Travel Archives ⋆ Page 8 of 11 ⋆ Leia Khu

Davao-Gensan Trip Part 5: Nonki Japanese Restaurant

Posted on July 28, 2013October 7, 2018 by xerox

We started Day Two by munching on a popular Thai snack by Tao Kae Noi.

It’s crispy, fried seaweed that comes in different flavors. My boyfriend and I prefer the wasabi-flavored one above all else. Yup, that was pretty much our breakfast for that day. No complains here at all.

We spent much of our morning just rolling on the bed and watching TV in our hotel room. Getting ready for lunch was actually just an afterthought.

Since we enjoyed our Japanese dinner so much, we decided to have some more Japanese food for lunch because… Why not?

Here’s a little sneaky “outfit of the day” by the way…

I know I could do better… Should I do a better one next time? What do you readers think? Let. Me. Know.

MOVING ON… Nonki Japanese Restaurant serves authentic Japanese cuisine and is located along F. Torres Street, right beside Davao Trade and Convention Center.

Upon entering, we were warmly welcomed and greeted with the phrase “Irasshaimase” by ladies in their matching kimono uniforms.

We came in a little bit too late for lunch… But normally, this place would be full of people (particularly Japanese nationals) and buzzing with activity.

The awesome sushi bar. I’m still haunted as to why we didn’t eat our lunch here.

Or here. More reasons to come back I suppose?

Aside from the fact that the wait staff are very courteous… Service here is very prompt and efficient!

Also, I would like to point out that they gave me a cold mug for my beer! Also, do you see that white tube thing next to my mug? That’s a wet towel for wiping hands. AMAZING! Little things like these make such a huge impact. At least to me that is. All restaurants should follow their example.

Itadakimasu!

Doesn’t it look like some piece of art? But it’s not just some piece of art, it’s edible too! This is a platter of mixed sashimi with shredded radish, sea grapes (locally called “lato”) and sliced cucumber for garnish.

Definitely top quality seafood! So fresh like it was just plucked right out from the ocean! Really, really delicious! It went down very well with my ice-cold beer.

This one is called okonomiyaki. It’s a savory pancake filled with shredded cabbage and green onion and then topped with okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese mayonnaise and katsuobushi (bonito flakes). Just think of it as Japanese pizza.

Their okonomiyaki left a lot to be desired… But it was something that I’ve always wanted to try and I’m glad that I finally did.

Lastly, because we love uni (sea urchin) so much… We ordered a hefty serving of it! The uni was really fresh and creamy… Melts-in-your-mouth kind of creamy. And I love how the cucumber added that sort of “fresh flavor” which I found really refreshing. I miss it so much already it hurts.

I can’t stress enough just how much I enjoyed eating at Nonki. My dining experience there is definitely a memorable one; I felt like I was transported to Japan (even for just a little while)!

Food here is really pricey, I won’t lie. Price range between 300~500 pesos. But I still recommend this restaurant to all sushi and sashimi aficionados because it’s absolutely worth it.

Nonki Japanese Restaurant is open at all days of the week from 11:30AM to 2:00PM and from 5:30PM to 11:00PM.

Davao-Gensan Trip Part 4: Dinner at Tsuru Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar

Posted on July 22, 2013October 7, 2018 by xerox

Tsuru Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar is the longest running Japanese Restaurant in Davao. It is actually named after Japan’s sacred bird which is revered as a symbol of happiness, longevity, loyalty and good luck.

Luckily for us, Tsuru’s literally just a few steps away from where we were staying… And without even thinking, we just walked ourselves right in for dinner.

I don’t know about you but my boyfriend and I LOOOVE Japanese cuisine. If you’ve been following me for quite awhile already, I think that should be very obvious by now.

Located along J. Camus street, it’s just right across the entrance of People’s Park so it’s pretty hard to miss. It shares the same building with a Vietnamese restaurant named Hanoi.

Oh look, a minion! I kid. The interior design of the restaurant is traditional Japanese with a contemporary flair.

The cozy ambiance of the restaurant makes it so hard to not feel at home. And I must mention that the wait staff here are courteous and attentive and the service is very good and prompt.

