Zark's Burgers - Fat and Tasty Burgers (SM Davao City)

Zark's Burgers is home grown, make no mistake about it. From a small 18-seater, 3-man crew somewhere in Manila in 2009, the restaurant has grown with multiple branches nationwide. 

The restaurant was envisioned as a burger place that's more affordable, value-driven and one that can fill up your tummy with their huge serving of food. It is among the fastest growing restaurant chains in the country. 

From the way they market and present their product, you'd think that they're foreign, but this is as local as the owner who used to work in a cruise ship. 

If you're up for a challenge, Zark's has a humongous 8-patty meal called "The Tombstone" that includes 400 grams of french fries. If you finish the whole monstrosity in 10 minutes, they will do away with your bill worth P599. The current record is 2 minutes and 10 seconds. You don't have to break that record. Just clean your plate within 10 minutes, and your meal is free.

I ordered a set that comes with 3 burgers, a side dish (I chose their sinfully attractive nacho cheese) and 3 glasses of cola drinks - all for just under P600. If you want a no-frills burger, their regular cheeseburger called Zark's Classic is affordable at P119. 

They also have rice meals: Buffalo wings with rice at P169, Chicken fingers with rice at P159, and Bacon and Egg with rice at P149. There are 2 Zark's Burgers in Davao City. In Manila, I saw a branch at the Power Plant Mall.

Zark, by the way, is the owner's name.

Hotel Vicente - Finding a Home in Davao City

Last Kadayawan Festival (August), I found myself scampering for a last-minute booking to visit the city. It wasn't for the annual festivity but for something else. Most of the major hotels were fully booked, understandably. Six hours before my scheduled check-in, I found Hotel Vicente. I arrived but was 3 hours too early so I just registered, left my baggage at the front desk and went my way. 

Later that afternoon, I sent my driver to instruct the front desk to take my luggage to my room. I was wary they might give it away if I didn't show up before midnight.

I booked for a double room (Room 405) which was a spacious, beautifully interiored space at the back of the hotel. It had comfortable bed and pillows, a table where you can work with your laptop; a cable TV, and clean bathroom with functioning fixtures. There were towels and a soap, but some perks (like toothbrush, shampoo) weren't available. Two small bottles of mineral water were given for free. 

Despite its size (5 stories), this quaint hotel has an elevator. Noise level is kept to a minimum since my room didn't face the street. What I had was a view of the city; not impressive but not shabby either. The hotel looked relatively new too. 

The booking included free breakfast served buffet style at Cristobal Restaurant and Bar. Though choice was limited (see photo), for its price, their food sufficed for a decent breakfast. 

Outside breakfast, their menu (see photo) offers a lot of interesting items which, from online reviews, are impressive. Choices include Grilled Tuna Belly and Spare Ribs in White Wine (P275), Sinigang (P215), Pinakbet with Bagnet (P255), Malasugue in Bacalao Sauce (P285), Kare-kare (P325), Humba (P265), Paella (P498 good for 2-3 persons), Lengua (P215), etc. Before I forget, there's a Paella restaurant just across the street, if you're into it.  

At registration, there is a city tax and service charge levied outside your booking (roughly P250). 

A guard watches the door all day on a vine-covered entrance, which makes for good IG photos. As to its location, you'd need a taxi to get to places like Gaisano Mall of Davao (around P100). Victoria Mall (which isn't really much) is closer though. F. Torres, the street where it's located, is actually a food avenue, but the row of restaurants are some 5 blocks away. There's a 7-11 in 3 blocks (where I got a Sinalco Cola) and a Durian Carinderia (selling arancillo variety, with tables) in two blocks. It's also easy to hail a taxi from the hotel.

Sinalco Cola

I was surprised finding a Sinalco Cola at the nearby 7-11. Sinalco Cola is a new cola drink manufactured in Germany. It's main feature is its taste. If you're a fan of Coca Cola, you'd be pleasantly surprised with Sinalco as it tastes almost like Coke: less sweeter than the original or Pepsi, but without the shabby taste of Coke Zero or Coke Light. That's just my take.

