Barkadahan Grill-Cagayan de Oro City

Before we left Cagayan de Oro City, we had a lunch in Barkadahan Grill. It’s located in the Plaza Divisoria. They offer Filipino dishes, grilled food is the specialty. We Ordered Sinigang na Baboy(Tamarind soup with pork and vegetables), Sinuglaw (Grilled pork belly and raw malasugui fish soaked in vinegar), Pancit Canton (sauted noodles) and Sariwang Lumpia (fresh vegetables spring rolls).

 The crews in here are not so customer oriented ones. Not so polite. There is animosity for us or it might be because we are speaking in National Lanuage. My sisters know Ilonggo and Hiligaynon so they can understand their language a bit but not much that’s why I let them do the ordering most of the time.  We didn’t order drinks we opted for service water, when the crew served the food we told him that we need 4 glasses of service water. He just pointed the water dispenser. In manila even it’s a self-service restaurant, service water is served together with the food. Then if the customer wants more water he could just stand up and get the water from the dispenser. That’s why I told my companion maybe this is a Japanese restaurant that customers should serve themselves and even clean the table before going out. So we just made fun of the situation instead.

We enjoyed the food sinigang na baboy,which tasted good. We are fond of soup that’s why it was nice that it served hot and right for our taste.

The sinuglaw is a coined words for sinugba at kinilaw. Sinugba means grilled and kinilaw is soaked with vinigar and other spices. It was not a pop for me. It’s really an extra challenge for me trying raw food. Grilled pork belly tasted good but when it was mixed with the fish couldn’t really eat it.

Pancit Canton tasted well when was still hot but when it was cold, it was too salty.

All of us liked the Lumpiang sariwa specially the peanut sauce, it made the spring roll stood out. The ingredients blended well.

The restaurant has a good ambiance and we noticed too many are dining in.

Some convenience store in the Divisoria Plaza and even few citizens on the streets, were helpful they took time to talk to us and guided us where we would go. One word that I loved to hear when we were there was the world “Balik-balik” meaning balik kayo or come again.

Thanks Cagayanons for the wonderful experience. You taught us too many lessons and that travel is all about, a learning experience.

Address:

BBQ Joint and Filipino Restaurant

Plaza Divisioria, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental 9000

Tita Fannies Liempo & Chicken Haus (Since 1999) Cagayan de Oro City

On our second night in Cagayan de Oro, we looked for a signature restaurant in the city. The people we met on the streets told us, Steve’s Barbecue, Tita Fannie’s or Barkadahan. We already tried Steve’s Barbecue so we decided to try Tita Fannie’s. It’s a restaurant, which serves Filipino dishes. My sister asked for their best seller. They recommended Liempo de Lechon, it is a deep fried pork meat, tinolang malasugui, and Halo-halo sa buko.

Liempo de Lechon is not a super pop for me; I can find it here in Manila, too many of this kind, although it tastes good too.

 

Liempo de Lechon

 What I liked most was the tinolang malasugui, it’s a ginger soup with fish, the taste of the fresh fish plus the ginger and some ingredients blended well.

Tinolang Malasugui

The Halo-halo was not too sweet, just right and i loved it that way. We learned that the ingredients of it were cooked from the scratch; they don’t use the commercial ingredients that can be bought from the grocery.

Halo-halo

 It’s a plus point that their crews are friendly and accommodating. They can speak in our National Lanuage, Filipino or Tagalog with ease. Forget about the accent, it doesn’t matter as long as we can understand each other. We dined in, in some restaurants but some were rude, I even tried to speak in international language but still they spoke in their own language. I don’t take that against them they are just like that; maybe they just wanted us to learn their language fast. LOL that’s part of the adventure. This branch has a free wifi internet connection too although we couldn't connect because too many diners at that time. 

While we were engrossed talking about our experiences for the tour, our attention caught by a voice then when we looked at the counter bar, there was a guy serenading the diners while his companion roaming around to ask for some donation.

Our night ended with a nice food and good ambiance.

Address:

Corrales St. cor Hayes St. , Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental 9000

                                           

Steve’s Barbecue “Capturing your taste for Barbecue” – Cagayan de Oro

Usually when we are in a short trip, we see to it to look for the best restaurants that serve the local delicacies, which we can try. The taxi driver we hired for Bukidnon trip suggested that we should try Steve’s Barbecue. It was established in the year 1977. One of the old restaurants in the province.  As the name of the restaurant says, their specialty is grill food. I asked the waitress what their best seller she said the grilled ones, so we ordered breast part of the chicken or locally known as “pitso”. The meat was cooked till the bones and juicy. The meat is marinated well. The perfect dip is the usual mixture of lemon, soy sauce and chili pepper or “siling labuyo”.

After the brunch (breakfast and lunch), we proceed to the adventure of the day, Dahilayan Adventure Park in Bukidnon. Here we come.

This is the location of the Steve’s Barbecue

J.R.Borja St, Cagayan de Oro, Region X, Philippines

Awesome Tsokolate con Crema by The Manila Collectibles Co.

My sister and I joined a postal heritage tour last month. Part of the tour was dropping by at The Manila Collectibles Co., a cultural gift store. I asked the sales clerk among the spread that they have what is the bestseller; she said the Tsokolate con Crema. I bought one bottle for 200.00 pesos. I got curious would it be like chocolate spread like what we have in the grocery store?