Okay, food porn abruptly starts now.

For our appetizer we had Beef Ramen which was topped with nori (seaweed) shreds, slivers of green onion, naruto fish cake (the one with the pink swirl) and a few slices of beef.

Though I was slightly disappointed because I did not find soft-boiled eggs in our ramen (come on eggs don’t cost much and we paid good money for this) and the beef slices were a bit tough… But the soup itself was rich and flavorful that I completely forgot about all that. This probably has to be the best ramen I’ve tried to date (flavor wise)!

As for our main dish…

I believe we had what’s called Chirashi (I’m sorry we lost our receipt so I’m not really sure). But basically it’s an assortment of sashimi arranged artistically on top of a bowl of sushi rice.

It has ebi (shrimp), tamagoyaki (omelette), kamaboko kani (imitation crab meat), maguro (tuna), ika (squid) and some other fish meat (that I can no longer identify) as well.

All I can say is… It is DIVINE! I could eat bowls of this in one sitting. Sweet and fresh… Oh, I wish I can fully describe in words just how delicious this dish is! Two thumbs up! That’s all I can say.

And to end this dinner with a bang, we had Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream for dessert. Creamy and succulent… UGH. I wish I have gallons of this sitting in my freezer. I hope I won’t have nightmares about this ice cream tonight.

I highly recommend everyone to check this restaurant out. Price ranges from 200~300 pesos. And just so you know… Every 15th and 30th of the month, Tsuru offers an eat-all-you-can grand buffet. I’m having a headache just thinking about it. *sigh*

Oh well, I gotta go. Writing this post has made me hungry. Bye for now!

Davao-Gensan Trip Part 3: Lunch at Chicken BonChon

Posted on July 10, 2013October 7, 2018 by xerox

After that not-so-good breakfast, we booked ourselves at D’ Counter Pensione (we got our bags back of course), freshened up and took some much needed rest… And before we knew it, it was already 2 o’clock in the afternoon and we should go out to have lunch already.

We didn’t know where to grab our lunch so we thought to just to go to Abreeza and decide when we get there. But one thing’s for sure though, we wanted something fast, convenient, affordable and preferably something we never had before…

And Chicken BonChon just fits the bill.

Chicken BonChon is a fast food chain that originates from South Korea. And as the name suggests, they primarily serve chicken but they do have other food items on their menu as well. Such as salads and rice meals that have nothing to do with chicken at all.

Chicken BonChon has a global cult following on their crispy, less greasy (I won’t say non-greasy) double-fried chicken.

Let’s see if they get us to join the bandwagon…

My pink hair has faded into this ombre color. I digress. Waiting for our chicken thighs and kimchi.

Jalmukesumneda! Learning some Korean table manners won’t hurt anyone.

We got the 3-piece chicken thigh ensemble for 185 pesos (exclusive of the rice and kimchi). It is a tad pricey for a fast food meal… But since my boyfriend and I shared it, I think it’s not bad considering that a 1-piece chicken meal from Jollibee is around 70~80 pesos minimum.

The thighs were paper thin crisp and glazed with their signature soy garlic sauce (we had the spicy version) that everyone seems to go bananas about. And truly, the sauce itself is delicious. But the chicken, hmmm not so. It was bland to the bones. And just to counter the lack of flavor, I was hoping they’d have some gravy or dipping to go with it… But there is none. In all fairness though, the chicken was moist and juicy.

I guess I just had my expectations so high up that I got really disappointed.

But frankly, we came for the chicken and not the sauce. So I don’t think we’d come back here anytime soon. Sorry guys. Not jumping on this bandwagon.

Davao-Gensan Trip Part 2: Breakfast at Sinangag Republik

Posted on July 8, 2013October 7, 2018 by xerox

As soon as we arrived in Davao, we dropped our bags at my boyfriend’s stepmom’s place, we had a little chit chat with her and shortly after that, we traipsed around the city in search of a place to stay (Yes, we didn’t go prepared. We’re such awful travelers, I know).

