Things to do in Dumaguete City

If I only had a day or two in Dumaguete City, Philippines, I would probably do the following again:

 1. Hangout at Hayahay Treehouse and View Deck Restaurant or Lab-a Seafood Restaurant (same area) and eat Baked Fresh Oysters or Talaba!

Baked Fresh Oysters (Talaba!)

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Cafe Breton's Mozzarella Burger

Cafe Breton
French Crepes and Fine Coffee

"Britain" is short for Great Britain, and a "Briton" is a native of Great Britain.  "Brittany" is a region of France, and a "Breton" is a native of Brittany.

When craving for dessert crepes, everyone in Manila rushes to Cafe Breton to get their fix.  Unknown to most people, this cafe also serves one of the best burgers in town!  

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Hong Kong Smorgasbord

Went to a 3 day Shopping and Food trip Adventure in Hong Kong courtesy of The Hongkong and Shanghai Bank!  (Used the credit card to avail of a free round trip ticket to Hong Kong via Cathay Pacific!).  While everyone came ready to shop, not much research and preparation was done for the food tripping part.  Here's a not so comprehensive guide to Hong Kong's food scene.

From our hotel at Tin Hau station, we wanted to go to Times Square in search for Lei Garden Restaurant which was highly recommended by a friend.  Upon asking a local, he pointed us to LEE GARDENS TOWER!  So we had no choice but to make a quick stop at the West Villa Restaurant (西苑酒家) located inside Lee Gardens Tower 2.  

West Villa Restaurant Hong Kong

While it wasn't our intended destination, everyone came out full and satisfied with the dishes served at this restaurant.  Voted favorites were the Pork Xiao Mai, Chicken Feet, Hakao, and the crunchy vegetable.  The Chinese are really great vegetable farmers.  Whether you're in Beijing or Hong Kong, the vegetables are always so plump, green, fresh, and crunchy!  We aslo ordered the Spicy Beef Stew with Enoki mushrooms.  While the flavors were good, the broth was too spicy for our Filipino tastes buds.  Lesson learned: never order anything with Spicy on the label!  

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Steamed Shrimps in Ginger Chili Shallot Sauce

In another Masterchef Australia Masterclass episode, Celebrity Chef Peter Kuruvita, owner of the renowned Seafood restaurant -Flying Fish-  in Australia, was invited to teach the Masterchef contestants a few tips on how to cook shellfish.  In that particular episode, he prepared Marrons with Ginger Chili Shallot Sauce.  He specifically said that the sauce he's using has been used in his restaurant for years!  It's a time tested recipe that his patrons just come back for every time.  It's one of his trade secrets!  Knowing this, I couldn't wait to try the sauce and see how it tastes.  I jotted down notes and came up with this recipe for all of us to enjoy!  It's a majestic universal sauce that can be used for any shellfish.  Peter even said that it can be used for chicken.  Go ahead and give it a try!

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Triple Decker Cheesecake - Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

Triple Decker Cheesecake at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

The Triple Decker Cheesecake: Layer on layer of Coffee Bean's Coffee, Oreo, and Chicago Cheesecakes with an almond cookie crust.  According to the their site, it is best paired with the Southern Blended Iced Tea.

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is opening soon at Abreeza Mall in Davao City.  While I wasn't totally sold out with this cake, it's a great way to sample the different cheesecake flavors that The Coffee Bean has to offer.  I liked the Coffee Cheesecake best.  Didn't care much for the Oreo flavored Cheesecake.

The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Store Directory

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Pomelo Salad Thai-Style (Yam Som-O)

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Yam Som-O is how people in Thailand call Pomelo Salad.  I first got introduced to this salad a couple of years back when my sister took me to eat at People's Palace - a modern Thai cuisine restaurant in Greenbelt 3 ran by Chef Colin Mackay.  The salad was so good I was blown away by the mix of fresh flavors with just the right amounts of acidity and seasoning.  I remember listing the ingredients after we ate the salad but I never got to try and make the dish myself.  That is until recently, when sacks of Pink Pomelo from Davao, landed on our doorsteps.  I do not claim this to be anything like the Pomelo Salad at People's Palace because only emotional remnants of that experience remain.  I have to back there and eat that salad again.  And then maybe I can come up with a new version of this refreshing and healthy dish.  Regardless, this version of the Pomelo Salad by A Billion Chefs is as good and memorable as well.  

