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Davao-Gensan Trip Part 8: The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

Posted on September 1, 2013October 7, 2018 by xerox

Many moons ago, I noticed that a lot of people on my Facebook newsfeed have been raving about The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (CBTL). And being a tea-o-holic that I am (an ex-coffee addict too), I don’t wanna be left behind.

CBTL is an American coffee chain that serves only the world’s finest coffee and tea. Born in South Califoria on 1963, CBTL has grown into one of the largest coffee and tea companies in the world with over 900 outlets in 23 countries since. And yes, of course, they have free WiFi too.

This was taken on our first CBTL experience at Abreeza. In the photo above are Ice Blended Matcha Green Tea and White Choco Dream Latte.

Both are just a dream in a cup. Really. Definitely better than Starbucks by a mile.

And just so you know… Starbucks doesn’t exactly thrill me. There. I finally spilled the beans. Please don’t roast me! (puns intended)

Oh, lemme introduce to you the greatest invention since sliced bread…

This thingamajig! I really don’t know what it’s called. If you happen to know, you have to tell me!

What’s so great about this thing is (more like are):
1. It eliminates those silly table number tags.
2. I don’t have to constantly fidget as I wait for my name to be called.
3. It vibrates and lights up once your order is ready.

Doesn’t it make life a lot easier? Whoever thought of this sorcery is a freakin’ genius!

I still don’t understand why other restaurants or fastfood chains still don’t have this brilliant piece of technology yet. I’m sure it’s not that hard and expensive to make, right? Wishful thinking.

Having watched too many Masterchef episodes made me feel sorry for ourselves that we haven’t tried eggs benedict yet. So we really had to give it a go! This was our second CBTL experience at SM Lanang.

The look on his eyes explained everything. Haha! Clearly, he’s more excited than I am.

As my boyfriend ran the knife through the egg, the yolk didn’t run into this thick velvety sauce as I saw it should in Masterchef a thousand times over.

I then pictured Gordon Ramsey in my head like this…

While it wasn’t close to perfect (at least to Gordon’s standard), it tasted really good. And that’s all that matters. I also happen to like my eggs to be done over medium thankyouverymuch.

For all those who have been disenchanted with overrated coffee shops, I plead that you at least give Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf a chance.

They serve high-quality, great tasting coffee, tea and food. Plus, their service and ambiance is marvelous.

Their beverages cost between 100~200 pesos… Not bad right? Know more about what they serve here.

Davao-Gensan Trip Part 7: Classic Savory

Posted on August 18, 2013October 7, 2018 by xerox

Just a real quick post here while I can still sneak in some time to blog before I leave for CDO today.

For Day 3, we had our brunch at Classic Savory – SM Lanang branch.

I’m not a fan of Filipino-Chinese food at all. But after constantly being prodded by some friends to try Classic Savory’s chicken, I raised my hands as a sign of surrender and decided it was finally time to give it a try.

Behind us is a photo collage of Manila during the 1950’s. It proved to be a nice distraction as we waited for our order.

The loose top I wore here made me look 20 pounds heavier, I know. Too lazy to liquify myself on Photoshop. Also, I didn’t care to fix my hair that day. Bah. Haha.

Our order came earlier than expected. Which was a good thing because we were really hungry already.

I got myself a value meal that came with a piece of chicken thigh, slivers of fish fillet and some gravy on the side. My boyfriend had a similar order. Just with a different side dish. I forgot what he had. And I don’t know why we didn’t take a photo of his order. It totally slipped out of our minds.

Anyway, the fish fillet was tender and delicious. I like the sauce that it came with. It was creamy and it complemented the fish fillet really well. I just wish there was more of it though.

The chicken proved to be the star of the meal. Marinated with their special secret sauce, it was delicious to the bones. Although the chicken wasn’t done perfectly (it was dry and a tad overcooked), I still enjoyed it for its timeless taste nonetheless.

Would I go back? Yes, because I would like to give their chicken another try but most likely from another branch. Hopefully, it’ll be juicy and tender as they claim it should be. Also, I need to have a platter of their fish fillet all to myself!

Click here to check out other food items from their menu. Prices usually range between 150 to 250 pesos.

Davao-Gensan Trip Part 6: Backyard Burgers

Posted on August 5, 2013October 7, 2018 by xerox

A burger joint that serves fresh-off-the grill, legendary burgers is every guy’s dream… Fortunately that dream is now a reality.

Let me present to you, Backyard Burgers. I’ll tell you upfront: nothing fancy schmancy about this place. True to its name, it’s like you’re just at someone’s backyard; just out in the open.

Just right smack in the middle of downtown Davao, it is located at E. Quirino Avenue (inside Pard’s Compound).

Not only do they have a magnificent array of gourmet burgers to choose from, you can actually make your own burger! Yes! You can have your own CUSTOMIZED burger! How cool is that?! You can check out their menu here and find out different ways on how to customize your own burger.

And when I say customize, you can also command the doneness of your burger steak. I always like my steaks medium rare so that’s how I had my burger done. Never in my life have I been to a burger joint that does this (maybe because I’ve been living under a rock since 1989). My mind completely blown!

As I was busying taking photos of everything, I didn’t know our food was already there. Talk about fast and efficient service. Say hello to my boyfriend pouring root beer into our cups. I like root beer. Don’t judge.

I honestly wanted to steal those cups. If I’m not mistaken, they were porcelain. Backyard Burgers keepin’ it classy and eco-friendly too.

Voila! Our monstrous, heart-stopping burgers. Especially made for hungry men and foodies who-don’t-give-a-damn-about-calories like me.

You know it’s going to be a good burger if the burger patty is 100% fresh, pure beef with none of those silly extenders. And their burger patty is just that.

Look at the size of that thing… Ridiculous. By the way, what do you guys think of my new face? 😀

This is my boyfriends BB Japanese Oishii Burger. Sandwiched between two toasted black sesame seed buns: a thick and juicy 100% pure beef patty, a lettuce leaf, a few onions rings, some seaweed shreds, a slice of bacon, a slice of melted Cheddar cheese and a drizzle of wasabi-mayo sauce. The wasabi-mayo gave just the right amount of spiciness to the burger.

I have to be frank, the quirky toppings are definitely not for everyone. And as much as I like Japanese food, I didn’t like it as much as I thought I would. However, my boyfriend enjoyed it very much. There’s nothing wrong with the burger… I’m just kind of a burger purist.

My BB Philly Cheese Steak Burger. This has got to be the best burger I’ve tried in my life so far. Inside the burger: a thick and juicy 100% pure beef patty, a slice of cheese, roasted peppers, a lettuce leaf, some caramelized onions and thinly-sliced pieces of steak (as if the patty wasn’t enough) which were absolutely soft to the bite; all drizzled with some specialty sauce. I just love everything about this burger! Definitely a must-try for everybody!

Writing this post is making miserable and “hangry”. How I wish I could just fly to Davao and grab a BB burger (or two) right now.

If you’re a burger lover (or even if you’re not), consider adding Backyard Burgers on your checklist when in Davao. You simply cannot afford to miss their delicious charcoal-grilled burgers! Prices usually range between 150~250.

*Anime face by JoBerU-Uta

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 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*

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!