But as we were walking around, I was starting to get really cranky because I was so famished and heavy-eyed at this point already... And unless my boyfriend was going to carry me on his back or drag me along the pavement, I had no intention of budging at all.

For those who don’t know yet, it is imperative that hungry Leia must be fed immediately. Because nobody likes me when I’m hangry (hungry + angry)!

It was still around 8 o’clock in the morning and most of the restaurants within our range were closed save for…

Sinangag Republik which is open 24/7. Very convenient. Can you see the iconic jeepney protruding through the window? 🙂

Sinangag Republik, formerly known as Sinangag Express (SEx for short and I’m not making that up), is located at Metrolifestyle Complex, E. Jacinto Extension.

By the way, “sinangag” is Filipino for fried rice.

The interior is cozy and quite fascinating. Apparently, the jeepney extends all the way inside! Really cool! I don’t know what kind of sorcery they conjured in order to pull this off considering the size of the place… But *finger snap* they worked it!

Plastered against the bright blue walls are colorful road signs and license plates which create a striking visual contrast. The colors blue, red and yellow mirror the colors of the Philippine national flag.

Sinangag Republik obviously serves Filipino food. But they mainly serve “silog” (breakfast with fried rice and egg). In average, price ranges from 70 to 90 pesos per meal.

Pictured above were what we had. Left, my boyfriend’s order. Right, mine.

Hmm… How should I start?

Let’s talk about my order first. I had Beef Tapa and it is pretty different from what I’m used to. I think it was coated with flour and that’s a very unorthodox method of preparing beef tapa. It’s nothing amazing really. In fact, I was just eating it because I had to. I didn’t enjoy it but it didn’t find it revolting either…

However, my boyfriend’s order is another story. I had a taste of it and boy was I shaking my head in disgust. It was barely edible. Thank God we didn’t get sick by food poisoning or diarrhea because the meat was really bad. And by bad, I mean, SPOILED. We racked our brains for days but we couldn’t recall what he ordered at all. I think it was just too horrible for us to remember.

The place may have its charm but we don’t recommend that you eat here; unless you wanna call in sick for work, then by all means go ahead.

Some of my friends told me that their Frozen Taho is a must-try. I don’t know if we just got unlucky that day but we don’t have plans to eat here again. EVER.

But hey, on the bright side, at least I have an Instagram-worthy photo to make up for the bad experience. *smile*

Davao-Gensan Trip Part 1: The Laguindingan International Airport Experience

Posted on June 29, 2013October 7, 2018 by xerox

WARNING: May take forever to read.

For those who don’t know yet, Lumbia Airport will eventually cease to operate for commercial flights and has transferred all of their day flights to the spanking new Laguindingan International Airport (LIA) since June 15.

Now, since our departure date and location was moved from June 18, Lumbia to June 17, LIA… One of our major challenges for this trip was how to get to the new airport without getting left behind our 6:45 AM flight (check-in time is 1 hour prior departure time).

I know what you’re thinking…

“Iligan-CDO bus trips are available 24/7. So that shouldn’t be a problem if you wake up early!” Yes that’s true. But once we make our stop at Laguindingan, then what?

“Airports always have shuttles and taxis. DUH.” Sure there are smart ass… But what if there aren’t? It doesn’t hurt to be extra cautious you know.

My boyfriend and I originally planned to take a taxi from Iligan all the way to the LIA and shell out about 1300 bucks (OUCH). But I am lucky enough to have a friend who was going to drive his way there because he also had an early morning flight to catch on the same day as ours. And so we hitched and donated 200+ for gas (imagine how much we saved!) and got to the LIA much earlier than expected.

And thank God for woman intuition because I was right. Although there were a lot of “habal-habal” queuing along the highway, there were no taxis nor shuttles in sight. Taxis and shuttles aren’t available until when the sun’s up. So if you’re catching an early morning flight and have a huge luggage, I don’t recommend that you take the bus. Hire a taxi. That’s the only way to go if you’re commuting from Iligan. At least for now.

This is how the airport looks like at 4AM from the parking lot. Don’t be fooled. While it looks huge from here, it’s really a lot smaller than it looks like.