Thai Pomelo Salad (Yam Som-o)

Thai Pomelo Salad (Yam Som-O)

By: Chef $B

(2-3 individual servings)

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Baby Back Ribs!

One very intriguing dish is the very succulent and juicy Barbecued Baby Back Ribs!  First and foremost, the size of the meat is quite intimidating.  And since you don't normally see this cut of meat cooked at home,  one is led to believe that it's hard and complicated to prepare.  You'd be surprised that it actually is quite easy to prepare!  While it takes a lot of time to make the meat really tender, the process is very simple.  You can just leave the mixture behind and let the heat and the braising liquid do their job.

While watching season 2 of MasterChef Australia, chefs and hosts Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris held a Master Class teaching the contestants how to make American-style Sticky BBQ Pork Ribs!  All the contestants were dying to try the dish and it left my mouth watering after the said episode.  And so now that I know how easy it is to make, I tried cooking a batch last night.  I adopted this Baby Back Ribs recipe from Gary's version.  It's an absolute winner! Enjoy!  

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Chorizo de Bilbao and Garlic Spaghetti Recipe

Chorizo is the Spanish term for sausage.  It usually refers to several types of pork sausages.  One famous chorizo in the Philippines is the Chorizo de Bilbao.  While Bilbao may refer to a municipality in Spain many believe that Chorizo de Bilbao is actually a Filipino creation.  It is generally made with lots of Spanish Paprika which is probably the reason why some would refer to it as Spanish sausage.  It's garlicky taste adds a lot of flavor to any dish you mix it with.  

There's a very good Chorizo Bilbao with Garlic Pasta at Petra and Pilar at the JAKA Bldg. (Chino Roces) in Makati.  I often craved for this dish every time I'm in the area.  And then it dawned on me that I should just have made my own!  One order can set you back for around 350 pesos while you can buy a pack of Chorizo de Bilbao from the same restaurant for just around 100 pesos.  And that's exactly what I did.  Here's the recipe for Chorizo Garlic Spaghetti in White Sauce.  My own take on this delectable dish from Petra and Pilar.

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Alor's A Home Kitchen Davao - New Menu

In the company of friends, I got to try out a few new addition to Alor's A Home Kitchen's Menu.  With these additions, Alor's is definitely transitioning from home-cooking goodness to heavenly gourmet. If you haven't been to this restaurant in Davao, check out my recommendations for Alor's A Home Kitchen here.  

Warning: These pictures could possibly be detrimental to your health.  View with caution.

ROAST BEEF - USDA CHOICE GRADE

Roast Beef (USDA Choice Grade): Melt-in-your-mouth tenderness paired with an intoxicatingly good Pepper Gravy.  Gather a group of 6 and your group would be better off eating this rather than eating the steaks at Sarung Banggi. 

More pictures after the jump!

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Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies from Jamie Oliver

Orange Cookies with Chocolate Chips and Coffee

On my way back to one of my trips in Europe, I got hold of Jamie Oliver's Jamie's Ministry of Food cookbook.  I got it tax free but I wasn't quite sure whether it really was a bargain.  Regardless, I was impress with the chef's advocacy of teaching people how to cook at home so they can have healthier and more nutritious options rather than eating out or buying at convenient stores all the time.  According to the book, anyone can learn to cook in 24 hours.  And Jamie Oliver actually encourages his readers to pass on the simple recipes that they learn so that everyone can learn how to cook.  It's the same concept as paying it forward. 

While I don't really use this book as reference for dessert recipes, I was intrigued by one of his cookie recipes.  I tried it yesterday and you can get Jamie Oliver's recipe for Citrus Cookies after the jump.

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Hot Prawn Salad Recipe ala Shang Palace or Mr. Choi Kitchen

Hot prawn salad with Steamed broccoli and candied walnuts!

