LESTER V LEDESMA TAKES US LESTER V LEDESMA TAKES US ON A TOUR OF DAVAO CITY’S ON A TOUR OF DAVAO CITY’S EXCELLENT EATERIES EXCELLENT EATERIES
There’s a mouth-watering scent wafting up from down south, and it smells good enough to send you reaching for a spoon and a fork. Previously dismissed by foodies as mere barbecue and beer fare, Davao’s food now mirrors the up-and-coming, city-meets-country character of its diners, and much more. These days, a veritable buffet of restaurants await the visiting traveler longing for a taste of the city’s most delectable gastronomic treats.
A VIEW TO A GRILL: JACK’S RIDGE
An eyeful of scenery comes with every plate of time-honored Filipino delicacies in this hilltop cluster of restaurants. Located on the mountainside overlooking Davao and just a 10-minute drive from downtown, Jack’s Ridge is a destination in itself, thanks to its amenities. It has its own piano bar, a cosy café, an ampitheater and even a swimming pool. But the real attraction here is Taklobo, the main restaurant which boasts sweeping views of the city and its surrounding landscape. The best time to drop by is just after 6pm, when the setting sun casts its warm orange glow over the distant waters of the Davao Gulf. By the time the house specialties arrive on your table – juicy slices of grilled squid on a sizzling plate, accompanied by a serving of freshly plucked, stir-fried vegetables and a glass of ice-cool coconut juice – you’ll no doubt be gazing at the city lights twinkling below. Truly a breathtaking view, it enhances the tasty food perfectly. The dilemma? What’s better, the food or the scenery? Shrine Hills, Ma-a Davao City, tel: +63 (82) 297 8830 to 31
THE CLASSIC DAVAO MEAL: LUZ KINILAW AND COLASA’S
They may look like ordinary eateries, but don’t let their simple facades fool you. With their perpetually grilling grills and humble fan-cooled interiors of wood and fading tiles, these two restaurants have become synonymous with good old-fashioned Davaoeño barbecue. The older of the two, Luz Kinilaw, has remained practically unchanged from the time it first opened more than 40 years ago. Colasa’s, on the other hand, may be younger by a decade or two, but their formats are largely similar – you choose from a spread of fresh, skewered seafood and meat and they grill it for you on the spot. Your hands (and your mouth) will be full as food — from the panga ng tuna (tuna jaw), to the chicken legs — comes in huge cuts. At Luz Kinilaw, these are often accompanied by servings of the house specialties, kinilaw and bihod. The former is made with fresh, tender tuna pieces marinated in vinegar and mixed with onions, ginger and calamansi. The latter consists of plain roasted tuna eggs — a delicacy that is a lot tastier than it sounds. A glass of icy San Miguel beer completes this classic Davaoeño meal. Luz Kinilaw, Salmonan, Quezon Boulevard, tel: +63 (82) 221 8377. Colasa’s, A Pichon St (formerly Magallanes St), tel: +63 (82) 224 0098
BEST FOR GREAT COFFEE AND A GOOD CAUSE: COFFEE 4 PEACE
A shot of caffeine can make you feel good, but nothing hits the spot better than knowing you’ve done a kind deed. Luckily, Coffee 4 Peace serves both. This small café is closely associated with the Peacebuilders Community NGO, and their earnings are used partly to fund reconciliation projects in war-torn areas of Mindanao. The coffee beans are bought from Blaan tribesmen at fair-trade prices. And its excellent coffee to boot. If the smooth, smoky-flavored cappuccino doesn’t strike your fancy, try their award-winning cifra ala mode — a tangy iced latte that’s served with bits of lemon. The shop is also one of the few that stocks civet coffee, that notoriously delicious bean gathered from the droppings of the civet cat, as unappetizing as that sounds. No other café in Davao has a blend quite like this: good coffee, just causes, and at affordable prices. Frederick Building, McArthur Highway, Matina, Davao City (near Matina Town Square), tel: +63 (82) 297 3139
BEST FOR DESSERT: MAGSAYSAY PARK FRUIT STANDS
The countryside around Davao has some of the most fertile farmlands in the country, with plantations exporting tons of succulent fruit to markets here and abroad. A good sampling of these can be found at the stalls in front of Magsaysay Park. The produce is bountiful here, ranging from bananas, to dalandan (a local citrus fruit), santol (a sour fruit with a deliciously sweet seed) and the famous Davao pomelos. The king of these fruits, however, is undoubtedly the durian — that prickly-skinned, somewhat stinky fruit that tastes as good as it smells bad. The Davaoeños love their signature crop, and regard it as the ideal dessert. Of course, they say the best way to eat it is, as is, alfresco right there — at the humble roadside fruit stand in the heart of their city. Either that or you can have some there and still take some home to enjoy later. Magsaysay Park on Ramon Magsaysay Avenue
BEST FOR MERIENDA: DENCIA’S
Here’s a place that’s inspired hunger pangs in three generations of Davaoeños. For almost 70 years now, Dencia’s has cooked up what is arguably the city’s finest lugaw and tokwa’t baboy — that’s the Filipino version of rice soup, paired with garlicky, vinegar-marinated pork and tofu bits. Thanks to its signature dish (which forms a hearty mid-afternoon snack), this place has grown from a little hole-in-the-wall eatery to a large two-storey restaurant with a constant and steady stream of merienda and lunchtime crowds. Their menu has also expanded, with highlights including mighty tasty mid-afternoon favorites like pancit canton (stir-fried egg noodles with vegetables and meat) and lumpiang sariwa — that’s fresh bamboo shoots in a sweet flour wrapper. We’re quite certain you won’t mind spending the entire afternoon eating here! General Luna St, Davao City, tel: +63 (82) 227 6777
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