Hotel Vicente is a great base if you're in Davao City. It's more affordable than the more popular hotels (though not by much). It has a no-frills operation and the staff are accommodating. It isn't as "central" as Seda, Red Planet, Apo View, or Royal Mandaya which are on major streets, but I prefer to be at the fringes.

Lobby and Front Desk

My breakfast haul

Cristobal Restaurant and Bar

If you're caught smoking, there's a cleaning fee of P2,000 plus a city government fine since Davao is strictly a smoke-free city. Do not contest it coz bigger establishments have tried.

Bathroom 

For your perusal, the menu at Cristobal Restaurant and Bar.

My Sinalco Cola from Germany.

Room with a view?

K-Twins Restaurant - Ilocano Cuisine in Davao City

If you're craving for authentic Ilocano dishes in the heart of Davao City, you'll get your fill of igado, dinakdakan, Ilocano empanada, crispy dinuguan, etc. in a restaurant called K-Twins in Damosa Gateway in Lanang.  I was told they used to have a branch in Obrero, but moved to this new location, which opened last March 2015.

Ilocano dishes aren't exactly popular in Davao, except for bagnet. What caught my attention were a couple of dishes not quite offered in many Ilocano restaurants in Manila. So I ordered them to find out.

Crispy tambucho is a dish of deep fried, pork large intestines served with spicy vinegar. They're almost similar to "chicharong bulaklak" without the omentum. They're tasty and crunchy, though it's a matter of taste. Tambucho is a Spanish term for "muffler" - and is thus self explanatory why this is called as such. A serving costs PhP180.

Tahitian bagnet is "bagnet" (deep fried crispy pork dish similar to lechon kawali, but crunchier) spruced up with a salad of vegetables. The vegetables actually "lose" the taste of meat so if you love your veggies, you'd probably love this bagnet variety. Personally though, I couldn't appreciate the "concoction". I like bagnets and losing its taste (and even its crispness) to vegetables somehow dilutes the enjoyment of eating the dish. You might as well order their traditional bagnet. The dish will set you back by PhP255.

K-Twins Restaurant is located in Damosa Gateway, Mamay Road, Lanang, Davao City. They have a Facebook page too - or try this number if you need to contact them: 0928-397-6218.

This is the Eye in the Sky.

Crispy tambucho

Tahitian Bagnet

A Corner of Bali in Davao City

Bali? Nu-uh. It's an odd fountain-cum-pond standing in front of a chapel at the GAP Farm Resort in Davao City. Located along the Diversion Road (a few kilometers from D' Japanese Tunnel), the place is a recreational and leisure center with agriculture and Philippine History as its theme.

The air in this little corner is fresh. I could sit on a bench and allow my mind to wander. This is a great place for that. There's a parade of busts of Philippine presidents and heroes. Gabriela Silang lead the pack; her bolo waved on the air as she mounts an emaciated horse. Elsewhere, there's a fascinating, albeit comprehensive list of Mindanao's indigenous tribes and their corresponding statues and costumes - and to my knowledge, no other place has done this.

But let me get back to my peaceful Balinese corner, standing awkwardly in front of a chapel. Here, my mind can travel farther than any distance.

This is the Eye in the Sky!

MIASCOR Lounge (Davao International Airport)

You know how you constantly get these credit card offers in your emails about special offers that are too good to be true? Like getting a free scoop of ice cream if you purchase something worth PhP10,000. Just a lot of passing gas; a waste of email space, if you ask me. A few months ago, I completely ignored an offer from Diners Club International and Security Bank Mastercard. If you have one of those two credit cards, you have the privilege to avail of the MIASCOR Elite Lounge at the Davao International Airport on your flight out of the city. Soon, even NAIA Terminal 3 will have its own MIASCOR lounge.

On my recent departure from Davao City, I noticed a tarpaulin advertising the MIASCOR Elite Lounge which probably has been there since last year. Since I usually transit fast in this airport, I hardly have time for a leisurely roam.

This time I did so I decided to check out this lounge. I presented my Diners at the counter by the door, the charming counter lady logged me in, and in no time, I was inside this bright lounge with a color palette consisting of reds, grays and egg white.