Going in. The airport is very clean and looks aesthetically pleasing. It is a huge improvement of the Lumbia Airport. I do hope they keep this up.

Despite arriving early, the queue was already very long. Notice how the line ends outside of the building.

Look how SUPER CROWDED and CRAMPED it is inside! Superimposed with the troll meme face is my friend “he-who-should-not-be-named” by the way.

Imagine, all the people in the photo above, including us, are just the early morning domestic flight passengers. I can’t imagine how more crammed it will be once the LIA accommodates international flights. But I’m pretty sure they will expand by then as there is soooo much free space around the airport (unless the funds for expansion are “pocketed” if you know what I mean).

And because it must be said, I find that the 200-peso terminal fee is quite unjustifiable since LIA has horrible service. Chaotic queues, grumpy customer service assistants, clueless airport personnel, poor air-conditioning, no ATMs, cash only transactions (I prefer to just swipe my debit card for a faster transaction thank you very much) and the list goes on… Just be ready to get upset in short. I seriously doubt if anyone working there was ready for LIA’s soft-opening. Although, I do commend them for their baggage handling service. My Mickey Mouse suitcase was properly cared for. I’ve been very particular about this especially after what NAIA did to it (read story here).

After all that chaos and a few security checks later, we just had to sit down, relax and have our morning beverage at Seattle’s Best Coffee.

Beside Seattle’s Best Coffee is Kenny Rogers which I didn’t bother taking a photo of since it was still closed.

Also, what I didn’t bother taking a photo of was the passengers’ lounge area since all I wanted to do at that point was to find a seat for the three of us and just rest. It was a challenge to do because not only were the seats insufficient, there were a lot of inconsiderate asswipes taking the entire bench space for themselves to sleep on. JUST WOW. As if they were the only ones who didn’t manage to get a blink of sleep. LIA security personnel should tell these selfish people off! I know I should’ve complained but if I leave my seat, someone else will take it. Lucky for them I just let that slide that day but next time I definitely won’t.

Another thing I don’t like about LIA was the smoking area. Badly thought-out. Every time a smoker comes in or out of the smoking area, the lounge area just reeks of cigarette smoke. Like what’s the point then? Somebody better do something to fix that!

Boarding for Davao (“he-who-must-not-be-named” friend not included). Surprised to see a small plane.

Touchdown from Davao. Surprised to see a big plane.

I still stand by my opinion about their great baggage handling service. My suitcase is still in a good condition thus makes a happy me.

When it was time to look for a shuttle… I spotted LAX. LAX is short for Laguindingan Airport Express. Their pick-up and drop-off point is located outside Seda Hotel. Fare is 249 per head. For contact numbers and more details read here. For people bound to CDO from the LIA, you’ll find that link very useful as it includes a list of transport services and other helpful information.

But then we’re not bound for CDO, so we took a different shuttle (which I wasn’t able to take a photo off since we were super busy tugging our things). And to drop us off along the highway, together with other people, we were charged 25 pesos each.

And voila, this was our stop! THANK YOU LIA for your pre-mature opening and lack of preparedness! No waiting shed, chairs, whatsoever. I DEMAND a shuttle terminal/bus stop here with an air-conditioned lounge area plus free WiFi access; and no, that is not too much to ask!

More than an hour has passed since and we were STILL standing and waiting here for a bus to ride. Buses that passed by were either already full or there just wasn’t enough room for the both of us anymore. No luck. Obviously, my patience was running thin at this point.

But thank heavens a van driver (who did not intend to go to Iligan) drove us home along with some other people bound for Iligan. We were only charged 85 pesos each. Real good bargain that one.

If you’re bound for CDO, you barely have anything to worry about since shuttles like LAX are readily available. But if you’re bound for Iligan, it is HIGHLY recommended that to have a “sundo”, lest you want to suffer like we did.

I know this vitriolic post is getting very long already and so I have to abruptly end it as writing this has drained all of my energy.

With all that said, I’m just glad we came home in one piece and survived LIA!

24 & 2 Part 5: Sumo Sam

Posted on June 24, 2013October 7, 2018 by xerox

To cap off this 24 & 2 series, my boyfriend and I had our lunch at Sumo Sam (Centrio).