 When we reached the house I tried it right away. It is creamy with a chocolate taste but it tastes more of a coco spread. If you could try the coco spread from Bicol region it is like of that. The Tsokolate con Crema is good for those who have sweet tooth. Chocolate spread the Filipino way. 

Rice Puto and Sinapot or Baduya (Banana fritters) of Ligao, Albay

The first thing one would notice when entering or leaving Ligao, Albay is the array of stores selling native delicacy like rice puto stuffed with different flavors, Pandan or Macapuno. I wanted to try it when we were on our way to Sorsogon but we were in a hurry to reach camalig that’s why when we were returning back to Manila, I didn’t want to miss the rice puto and Sinapot of Ligao, Albay, that’s why even we were still full, we dropped by.

Sinapot/Baduya

 We bought makapuno (another variety of coconut which has a soft coconut meat) and pandan flavored rice puto. It is a steamed cake made of rice flour stuffed with fruit jam. Each pack has two rice puto, the price for Macapuno flavored is 3 packs for 20 while the pandan flavor is 7 pesos per pack.

Sinapot or Banana fritters in Bicol is different from the rest of the country because the banana used is usually not too ripe plus rice flour instead of wheat flour to keep the banana cuts intact plus there is no sugar sprinkled, just the natural sweet of  banana.

Both native delicacies are best to eat while hot.

Our trip was definitely a food trip!

Camalig Pinangat

Inulukan

Road trip going to southern part of Luzon is really fun; it’s like a food trip too. Dropping by in different restaurants to stretch out, rest and address the call of nature. Last weekend we had the chance to do road trip to Bicol because it was a long weekend for All Soul’s Day and All Saints’ Day. We missed the food cooked in coconut cream, that’s what Bicolano food is all about. As we were leaving Ligao, Albay I saw an array of stores selling Rice Puto, Banana Fritters (Sinapot for Bicolanos or Maruya for Tagalogs), I wanted to buy some but we were in a hurry to reach Camalig for our late lunch, sort of hungry, to try the Bicol Pinanagat. This Bicol dish is made of taro leaves, coconut milk and selected spices wrapped in a packet style. .

 There are two varieties of it, Chilly and the regular one (not chilly). I ordered right away each one of the variety but there was no regular one available. We just tried the chilly and of course the bicol express, which is a shrimp paste and pork cooked in rich and creamy coconut cream. It was a worth wait for a lunch, we had a great time indulging in food cooked with rich and creamy coconut milk.

Pinangat

While we were enjoying the beach in Bulusan, Sorsogon called Dancalan Beach. Somebody told us that there is another Pinangat in Camalig that is stuffed with crab we just have to ask for the restaurants about it. That’s why when we were on our way back to Manila we dropped by again in Camalig. We looked for that another variety of pinangat, the waitress said it is called Inulukan. Uluk in local dialect means crab. The pinangat with the same ingredients is stuffed with crab meats, which have made the Inulukan different from other pinangats. It is wrapped smaller than the usual pinangat they have.  We ordered inulukan and the ordinary pinangat together with the bicol express and squid cooked in coconut cream. The price for each pinangat is P40.00 pesos.

Bicol Express and Squid with coconut cream

I tried other pinangats in Bicol or even in Manila, but the pinangats in Camalig so far is the best one. Camalig is said to be the home of pinangat, they stand by that name. Put it on your list when u happens to visit Bicol Region.

Barbara's Heritage Restaurant

One Sunday we visited the National Museums then attended the Pasyal Intramuros. We both enjoyed the two events. It was tiring and at the same time refreshing to rediscover our heritage. Our feet ached so we decided to have a snack in Barbara’s Heritage Restaurant. It is one of the participating restaurants in the Pasyal Intramuros event, that’s why they have chairs and tables on the street outside their restaurant.

My coworkers were encouraging me to get a deal of buffet in this restaurant but I was hesitant. They serve authentic Filipino and Spanish dishes. My sisters and I enjoyed the food, Palabok, Ginataan and Pesto Pasta. One of my sisters told me to purchase a buffet deal so that we can enjoy their food more. The price of their food is not expensive at all, just right. Those who want to attend the Pasyal Intramuros or simply want to explore Intramuros you can purchase a deal or just drop by to have a snack in this restaurant. You will not be disappointed it’s a nice and cozy restaurant. They have a cultural show at night too; the diners can enjoy the show which highlighting the Filipino culture through dance, music and food.

Ginataan

Palabok

Pesto Pasta

Guernica's Tapas Bar & Restaurant

Interior of the Restaurant

My sister has been craving for paella especially the arroz valenciana. She was asking me to cook but the ingredients are more expensive than indulging it in a restaurant. I invited her instead to Guernica’s branch in SM City Sucat, Paranaque so we went there. This restaurant was founded in 1955 by a Spaniard came from Guernica, Spain, where the name of the restaurant was derived. It is one of the Philippines’ First and Finest Restaurants.

Paella negra caught my attention so I ordered it; I got curious why it is named as such. We ordered Churros and Gambas al Ajillo (Shrimp in Garlic). My other sister told me that I know now where to buy the yummy Churros, she really liked it because it blended well with the chocolate. The Gambas al Ajillo tasted so good, the herbs used complimented well the shrimp. It was our first time to try Paella Negra and we all are not into rice mixed with squid ink, it was just ok but for sure we will not order it again. We are planning to come back and try their other Paellas. The restaurant has wifi connection so diners can enjoy the food while browsing the net.

Gambas al Ajillo

Churros

Paella Negra