Food Trip in Davao

Travelling will never be complete without chibugan, or in a modern slang, food tripping. It's trying out something new, or introducing a foreign flavor to your taste buds with something exclusively found in that place, or perhaps something the place is known for.

Before exploring Davao City, I seem to get amazed that aside from the ever-famous durian, this city is getting known for famous western dishes. Buffets are scattered all over the city, and some ala carte restaurants offer beef, baby back ribs, brick-oven made pizza which makes it more commercialized and 'Manila-themed' place. However, there are still pinoy style diners that serve fresh seafood and Pinutos (Visayan for Binalot, cooked delicacies wrapped in banana leaves).

During our first night in the city, we spent our first dinner at Let's Crab Eat in F. Torres St. It's only found here in Davao and no tourists leave the city without tasting their superb unlimited crabs and seafood buffet every weekend for only 395.00. However, I thought they are serving unlimited and different crab dishes. But they actually only serve one crab dish (Szechuan Crab), and the rest are just supporting dishes (chicken, shrimps and pork). Nevertheless, it is still worth the price, especially for real hungry people and certified crab lovers. They also offer wide range of desserts from fruits, cakes and Pinoy Panghimagas. The Mango with sago and milk is indeed a must try among all the desserts served in the bar. I was not able to capture more pictures because I have to eat with bare hands. It came to myself realizing if the owner can provide a lime and a basin of hot water to take the crab stenches off our hands, or perhaps a bib to avoid getting stains on our clothes from cracking the crabs.

Szechuan Crab, the specialty.

Other courses from the buffet

The Diner's Dedication Board. Some
famous celebrities left their names
 in there. True enough that this place
is a must-visit for tourists.

Moving on, we were still craving for sweets that we actually still managed to spare a space for more desserts in our tummies. That was the time we decided to try the famous Durian ice cream in Pinutos Republik, just a few steps away from Let's Crab Eat. They also offer buffet during evening, and they one of the famous filipino diners in the city. Since we are all stuffed from the crabs-all-we-can, we just ordered for a small cup of durian ice cream for 25.00. The price was way too costly, but the taste was very real and faithful to the durian's bittery-sweet flavor. If you can't stand the smell and rich taste of the real durian, this can be perfect remedy for you! No stinky smell, and tastes just right. The meals we had truly left a big smile on out tummies before we retire for the night.

A cup of Durian Ice Cream. P25.00 each

Had four cups after the sumptuous crab buffet

We woke up early the next day so we can have a longer tour of the city. Too bad, most of the establishments were still closed at that moment. Since we were looking for something exotic and onli-in-Davao type of dishes, we tried searching for turo-turo style eatery and we came across this Burger Machine type of stall named Boyong's Special Balbacua. We never encountered Balbacua ever in Manila since it is an original Cebuano Speciality Dish so we ordered for a bowl of it as our breakfast. I am really poor with giving descriptions for food, but basically it is a spicy beef broth soup. It looks very plain however it's full of flavor because it is rich in ginger and garlic which add more taste to it. The flaming temperature of the soup plus it spicy flavor will surely make the rest of your day full of energy and enthusiasm. Therefore, I strongly recommend eating Balbacua for drunken people to eliminate their hangover when they wake up in the morning :D

Boyong's Special Balbacua

Of course, people will not feel the Davao presence without tasting (or smelling) the popular durian, langka, marang, suha and mangoosteen. I am personally not fond of eating fruits but I really had a love at a first taste with durian. It's bitter sweet flavor will give you a milky-candyish taste of it. Great but unhealthy in a way. Did you know that a single seed of durian is equal to eight duck embryo or balut? So better beware and refrain from eating too much, especially for people with high blood pressure!

The night before we departed, we fished around for a best place to eat in the city. According to some food bloggers, tourists should also never miss Marina Wharf, which is famous for the best seafood in the city, particularly tuna delicacies. However, it is quite distant from our place so we better have to find another one. While we were riding a taxi on our way home from Samal Island, the taxi driver suggested to dine at Penongs Seafood and Barbecue Grill, since it is very affordable and famous (evident enough, they have quite a number of branches around the city).


Penongs somehow brought me a Mang Inasal Ambience. They also serve grilled chicken (Davao-style), and offer an EAT-ALL-YOU-KAN-ON (Rice all you can) and free broth soup on all meals but they offer more food choices than the familiar Mang Inasal. They offer baby back ribs which indeed made my night. The meat was very tender and well-marinated that made it so flavorful and mouthwatering. Other must try food choices include the grilled squid, adobong kangkong and manggang hilaw with bagoong. Indeed the best, a must try and a good choice to spend my last day in Davao since there are still no branches established yet in the capital city.

OTHER MUST TRY's:
The time did not permit us to experience all the must try's delicacies in Davao since we spent most of our time of stay in Samal Island. 

Pizza
Aside from the finest diners I have visited, brick-oven baked pizza in Davao should never be missed. Pizzerias are scattered all over the city but Pizza Pampamilya has been the bloggers' choice according to my research.

Marina Wharf
Tourists should save some bucks to experience the most sumptuous seafood dishes and delicacies. Though the menus are way too costly, it will definitely worth the price!

Pinutos
Binalot dishes are popular in the place, so everybody must really explore what's in it. :) I recommend Pinutos Republik because I have seen a lot people dining there during the buffet every night, plus they also offer durian ice cream for dessert.

