I don’t know exactly why the owners decided on the “Nonki” name, but one of the Japanese characters for it does carry the meaning for drinking, so… At any rate, I’m glad that we now have a branch of Nonki Japanese Restaurant in Davao, because their offerings are pretty good. The main restaurant is in Mandaue City, and two more branches are in the cities of Cebu and Lapu-Lapu.

I’ve only been there once (today, in fact, with a couple of high school friends), so I won’t say anything final yet. I’ll have to go back and try their other dishes. Some friends who’ve been there a lot, though, have told me that they do enjoy the food (and the ample parking) at Nonki. Plus, I saw quite a few Japanese diners, which is always a good sign.

The Gyoza (₱120) left something to be desired, but it wasn’t bad at all. I guess maybe it was the sauce that was lacking in taste. On the other hand, the other appetizer we had, the Nonki Maki Special (₱215), was a delight. It’s a dish of shrimp and asparagus rolls, sprinkled with black sesame seeds. I wonder, maybe it would’ve been a much better dish if the shrimp were fresh (I mean, not cooked)…?

Izakaya Nonki offers the full range of Japanese cuisine — dishes that you’re familiar with, and some that might surprise you. And they have a good selection of spirits, too, as well as sake. (They sell Asahi Beer in cans for ₱120.) They actually have a huge selection of Japanese food, so what I suggest is to order one of their lunch specials. I had the Nabeyaki Udon and Spicy Tuna Tekka Maki Set (₱310), which I couldn’t finish because the portions were so big! The udon was just the way I like it: supple, firm and tasty.

Another set, which Kit ordered, the Sashimi and Beef Teppan Set (₱290) looks interesting too. I think maybe I’ll try that next time. The sashimi platter has squid, octopus, salmon and gindara (I think, but I’m not totally sure if it was gindara). These lunch specials come with dessert: ice cream or fresh fruits.

They also have bento boxes. Silvia’s lunch was the Beef Teriyaki Bento (₱270), which was a good mix of beef teriyaki (good, but tasted too much of onion), a few pieces of shrimp and vegetable tempura, a couple of California maki, and heavenly rice.

Nonki looks and feels like an honest-to-goodness izakaya — complete with hollering waitstaff (“Irasshaimase!!!”) — and the service is prompt and efficient. The restaurant is in its own building, in that strip-mall type of place on F. Torres street in downtown Davao, right beside the Davao Trade & Convention Center.

They’re open daily, from 11:30am to 2:00pm, and then from 5:30pm to 11:00pm. For inquiries and reservations, call 226-3058 or text (922)894-8254.

Nonki Japanese Restaurant
Autobille Bldg., F. Torres St., Davao City
Tel. +63(82)226-3058

The best and tastiest dish we ordered was their Beef Curry (₱199), which is good for two people. I loved that distinctly Malaysian flavor of curry, which is quite different from the Japanese or Thai varieties. And the rich sauce went very well with the Papadam (₱50), a type of flatbread or cracker that you’ll also find in Indian cuisine. (An order comes in 6 pieces.) For me, though, the curry wasn’t spicy enough — because my friends don’t like tongue-biting spicy food — but they gave me a hot sauce that they call Blatian. Now that’s what I call spicy!

Of course I had to have the beef satay again, but we also got the Chicken Satay (₱110), which was not bad, but I liked the beef better. Each order comes with this lovely peanut dip that made me crave for more rice… (Shucks!)

We also had an order of Taste of Malaysia’s Kangkong with Shrimp Paste (₱85), which was also a bit spicy. I assume the vegetables are steamed, then marinated in soy sauce and bagoong, with a few pieces of steamed shrimp. One serving is good for three and is a perfect match for their meat dishes.