The lounge can accommodate 21; has a storage room for your coat and baggage, desks with two-prong sockets for your charging requirement. The front desk will also provide you wifi password. As if that wasn't enough, this adequately airconditioned room offers delectable hot food and snacks, all part of your entry, including your choice of canned drinks (Coca Cola, Coke Zero, orange and pineapple drinks, San Mig beer pale pilsen). If you prefer coffee, tea or hot chocolate, they're available as well. There are cupcakes and cookies, bread with butter or jam spreads, banana cakes, etc. There's a congee (lugaw), a spaghetti bolognese, etc. It's a self-serve room so you have to try to keep the place neat, at the very least. I got a delectable ham and potato chowder, a buko pandan cupcake and a Coke in can. Yum!

There's a cable TV and a choice of tabloids and magazines on display. I must have stayed there for 40 minutes and I was the only one the whole time. If you don't have the aforementioned credit cards, you can also avail of the lounge for a price of PhP380 ($8.60).

Update as of May 11, 2015:

MIASCOR Elite Lounge allows free entry/use to only Diners Club International credit card holders. A tarpaulin that includes Security Bank doesn't "fly" anymore. Other free users include Silk Air guests, Dragon Air guests, and members of "Airport Angel". Yes, NAIA Terminal 1 in Manila allows free use of the MIASCOR Lounge for Citibank Credit Card holders, but not in Davao. During my recent departure, this lounge was filled to capacity by outgoing Silk Air guests.

MIASCOR Lounge is run by the Manila International Airport (MIA) authority. It is located at the 2nd floor of the Davao International Airport (beside a Foreign Exchange shop), accessible through the escalator, after your check-in formalities. It is open daily from 4 AM to 10 PM.

This is the Eye in the Sky.

Ham and potato chowder

A coke and my pandan cupcake.

A palette of red, gray and egg white make for a truly comfortable space.

Serve yourself. Your pick. You can even have as much as you can.

Cupcakes

Beverage counter

P.S. As of this posting, only Diners Club credit card holders will be allowed in for free. Wonder what happened to Security Bank Mastercard offer.

You need to charge your phone, iPad, laptop?

More about Davao International Airport:

- http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-airport-without-trolleys-davao.html

Epoxy Art and its Philippine Royalty (Davao City)

"Unity", 41" x 41", epoxy on canvas. 

The pieces catch your attention. They glimmer from a distance, and upon closer observation, they look priceless. Gold, after all, is the hue worn by royalty. Speaking of royalty, these pieces hail from the genius of Lamberto "Obet" Acyatan billed as the "Grandfather of Epoxy Art". This surprised me. I've never heard of such medium. It's easy to disregard the idea, but proof of its valid existence and beauty were gallantly displayed at Felcris Centrale one morning.

My favorite would be the wall displays laid out like a tapestry. If you didn't know any better, you'd think they're a product of some Aztec master work or some holy Hindu relic. The designs reek with exoticism.

Aside from the wall displays, carved figures stand with faces on them; petals, faces, branches and vines. There's a clenched fist somewhere and, hold your breath, a penis spewing what seemed like grains. And wasn't this male genital resting on a vagina? The art fascinates. The other stand alone objects infact seem like phallic objects.

As it turns out, these pieces weren't inexpensive. Not by a long shot. Most of them individually fetch between PhP28,000 ($631.60) to PhP35,000 ($789.50). Good art is never cheap.

Liner notes reveal that Acyatan hails from the woodcarving town of Paete, Laguna, where he grew up. He creates forms and these become identities of boats bearing his medium. Acyatan is currently based at the Eden Art Center in Bayabas, Toril, Davao City. He paints and blogs, and features his poetry therein.

It fascinates me no end that an object as seemingly artless as an epoxy could be used to create such beautiful pieces. I take my hats off to Mr. Acyatan who creates these spellbinding masterpieces. During this exhibit, we were told we could take photos, and we're only too glad to introduce "Epoxy Art" to those who find their way here while navigating the web. I am in no position to discuss the medium, but I shall let the photos speak for themselves.

This is the Eye in the Sky!

"Cultural", 48" by 48", epoxy on canvas, PhP30,000.

Genitalia finds its way to epoxy art.

The head figures mostly wear a gear, scarf, etc. they must be inspired by folks from indigenous tribes.

Phallic