up.

NOODLES/RICE

SATEMI

BIHOD NA PASTA

FILIPINO PAELLA

DESSERTS

CHEESECAKE SAMPLER

LECHE FLAN

BRAZO DE DURIAN
I would not really mind all the calories I would get after indulging in this delectable dessert. It was my first time to try a durian variety of my favorite brazo de mercedes dessert which was also presented in a different look, and I totally fell in love!

MANGO SANSRIVAL

For tourists and guests visiting Davao City for the Kadayawan Festival, Vikings Luxury Buffet at SM Lanang Premier is launching its Traveler's Discount.

Traveler's Discount: Kadayawan Festival Edition

1) Tourist(s) will receive 10% discount off when paying in cash or 5% discount off when paying in card. This discount is applicable on a per pax basis.

2) Tourist(s) must present a valid boarding pass or travel ticket while supported by a passport or government issued I.D. to prove that he/she is a tourist visiting Davao City during the Kadayawan Festival.

3) Tourist(s) must be visiting Davao City, and their most recent inbound ticket or boarding pass should show that they arrived within the month of August 2014. They must show that they're traveling from a different city to Davao City.

4) This promo is only applicable in Vikings Lanang.

5) This promo can't be used in conjunction with other in house promotions or discounts.

6) Gift Checks will not be honored with this promo.

7) This promo is valid from August 11 - 17, 2014.

REGULAR RATES:
Weekdays
LUNCH | DINNER
Adults P588 | P788
Kids 4ft – 4ft 6’ P388 | P588
Kids 3ft – 4ft P188 | P288
Kids Below 3ft FREE
75 years old and above 50% discount

Weekends & Holidays
LUNCH | DINNER
Adults P788
Kids 4ft – 4ft 6′ P588
Kids 3ft – 4ft P288
Kids Below 3ft FREE
75 years old and above 50% discount
All prices are subject to 5% service charge.
All prices and promotions are subject to change without prior notice.