The place looks nice, too. It has two airconditioned sections, one being used as a coffee shop, and there’s an al fresco area as well. For small meetings, they also have a function room equipped with an LCD projector. I will definitely go back to Taste of Malaysia soon! (I need to see what kinds of food to order for when I go to Kuala Lumpur this month…)

Taste of Malaysia is located at the back of the Jetti gas station on J.P. Laurel Ave., Lanang, Davao City. It’s right by the entrance of the Bloomfields village. Telephone: 234-0004.

Taste of Malaysia
Jetti Bloomfields
Lanang, Davao City

At Tsuru Japanese Restaurant’s branch in Damosa Gateway, they have several tables that are installed with iron grillers, perfect for yakiniku: Wagyu, Australian short rib, and ox tongue. Even scallops! I’m no connoisseur of Wagyu (和牛, lit.: Japanese beef), but I could tell that what Tsuru serves is high-grade beef that melts in your mouth and leaves you in a heavenly state of being.

I’m watching my diet, though, so what I appreciated more was actually the US Angus Short Ribs yakiniku. It’s meatier and has a more down-to-earth flavor that agrees with me. Both types of yakiniku are priced the same at Tsuru: ₱448/100g.

The marinated beef slices are served bite-sized and ready to cook. I recommend simply searing the meat on both sides, to leave the inside fresh and tasty — overcooking it will ruin the experience, trust me. And don’t overdo the dips either. Prime-cut beef has subtle flavors that you’ll lose if you put too much sauce.

I had lunch today at Tsuru in Damosa Gateway with my long-time friend, Christian (who took these photos for me), and his fiancée, Bhambee. (The main restaurant doesn’t have yakiniku grillers, but they do have two misono tables over there.) Besides the yakiniku, we also had sushi, sashimi and tenpura. Tsuru has always been known for excellent tenpura, by the way — my Japanese friends once told me it’s the closest to Japan-made tenpura that they’ve had.

To round off the meal, each of us had ice cream! Christian and I sampled their green tea ice cream, which is homemade, and Bhambee had the Banana Bonsai. The latter is a concoction of chocolate ice cream with churros and banana tenpura.

Here’s a locator map for the branch of Tsuru Japanese Restaurant in Damosa Gateway, Lanang, Davao City. Tel. no.: 233-0501.

Tsuru Japanese Restaurant
Damosa Gateway, Lanang, Davao City
Tel. 233-0501

DavaoDeli.com screenshot

For now, the purpose of the widget is to showcase the dining establishments in the city that I really like. By featuring them on the sidebar, my blog visitors who might’ve missed those articles will get a chance to find out and read about them. The 5 or so establishments I’ve already chosen will enjoy the limelight on my sidebar for a little while — until I figure out what else to do with the widget. The order in which each is shown is random.

I got a WordPress plugin called Featured post with thumbnail to help me with this little project. I’ve modified it, though, because the original version wouldn’t display post excerpts. I just might republish my own version of the plugin and share it with anyone who’s interested to use it… If I do, I’ll surely blog about the development (that is, tweaking) process over at The WordPress Evangelist.

It would be very rewarding to hear from you — maybe you have some ideas on how to improve or extend the widget? Feel free to leave your thoughts below. Thanks for reading my food blog!

Are you a caterer operating in Davao City (or in any of the surrounding towns)? If you are, I’d like to give your outfit some online exposure by featuring your offerings right here on my food blog.

Just use my online contact form to tell me all about your catering business, your cuisine specialties, and contact information. When I decide to feature you, I’ll also ask you to send me some photos of your food or of you in action!

I’m doing this because I’ve been getting inquiries about catering services in Davao. Who knows, you might just get business from being featured on Davao Delicious? And it’ll be my pleasure should that happen.

Davao City’s northern commercial district, centered around the Damosa area, has been rapidly developing these past few years. It is particularly encouraging to see the flourishing of food & beverage establishments in Damosa Gateway and Market Basket. And, one notable addition is a branch from a Cebu-based chain: Pino! Restaurant.