I personally started to watch out my diet and food intake by the time I reached my 20. However,  I eventually tended to forget this promise during my five days of stay in Davao. Truly, this place is also a haven for our tummies and tastebuds.

Shopping in Davao

Aside from the beautiful beaches and summer havens in Davao, one should never miss its one of a kind souvenir shop, where you can find good, rare and unique items for yourself and your loved ones! If you come to visit their place and you have to find the best pasalubong center, have yourself at least be absent in famous malls you are familiar with for just a little while. After all, SM malls are more of a sari-sari store nowadays where you can always visit anywhere and anytime you want. 

So when it comes to shopping in Davao, here's the best place you can visit: ALDEVINCO!

Aldevinco's walkway 

Long before the famous malls were erected, Aldevinco had become the main shopping center for Davaoenyos. It was opened on January 2, 1965, located at the junction of Claro M. Recto Avenue and Manuel Roxas Boulevard, just right in front of Ateneo de Davao. If you are still not familiar with the place so as with the usual jeepney routes, just ask a taxi driver to take you there... you won't get lost, 'cause famous might be an understatement to describe Aldevinco for tourists and locals. 

As you enter the old shopping center, it takes you away to another world, where you feel like you were a woman of 1950s, looking for a best hobble skirts and fedoras in town. But when you peek through the glass windows of each stores, they are actually souvenir shops selling authentic tribal items only found in Davao. Truly Pinoy indeed!

MUST BUY items

Malong

Don't leave Davao, or any place in Mindanao without bringing a Malong with you. Malong is a hand-
woven piece of cloth that is very multi-functional. It can be used as a tube dress, head cover, baby carrier, sarong and a lot more! It is originally made by our very own Maranao, Maguindanao and T'boli through backstrap weaving. According to what I have remembered during history class, babaeng manghahabi or women weavers are highly respected in their group so they consider their masterpieces as splendid and regal, much close to royal. Its prices differ from 100 - 400 pesos only.

Indigenous peoples from Mindanao are known to embellish their get up with big and colorful accessories. Aldevinco offers wide range of accessories, from beads, corals, pearls and other precious stones from the seas nearby that are truly authentic and unique. 

If you're on your way to explore Samal Island beaches just like what I did, grab a good beaded necklace to match your summer outfit and swimsuit. Some of the bead accessories costs 3 for 100.00 so you can have different colors and style if you have different summer outfits to be worn each day.

Also, do not ever forget buying bags from Aldevinco. They provide different, colorful and distinct styles of bags that you will never find in other places. They have a Magic bag, as it is famously called, a cloth bag where you can keep it in a pouch attached to it everytime you don't need them so it can save some space. It comes in different styles and colors. This magic bag is great especially for Manilenyos, especially because the government has been starting to ban the usage of plastic bags in malls and supermarkets. So if you think bringing bayongs and katcha bags in shopping malls ruins your outfit, the magic bag will be definitely there to save you! It costs 120-250 pesos depending on the style. Anyway, you can always ask for discounts!

Aside from the magic bag, I was fond of this functional traveler's bag that can be used as your toiletry case, make up kit, accessory bag, whatever you want! But in my case, it's perfect to be my cable wire bag, where I can put my phone, ipad, laptop and camera chargers so as with my USB cables and my hard drive so I will never find hard time anymore to search for them anytime I need them.

Magic Bag - from pouch to hobo cloth bag

Multifunctional Bag

Lastly, the T'nalak  is indeed a good buy. This is a famous tapestry woven by the T'boli. I consider this woven cloth a magical piece since the all the patterns and designs they produce are based from their dreams. In other words, They don't produce designs which they have not dreamed of. So when you buy a T'nalak cloth product, you are also exploring the magical dreams of the T'boli weavers. Amazing right? I bought an Ipad case, coin purse, and key chains with T'nalak designs. I'm sure nobody else has it when I get back to Manila. (hehehe)

T'nalak products

FOR COLLECTORS:

For travelers who collect novelty and unique items, Davao shirts are found in Aldevinco. Aside from that, the usual key chains, coin purses and figurines with Davao labels are also available. Meanwhile, I found this fridge magnet that really stole my attention. It's really made of dried/preserved durian skin!

Bukayo

After exploring the souvenir shops in Aldevinco, you will surely miss the best of Davao if you don't visit their market, to buy for edible pasalubongs. And when we say edible, Durian should be the number 1 in your list! I personally don't eat durian, but to avoid spoiling the fun, I tried tasting a piece of it, freshly sliced by the durian tindero. It actually tastes bitter sweet, that made me ask for some more despite that odd stinky smell (well, you will actually get used to that smell when you stay longer in Davao). However, despite its sumptuous and its aphrodisiac appeal, it is very high in cholesterol so persons with high blood should watch out. One seed of the fruit is equal to eight balut or duck embryos so it is very fatty and unhealthy in a way. Durian costs 77 pesos depending on its size. Always tell the vendor if you're travelling back on a plane so he/she can pack it securely.

Durian

Davao is also a good place for other fruits: Langka, Marang, Suha (Pomelo), Bukayo and Mangoosteen. So you better prepare your tastebuds and tummy for more exotic, aphrodisiac and delicious fruits whenever you're going to the market!

Before leaving Manila, I only had two bags with me. But when I get back, I increased to 6 bags because of the stuffs I have shopped for. Call me shopaholic all you want, but indeed Davao is a good place for shopping rare, functional and one-of-a-kind items.

Tasted Durian for the first time!