Sarungbanggi - Davao City's Fine Dining Option

Davao City is a beacon for foodies. Flights to this southern Philippine city may be limiting due to the cost of airfare, but once you're there, your peso could go a long way. Food is inexpensive, fresh and delicious - and options abound. However, "fine dining" is a different matter. After all, why spend a fortune in a place where there are relatively cheaper fares without sacrificing quantity or quality. This is why "buffet dining" is a dime a dozen in this city.

But we wanted to try "Sarungbanggi", a fine dine option in the vicinity of SM City Davao (Davao's first SM mall). True, they got food preparation right and their Caesar's Salad is delectable. However, you soon realize that while food isn't bad, the serving is limited, except for the lechon kawali. One entree is good for one. A must-try is their roast chicken which has crackling skin and tender, tasty meat.

Curiously, the restaurant's name could be a homage to a song. The term "Sarung Banggi" is a Bicolano term for "one night". It's a popular folk song, if a tad ponderous and wistful, written by Potenciano B. Gregorio, Sr. A loose translation of the song:

                                               One evening as I lay in bed
                                                I heard the sad song of a bird
                                               At first I thought it was a dream
                                               But soon I recognized your voice

                                               I opened my eyes and arose 
                                               And strained in the darkness to see 
                                                I looked about and up
                                               Then  saw your radiant face.

The more popular Sarungbanggi branch is a traditional steak house located in the dining haven of F. Torres  Street near J.P. Laurel. Though labelled as "casual dining", their rates don't really cater to casual foodies. This particular branch near SM Davao is probably a second branch. If you're tired of buffets, you could give this a try. Don't forget their roasted chicken.

This is the Eye in the Sky!

Just cross the street from Sarungbanggi and you're already at the SM City Davao compound.

Taste of Davao - Delongtes Restaurant & Yummy

Sometimes, people start out with a specific vision that eventually turns out differently. This is evident in the names of two restaurants we've sampled in Davao City.

Delongtes, for example is named "Delongtes Seafood Grill and BBQ" and though it still is basically a barbecue place, most people order non-seafood. One reason is that they are relatively cheaper. I prefer chicken barbecue most times, then add side entrees like grilled liver or those crunchy calamari. The sauce they use for their barbecues is a delectable mix of mouth watering concoction that drives you to empty your plate.

Delongtes has been in the business for several years already. I remember when they were still a simple eatery similar to dimly-lit turu-turo bars, but they have since upgraded to a posh, sophisticated place with a relaxed atmosphere and laid back charm. Most nights, they employ live music - though quality of their live performers tend to be uneven; some excellent performers, others mediocre. But the salient feature of any restaurant solely rests on the quality and taste of their food. This is where they have absolutely succeeded.

The odd name - "delongtes" - is actually a Visayan word play of "The Long Taste", whatever that means. Their barbecue orders are inexpensive: pork bbq at P26 a stick, liver at P25 a stick, calamares at P230 an order, crispy kangkong (crisp water spinach leaves) at P120 a plate, steamed rice at P20 an order, coke in can at P20, San Miguel Beer pale pilsen at P40, etc.

Delongtes has two branches: one at Tulip Drive beside SM City Davao and another at NCCC Mall. Call 082-2293294 for inquiries.


Chicken and Pork barbecue with chicken liver



Calamares









Live performers: a great duo that does justice to the songs of Alicia Keys, then suddenly switches to a "Stars on 45" medley. :)





Entrance

Yummy Chicken and Pasta Haus is a relatively new joint, although its signage outside says it started in 1988. Despite its name (i.e. chicken and pasta), one of its specialties isn't pasta, but the very local dish - pork and chicken humba (pictured below). A plate includes rice and macaroni salad. And it tastes as heavenly as it looks.

What I like about this joint, aside from excellent food, is its minimalist design and how clean it is. Everything glistens. And nothing beats a spotless joint where food is concerned. This restaurant is located at Amigleo Building, along Torres Street.

Finally, we are taking note of the emergence of the dragon fruit in Davao City. Though Dragon Fruit or "Strawberry Pear", also known as "Pitaya" in southeast asia (thanh long in Vietnam, buah naga in Malaysia and Indonesia, kaeo mangkon in Thailand) is quite endemic in Asia, this is almost virtually unknown in the Philippines. But it is gradually making its presence known, although in pricier rates. We first tasted this while visiting Luang Prabang in north Laos. We got the red variety (sweeter, but leaves violaceous stains on your hands and lips). The other variety is the white one. Another side effect of Dragon Fruit: it helps to "move" bowels, like the durian, papaya and pomelo.

This is the Eye in the Sky!

Dragon Fruit is the fruit of a cactus species. The red variety is rich in phosphorus, while the white (yellow) is rich in calcium. It's also believed to lower cholesterol and blood pressure; and when eaten regularly helps prevent cancer (it increases excretion of heavy metal toxins). Though very cheap elsewhere in Asia, it costs P100-160 per piece in the Philippines (almost 4-5x more expensive).