Pino! is decidedly Filipino, with such favorite dishes as the kaldereta, laing and pinakbet. Of course, Filipino cuisine has heavy Spanish influences, and so they also have callos and other such delicacies. By all accounts, this restaurant is clearly committed to serving excellent food, as attested by their very name. What’s more, I’m quite pleased to report that their sinigang — my #1 comfort food — is truly a treat! The vegetables were cooked just right, and I love how they made the soup sour with tamarind and tomatoes.

Located at the Damosa Gateway commercial center (right beside Tsuru Japanese Restaurant) in Lanang, Pino! is a breath of fresh air in Davao’s restaurant scene. The interiors and the décor are easy on the eyes, and the place is really comfortable and well-appointed. You’ll notice that their table settings are meant for groups and families.

I went to Pino! last week with my poker buddy, Hannah, who’d been there a couple of times before. We had baked scallops (₱48/100g) for appetizer, and sinigang na baboy (₱225), which turned out to be good for 3 people, and callos (₱185). I love callos, and Pino! serves it in all its authentic yumminess.

For rice, we ordered Javanese rice (₱185), also a hefty serving good for 3. I found it very tasty (the Kikkoman and the shallots) and filling (lots of minced meat and eggs). I was expecting, though, that it would be spicy, but it wasn’t. Pino! is also known for their Bamboo rice, which is mixed with vegetables and meat and steamed inside a bamboo pole.

The service at Pino! was admirable. I could see that they took care to serve their patrons well. I hope they maintain this level of customer service.

For a limited time, they’re offering buffet lunch and dinner at very affordable prices. Judging by the number of items on the buffet table (appetizers, main courses, desserts), I’d say it’s well worth twice what they charge!

Pino! opened its doors to Dabawenyo diners last December 2009. They’re open daily from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM and from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM. They are open even on holidays (except Good Friday).

Pino! Restaurant

Address: Damosa Gateway, Lanang, Davao City
Telephone: 234-8710
Website: www.pinorestaurant.net

From 15 to 17 October, the Wine Buffet will be at Picobello, at 5/F Gaisano Grand Citimall, Ilustre St., Davao City. For reservations, please call 221-1696.

At Swiss Deli, the Wine Buffet will be from 22 to 24 October 2009. Call 234-0271 to get your choice table reserved! At both places, the buffet will be on from 6:00pm to 8:00pm.

The Italian Wine Buffet will set you back ₱800 (per person), but it will certainly be well worth it!

Buon appetito!

It’s an open-air affair, right along the road behind Victoria Plaza. It’s smallish, and can only accommodate about 20 to 25 people comfortably (although the seating capacity is about 35).

Rikki is the one who does all the cooking. And boy, can he cook! (In fact, this is the same Rikki who shared his cabbage dumplings recipe for Davao Delicious.) His specialty is Filipino cuisine, but he can also do other Asian dishes, such as his famous Bang Hoi noodles. (More on that in a future post!)

As carinderias go, you don’t really know what’s on the menu until you get there. There’s a buffet spread, but it’s not an eat-all-you-can thing: you tell them what you want to eat from the warmers, and you get served. Most of the dishes are only ₱35 each. My favorites there (having known Rikki’s cooking for some years now) are adobo, mechado, sinigang, pinakbet, … but there’s more!!

I know it’s a cliché already, but honestly, their food is home-cooked goodness.

Vianda Buena is open Mondays to Saturdays, serving lunch and dinner. They’re located on Veloso St., in between the corners of Cervantes and N. Torres streets, in Barrio Obrero. If you’re coming from Victoria Plaza, they’re on the right side of the road. Tel. no.: 305-4263.

Grub Resto•Café used to be located in another part of town, but has now transferred to Gov. Duterte St., across the street from Shakeys, in downtown Davao City. This area has always been known as a food district, and is showing no signs of slowing down.