I don't exactly know where this dish originated from but it's definitely Chinese.  Some say that it's Cantonese.  If you're going to eat at the Shang Palace,  Makati Shangri-la Hotel's mainstay Chinese restaurant serving "authentic flavors of Cantonese cuisine" as their website puts it, or if you're planning to eat at Mr. Choi Kitchen,  don't forget to try and order the Hot Prawn Salad.  The sweetness of the fruits and the mayonnaise dressing complements the sweetness of the Prawns, making this dish a favorite among loyal patrons.  However, due to the sweetness of the dish as well, this dish may not be for everyone, especially for those who prefer their meals to be savory.  Regardless, no matter who you serve it to, it never fails to impress.  Here's the recipe for the Hot Prawn Salad or as others might call it, Shrimp Mayonnaise.

Hot Prawn Salad or Shrimp Mayonnaise Recipe

(2 small Servings)

Ingredients:

¼ kilo Prawns or Medium-sized Shrimps (around 14 pieces)

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Leche Flan Recipe (Filipino Style Creme Caramel)

I grew up eating Leche Flan. It's one of my favorite desserts. There's nothing like it in the world. Some of you may refer to it as a Creme Caramel or in Japan they call it a Purin or a Pulin, referring to a Custard Pudding. Basically it's milk and eggs steamed to form a custard flan. It's smooth and creamy! It's melt-in-your-mouth goodness.

The closest you would get to a Leche Flan outside the Philippines is a Creme Brulee. But believe me when I say that nobody else makes this dessert as creamy and delectable as Filipinos do. It's a national favorite. You can practically find it anywhere from high-end restaurants, food stalls in shopping malls, and even school canteens.



Like any other dessert though, every cook has their own recipe. As for me, the closest I've come to replicating my childhood favorite was using this special Leche Flan recipe below. The secret to this recipe is to use condensed milk instead of sugar, and to not include egg whites in the mixture.

Good Old Fashioned Leche Flan Recipe
by: The Billionaire Chef

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General's Chicken ala Recipes by Cafe Metro

Have you ever wondered why it's called General's Chicken?  This dish which is made from deep fried chicken covered with a crispy batter and covered with a sweet and spicy sauce is rumored to have been a favorite of one of China's generals back in the Qing dynasty.  The general's name was Tso Tsung-tang or Zuo Zongtang.  There are no historical proof however to verify this.  Regardless, this dish has become a favorite not only in North American Chinese restaurants but also in the Philippines.  Get General's Chicken ala Recipes by Cafe Metro after the jump.

General's Chicken ala Recipes by Cafe Marco

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Molten Lava Chocolate Cake Recipe

Chocolate Fondant (Lava Cake) Recipe

My passion for cooking and baking has been ignited again after watching the season 2 of MASTERCHEF AUSTRALIA.  I was rooting for Callum Hann, the youngest contestant in that season, simply because he's comfortable in making desserts and he seems to know flavors really well!  One memorable moment was when he and another contestant made a chocolate fondant dessert!  

When you hear the word fondant, you'd probably think of that thick white icing used in decorating wedding cakes.  And if you've tried one, you'd definitely think it's nothing special!  It's just white and very sweet.  Even barely edible in some instances.  A Chocolate Fondant however is not an icing, it's usually a cupcake that been baked just about enough time to solidify the edges but not the insides.  In so doing, hot chocolate syrup flows out from the center when you cut the cake!  A very lovely surprise awaiting the diner for that theatrical effect.  After all, we always eat first with our eyes!  And melted or gooey chocolate always tastes good!

Chocolate Fondant with vanilla ice cream and Orange Coulis - How do you like my presentation?

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ALIVE! The Farm At San Benito Green Smoothie

I've never been to The Farm at San Benito (Batangas, Philippines) and I've never eaten at their restaurant called "Alive!."  A great name for a restaurant don't you think? This restaurant is one of the first vegan restaurant in Asia.  I've heard good reviews about their food - organic, natural, and yet very tasty!  I can't wait to go there and try the food myself.  In the meantime, I got hold of their Green Smoothie recipe through heart2heart.  I think it's the same drink labeled as Chef Schoener's Superfood in their Shakes & Smoothies menu.

Green Smoothie ingredients

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Durian Flavored Lenguas de Gato

Durian Lenguas de Gato

A good friend was kind enough to send me two tubs of these super yummy Durian-flavored Lenguas de Gato.  Another classic confection that has been given a makeover to stand out from the rest.  You might think that you'll hesitate to try this confection if you don't like Durian but you really don't have to worry.  The Durian taste is very light.  It just adds the right amount of fragrance to add a new twist to this all time favorite.  And check out how thin these Lenguas de Gato are!  I wonder how the pastry chef was able to pull this off.