Two Dragon Fruit (Pitaya) varieties.

Dencio's Kamayan Sa Hilltop - Travelling Full in Davao

I first experienced Dencio's Kamayan Sa Hilltop some years back when there weren't much structures along the dark uphill road. Of course, Jack's Ridge views are better because it's nearer - and lower - from the height of the hill that goes further up Barangay Langub in the Ma-a District of the city. But Dencio's Kamayan sa Hilltop provides a more relaxed atmosphere. Unlike Jack's Ridge which typically congests during the weekend (it is a compound where several shops and restaurants conglomerate), Dencio's Kamayan is a lone structure at the top of the hill.

I was told this wasn't a branch of the Dencio's found all over Manila - and throughout Luzon! This is allegedly owned by Davaoenos. They have 4 branches in Davao (SM City Davao, NCCC Mall in Ma-a, Market Basket at the Damosa Gateway in Lanang, and the Hilltop branch which is my favorite). They also have branches in Tagum (Davao del Norte) and another in Cagayan de Oro City (KCC Mall).

Dencio's Kamayan prides itself with their barbecues, their grilled meat and the way they cook them tastefully, with a subtle preference for a bit of sweetness, a signature palate identifier that has translated into loyal patrons since its first branch opened in 1998. The view from the top is dreamy and romantic; tables are available at a main dining hall, as well as separate bahay kubo-style cottages down below. Their waiters are more than attentive, and best of all is their affordable price!

You can call them at (082) 286-5070 for inquiries or reservations. The only hitch here is the availability of public transport if you haven't got a car. It is a bit isolated - which is the inherent charm of the place. But you can always ask your taxi driver to wait - though I sometimes forget the time when I am there.

Visit their website for a glimpse of their menu and prices here - http://www.dencioskamayan.com/

Below are some photos we ordered during our visit. We made the mistake of ordering a huge platter aside from individual orders, each one with huge servings! This is a place that justifies the term "pig out"!

And we were more than satiated by the time we left the place.

This is the Eye in the Sky!

A platter of different grilled items: chicken, pork, sausages, squid, and even spring rolls with minced meat inside.

Pansit canton (noodle)

Seafood Sinigang and Sinigang na Bangus Belly

Chicken liver at their tastiest!

Lumpia shanghai (Spring/meat rolls)

Dencio's mascot stands at the entrance.

Up next: Compare Davao's Dencio's with Manila's Dencio's! - http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2011/01/dencios-eastwood-city-manila-dining.html

Davao City, the view from the top. This photo only courtesy of Philip Cadabuna.

Ahfat Seafood Plaza - Davao City Dining

With a population of just about 1.35 million people, Davao City - Mindanao's biggest city - is home to some of the cheapest and most delectable "fine dining" and buffet restaurants. There's a dizzying number of places to choose from when you feel like pigging out. I was able to visit Ahfat Seafood Plaza located at the Victoria Plaza Mall complex, at the fringes of the open parking space. It's unassuming entrance may feel like another ordinary restaurant, but not where it really matters - "taste"! In fact, most of Ahfat's charm lies in its reasonably priced food, an order would range from P150-250.

Ahfat Seafood Plaza is near the back of Victoria Plaza Mall which faces J.P. Laurel Street in Bahada District. For inquiries and reservation (for big groups), you may call (082)-224-0002, (082)-225-5787, and (082)-226-2688.

This is the Eye in the Sky!

Crispy Pata is a generous serving of pork leg and trotter, slow simmered in a savory broth, air-dried to cure for hours, and then deep fried to a crunchy crisp. Its delectable meat stays juicy and tender, but its outer rind is a fun-biting crunch. This tasty Filipino delicacy, easy and uncomplicated, is a celebrated treat. It is served with soy sauce or vinegar, and Ahfat's Crispy Pata is accompanied by flavored chicharon (crackers).

Chicharong Bulaklak, literally translated to Flower Crackers, is deep fried pork intestines, served crunchy, and crumbles to the taste. It is usually dipped in vinegar before taking that sinful bite.

Bird's Nest Soup is a delicacy in Chinese cuisine. A few species of swift, the cave swifts, are renowned for building the saliva nests used to produce the unique texture of this soup, which has gelatinous texture. The edible bird's nests are among the most expensive animal products consumed by humans. The nests have been used in Chinese cooking for over 400 years, most often as bird's nest soup.

Century egg, also known as preserved egg, hundred-year egg, thousand-year egg, thousand-year-old egg, and millennium egg , is a Chinese cuisine ingredient made by preserving duck, chicken or quail eggs in a mixture of clay, ash, salt, lime, and rice hulls for several weeks to several months, depending on the method of processing. Through the process, the yolk becomes a dark green and creamy with a smell of odor of sulfur and ammonia, while the white becomes a dark brown, transparent jelly with little flavor. This is believed to have been discovered 600 years ago during the Ming Dynasty in Hunnan.

Yang Chao Fried Rice

No-frills Chinese Restaurant in Bahada, Davao City.