You will surely love their large portions and the tastiness of their dishes. The Dino Chops (₱185 for the regular; ₱110 – Junior; ₱300 – Senior, which is served with two slabs) that I had was humongous! But more than that, it was prepared lovingly with finely-chopped parsley and golden garlic. It comes with brown rice, but I think you can order a side of mashed potatoes instead. Oh and the apple sauce thats served with this is a total taste match (but there’s no stopping you from asking for the good ol’ Filipino-style dip of soy sauce, calamansi and siling labuyo).

The appetizers that we had were winners — Cheese Loaf (₱140) and Buff Wings (₱128). The Cheese Loaf is a basket of sliced french bread, sprinkled with herbs, with two types of cheese melted over, slice of ham, and a dash of Tabasco.

The buffalo wings were promised to be very hot spicy, but, for me, it was just normal fare (well, I do eat chili for breakfast, so…). Still, it was finger-lickin’ good!

Weekends, they have special items not on the menu, and currently it’s Seafood Chowder, which has baby clam, fish, abalone. I still have to try it, but knowing that they prepare it from scratch, I will certainly be back very soon! Their coffee brews are also on my to-do list.

Proprietors Elisa and Dotty have created a comfortable setting for intimate gastronomic gatherings, one that will not fail to please both eyes and palates. The service is personalized, especially when the two ladies are in attendance. Do give Grub Resto•Café a try soon! They’re open everyday except Sunday, from 11:00 AM to 10:30 PM. Tel. 301-8069.

But when it comes to Korean cuisine, hot spices reign supreme!

It had been a long time since the last time I had kimchi, so it was a very welcome treat when I had dinner for the first time at Sigol Bap Sang with some bloggers.

At Sigol Bap Sang, they serve Banchan, or a set of appetizers to get your taste buds going. It’s free, and you can even ask for refills. I especially liked the fermented beans and the potato strips. Surprisingly, I also quite enjoyed the shallots; I am not a fan of onion at all, but that night, I ate so much of the stuff! And their kimchi — it made me ecstatic! I’m not an expert on Korean cuisine, but I can daresay that Sigol Bap Sang’s food is authentic (because Koreans run the place) and worthy of any food critic’s praise.

There’s a new item on my favorites list now, and it’s a spicy red noodle soup with beef and various vegetables, called Yukejang (₱250). Its distinctively Korean taste really livened up the entire dining experience at Sigol Bap Sang. I loved the way the ingredients were fresh and cooked to perfection (no soggy veggies and what not). I just wish they made it even more spicy… One serving is good for 3 to 4 people.

The rice dish that we had, Bibimbap (₱200), was something new for me too. One of the restaurant owners came by after it was served and did the honors for us. He expertly folded the eggs and vegetables into the rice and mixed in the red bean paste that gave it that zing. He also poured in a little sesame oil, which, Brendel told us, Koreans use a lot in their cooking. One order of this savory dish serves 2 to 3.

One of the dishes we ordered that I didn’t really enjoy (but which Brendel really liked) was the Dok Bokki (₱600). It’s a dish of rice cakes and vegetables. I don’t know, but the taste somehow reminded me of instant noodles… Maybe if it were spicy, then I might’ve gotten to like it. It’s a huge serving, hence the price.

The only recognizable dish for me — aside from kimchi — was the Bulgogi (₱300), which Sigol Bap Sang really knows how to prepare. The beef was tender and tangy, just a tad sweet but really tasty. It wasn’t spicy, though. The owner said they have another beef dish that’s really spicy, and that’s what I’m going to have the next time I dine at Sigol Bap Sang.

The restaurant is located in a small arcade across the highway from the Grand Regal Hotel (you’ll see a Merco bakeshop and a Korean grocer in that arcade). It’s in Lanang, approaching the intersection of J.P. Laurel Ave. and R. Castillo St. The place is not very big, with about 9 booths and a long table on one side of the restaurant. Service is prompt and the waitstaff seem to be well-informed of their food offerings.

They’re open daily, from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Their landline number is 300-8989.