So thin and crispy! Only in Davao City

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Zubuchon: Cebu Lechon At Its Best?

Anthony Bourdain with Zubuchon

Zubuchon Cebu Lechon logo

When Anthony Bourdain finally decided to come to the Philippines and do and episode for his show No Reservations, he proclaimed Cebu Lechon as the "Best Pig Ever!"  When a culinary legend like him endorses something as the best, then you better give it a try as well.  While the Cebu Lechon he ate wasn't readily available in the market before, thanks to Market Manila, retails shops have opened in strategic locations in Cebu city.  The first stall opened at the Banilad Town Center and another one can found at the domestic pre-departure lounge of the Cebu International Airport.

Banilad Town Center - home of Zubuchon Cebu Lechon

So when my badminton buddies decided to fly over to Cebu for a series of friendly games against the Cebu team first weekend of April, I made sure to put this pig on my list!  

Zubuchon Cebu Lechon - Unconventional Lechon Skin

Just look at that ei! Doesn't that make you wanna sing "Isn't it lovely, Isn't it wonderful..." with matching head bobbing just like that of Stevie Wonder! Read on to know the final food scouts verdict!

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Groceries

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Daily Contentions

Yummy fried Dilils (Anchovies)!  One simple dish that's one of my favorites.  But before you salivate with me, take a closer look at the picture please and read on to know the full story.

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Alor's A Home Kitchen Restaurant

If you grew up in Davao then you've probably heard of Yummy Chicken and Pasta Haus.  They have been serving Dabawenyos since 1988.  Now the same owners have finally decided to open up an upscale dining place just beside Yummy (Torres branch).  This new restaurant is called Alor's A Home Kitchen.  If you loved the chicken and lasagna at YUMMY, you'll for surely love the dishes in Alor's as well.

As I personally know the restaurant owners, so as not to be biased, I won't be writing this with my usual food scouting style.  Instead I would just give you a list of recommendations on what dishes to try.  These are dishes that I've personally tasted myself.

Check out also the restaurant's menu at the end of the post!

While waiting for your order, the restaurant serves toasted bread with their own signature Cheese Pimiento.  You might be tempted to forgo this treat, but please don't.  It's worth a try.  The kids especially will love this.    

Golden Rolls (115 pesos) - Alor's A Home Kitchen

For appetizers, get the Golden Rolls!  It's a well seasoned dish with a well-balanced sauce - no overpowering taste like that of vinegar.

ABBIE's Roca Salad (195 pesos) - Alor's A Home Kitchen

For salads, try ABBIE's Roca Salad which is a mixture of Romaine lettuce, Grapes, Candied Walnuts, and White Cheese in Greek Vinaigrette.  I just love candied nuts on my salads.  

Forty-Clove Chicken (235 pesos) - Alor's A Home Kitchen 

I have three choices for main course: Forty-Clove Chicken, Pork Chop Steak, and Chicken Cordon Bleu! The Forty-Clove Chicken is pan-roasted chicken smothered with a lot of roasted garlic!  If you like the smell and flavor of roasted garlic, you will love this dish.  

Pork Chop Steak (285 pesos) - Alor's A home Kitchen

The Pork Chop Steak is a pan-grilled pork chop served with gravy sauce!  The gravy goes so well with the pork chop that you just can't stop eating it.  

Chicken Cordon Bleu (245 pesos) - Alor's A home Kitchen

If you're a kid at heart or you simply want something very comforting, aside from the Pork Chop Steak of course, you can get this Chicken Cordon Bleu!  Breaded chicken with ham and cheese served over a plate of spaghetti! Nothing is more comforting than that combination!

Strawberry Frozen Brazo - Alor's A Home Kitchen

For dessert, you'll love the different Frozen Brazo cakes.  I tried the Strawberry flavor and it reminded me of a childhood favorite, the Banana Split.  All that were missing were the bananas!  The strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate flavors went very well together.  

Alor's A Home Kitchen

Alor's A Home Kitchen

F. Torres St., Davao City (beside Yummy, infront of Assumption Church)

+63-82-222-5577

Click on the image to see a larger view.

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