Sumo Sam is a restaurant chain that specializes in Japanese-American food and is owned by Marvin Agustin. Hence, the life size photo of him standing right outside the door beckoning for you to come in. Hehe.

One of the things I like about Sumo Sam is that they serve complimentary tea. Please excuse my messy hair and sleep deprived face (I left my comb back at the hotel where we stayed and I was really sick that day) by the way.

Food here is a little bit pricey but their servings are pretty ginormous so you can just share a meal with another person.

Someone looks excited to eat!

I’m not sure what this is… My boyfriend ordered this one. I think this is Smoked Salmon Roll. I remember not being too happy with this dish. The salmon was dry and pale. Though the flavors are somehow there but this is not something I would recommend.

I ordered the oh-so-glorious Beef Gyudon with a raw egg on top. Now, I know this sounds very disgusting for others. Believe me… The first time I had this, I had mental debates about whether or not to skip the raw egg (you are actually given the option) but I’m soooo glad I didn’t! This is just heaven in a bowl! Trust me on this! This rice bowl may be already good on its own but the raw egg just adds that extra creamy texture like no other. THIS I recommend!

Anyway, I just got home from my Davao-GenSan trip with my boyfriend. Expect TONS of blog posts about it soon!

24 & 2 Part 4: Sweet Leaf Bubble Tea Cafe

Posted on June 12, 2013October 7, 2018 by xerox

This is day number two of our post-anniversary celebration and there’s no better way to start the day than having a cup of milk tea (unless you’re a coffee person then it’s coffee).

So off we went to Sweet Leaf Bubble Tea Cafe. This is another milk tea shop in CDO that serves authentic Taiwanese tea and it is located at Pabayo and Chavez Streets, Divisoria.

Since we went there early on a Sunday, we got to “own” the whole place.

It’s so hard not to feel at home here.

I really love their wall decor.

Here’s a closer look.

More of their wall decor. Diggin’ the quotes!

Anyway, here’s what we had. Left, my rock salt and cheese matcha milk tea with tapioca pearls. Right, my boyfriend’s rock salt and cheese dark chocolate milk tea with some pudding added on.

I didn’t really enjoy mine… However, my boyfriend’s milk tea was the bomb! Definitely a must-try! It’s actually their best seller.

My boyfriend propping up the menu. We still have a looong list of milk teas to taste. Good thing teas here are affordable.

Although I may be disappointed with their rock salt and cheese matcha tea but I’ll definitely come back here to try some more.

24 & 2 Part 3: T.G.I. Fridays

Posted on June 3, 2013October 7, 2018 by xerox

T.G.I. Fridays, a.k.a. Friday’s, has finally come to CDO!

I know I’m a little too late on this announcement but better late than never right?

Upon finding our seat, I was amused! Here’s le boyfriend with our special guests, Buzz and Woody who joined us for dinner that night.

Hanging right above my seat are two real guitars. And there’s Bruce, the Legend (as Kato) and Bruce, the shark from Jaws. Real awesome.

Anyway, for our appetizer, we had Cajun Chicken Salad.

Crispy fried Cajun-battered chicken strips served with tomato, egg wedges, grated cheese and some mixed greens coated with honey mustard dressing.

I’d have to say that the chicken somehow tastes very similar to KFC’s. Not that it’s a bad thing, I do really love KFC myself.

I love everything in this salad especially the tomatoes (sorry chicken you’re not the star here for me haha). They’re fresh, juicy and sweet. I could seriously eat a bowl of those tomatoes.

And lemme tell ya, this is one HEFTY appetizer and is practically a meal in itself. I was starting to feel stuffed eating just halfway through this salad!

And as if that wasn’t enough, my boyfriend had to order Mushroom Onion Swiss Burger.

Juicy pure ground beef patty topped with tomato, lettuce, pickles, caramelized onions, melted Swiss cheese and thick toasted buns. Served with some crispy fries.

I liked it and it is very good but I’ve had better burgers than this albeit just smaller in size.

By the way, have you ever wondered how to eat a monster of a burger without spilling all over the place? Well, here’s the trick… Grip it tight and turn it upside down!

Yup, you read that right. Try it for yourself and be amazed!

Excuse me while I give this burger a kiss.

Since we had a coupon for a free Mocha Mud Pie, we just had to have it even if we were about to burst at this point.

As written on their menu, it’s rich chocolate-almond mousse and coffee ice cream frozen in a chocolate crumb crust. Topped with hot fudge and toasted almond slices.

We loved it. It’s not too sweet and it reminds me of one of my favorite desserts, Death by Choco. Too bad we weren’t able to finish it all up. Much to our displeasure.

I heard their steaks and ribs are very good but we’ll reserve those for another time.

24 & 2 Part 1: Little Miss Funnel Cake

Posted on May 28, 2013October 7, 2018 by xerox

How ya’ll been doing? I hope everyone enjoyed the summer. As for me, I am still in disbelief that May is almost drawing to a close because I don’t want it to end. So far, this month has been the greatest! I just turned 24 and my boyfriend and I just turned 2. All is ~~good~~ super awesome!

And in celebration of my 24th birthday and our 2nd year anniversary, we went to CDO for a food trip and first on our itinerary was Little Miss Funnel Cake.

Little Miss Funnel Cake is a cozy dessert shop located at AB Santiago Building, Velez and Gaerlan Streets.

As the name suggests, they are known for their funnel cakes. Frankly, I had no idea what a funnel cake was and so I did my homework… And it’s actually just batter poured through a funnel and deep-fried onto hot cooking oil until it turns golden brown. I learned that by watching this cooking video right here.

I’m all about good food at great prices…

So this is the place to be! Nothing above 70 pesos! Ridiculous.

Mango Caramel Funnel Cake and Deep-fried Oreos were calling my name so that’s what we both had.

I really like watching how my food is made 🙂

Oh, did I mention that I dyed my hair pink? What do you guys think? 🙂
I digress.

Now to the delicious part of the post…

Mango caramel funnel cake, topped with tidbits of fresh mango, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a sprinkle of powdered sugar and a drizzle of caramel syrup. Although I do wish I had a bigger scoop of ice cream but it doesn’t matter… T’was gooood.

Deep-fried Oreos, also topped with powdered sugar and a scoop of vanilla ice cream then drizzled with some chocolate syrup. Now I know these deep-fried Oreos look rather unappealing in this photo as the ice cream has already melted into a sticky soup here… But I swear that it is an artery-clogging treat that you should not miss!

While I would not want to have these everyday myself for health concerns but they’re really good to have every once-in-awhile.

I highly recommend that you visit Little Miss Funnel Cake and try these goodies especially the deep-fried Oreos! And I guarantee you that you will not regret it!

The Irresistable Charm of Chingkeetea

Posted on March 10, 2013October 7, 2018 by xerox

Recently, tea houses have been blossoming and spreading like wildflowers. And for someone like me who loves tea, this is amazing news!

I love tea! Hot tea, cold tea, blended tea, iced tea, you name it!

I have already been to a few tea houses but so far nothing quite compares to Chingkeetea (or maybe I’m just a little biased).

Chingkeetea is a cozy little tea house nestled somewhere in the heart of Cagayan de Oro City.

They serve a variety of delicious milk teas and fruit teas…

They also have some snacks that go well with tea like cookies, cupcakes and pasta. All reasonably priced so that students can easily afford.

My personal favorite is Wintermelon Milk Tea with Tapioca Pearls.

The rustic vibe gives Chingkeetea that distinct charm and character which sets it apart from all other tea houses. It’s just so hard to not fall in love with the place.

It is one of the go-to places for tea and photo ops.

Look, there’s me just chillin’ out…

And then, there’s my boyfriend… Swingin’.

Chingkeetea is not only for the tea lovers. It is also a hub for the bloggers, the shutterbugs, the bookworms and the creative youth in general.

Since I’m pretty sure I’ll keep coming back here (because I can’t get enough of Chingkeetea’s charm and milk tea of course), please expect more blog posts about it some time in the future.

‘Til my next post, have a nice Sunday everyone!