on the Verge of

It was a long Sunday for me, Keen and my sister Jacq. We just finished some errands and a long overdue grocery so we were starving. We decided to check out one of the newest restaurants in Tulip drive: Cuencos. Cuencos Rice and Noodle Bar is just in front of Fuente de Villa-Abrille. The restaurant offers a variety of noodles and rice bowls at reasonable prices, an average of P180-200 per person. We ordered Arroz ala Cubana for my sister, Nasi Lemak for me, and Beef Pares for Keen. We also ordered Laksa as a soup for sharing. The servings were adequate and it tasted really good, especially the Laksa. I have tried many Laksa and I must say theirs is one of the impressive ones. Beef Pares Nasi Lemak Arroz ala Cubana Laksa While they they have friendly and attentive staff, I must note that their service time is quite slow. There were only three groups in the restaurant at the time. It took almost 40 mins to serve the food. I don't think it would be practical t...

Keen and I have been going to Aurora Quezon street to buy fresh buko juice and we have been passing by this new Japanese restaurant in the area. It wasn't anything fancy but it looked nice with all the street dining feels. We tried to eat there twice but the place was always full. Finally on our third attempt, there was a table for two available. The restaurant was called Sukidesu. Their place was small and a bit cramped. But everything else looked decent and the staff were attentive despite being busy. Keen and I looked at the menu and we were really surprised with the very affordable prices. Their gyoza was only 45php and chicken karaage 50php. We ordered both with a bowl of ajitama ramen and sukidesu maki. Ajitama Ramen Ajitama ramen was served first. The serving was just enough for one person and its price. The soup was surprisingly good too. As you can see in the photo the broth is rich and the eggs were done perfectly. Keen and I agreed it was next best ramen in ...

Keen and I were searching for a new place to dine in town. We've been passing by Torres Street before and saw Soul Kitchen  and this new restaurant beside it, Project Paella. Since Keen wasn't up for some salads or wraps from Soul Kitchen, we decided to try Project Paella instead. Keen wasn't a fan of paella because of previous experience. However, he was willing to give it another try since I like paellas, especially Paella Negra. The place was small but the space was maximized well. It had a modern industrial interior design. Keen and I sat in front of their open kitchen where we could see the chef flambé. The menu was simply comprised of a small variety of tapas, paella and dessert. Keen ordered Valenciana while I had my favorite Paella Negra. The we added Gambas since I wanted something spicy. I thought a P180 per plate of paella was quite pricy. It turns out the serving was more than enough for one person, at least for Keen and I. Keen enjoyed his paella which ...

Keen and I were looking for a new place to chill so that we can work on some wedding details. On a rainy Monday afternoon, we were quite sure that the usual coffeeshops like Starbucks and CBTL would be crowded. Then I suddenly remembered my go-to coffeeshop when I was in college - Coffee for Peace. Coffee for Peace was a refuge for me back then. This used to be along Matina, near Ateneo Grade School and in front in MTS. The coffee shop was not always crowded. The atmosphere's calm and quiet even if the place was full. The ambiance was nice and the prices are relatively affordable. I could peacefully finish my homework and projects when I was there. Unfortunately, they were not 24/7 so I had to move out by closing time. Then when I started working, it was more convenient for me to go to coffee shops closer to my work-space like Starbucks, CBTL or Blugre. I think it's been five years since I've been to Coffee for Peace. On the other hand, it was Keen's first time to t...

Japanese restaurants in Davao City have sprouted sporadically for the past three years. Although it is no surprise as Davaoenos have retained many Japanese influences since the latter's occupation, it is only now that we have further explored our taste for the Japanese cuisine. For the past two years we've been together, Keen and I have tried almost each Japanese restaurant in the city. We've tried every gyoza, maki and ramen we can get our hands on. We've been to many minimalist, modern or high-end Japanese restaurants. We've also been satisfied and disappointed many times. With the many things we have tasted, we are confident enough to judge and identify which Japanese restaurant in Davao serves the best dish. Not all restaurants are perfect. Some have the best gyoza but has the most disappointing ramen, or vice versa. To be fair, we will only be comparing the dishes we have tried from each restaurant. Also, we will be judging not only the taste, but the servi...

Every person who is employed in any business establishment in Davao City is required to get a health certificate, also known as health card, from the City Health Office (CHO). From January to March this year, the CHO of Davao City has opened its satellite operations in the 2nd floor of Felcris Centrale Mall, fronting Land Transportation Office. CHO caters to a huge number of applications and renewals every day since it started last January. So expect a really long line if you come in later than 12 noon. Make sure to be in Felcris Centrale before the mall opens at 10am. Some people queue as early as 6-7am just so they could finish early or within the morning. Also, it's best to prepare the requirements ahead for a smooth application process. The requirements for a Health Certificate are as follows: 1. Application Form - The form is usually given upon queuing so always bring a pen so as to accomplish the said form. 2. Community Tax Certificate (CTC) - Also known as the Cedula...

It is February again and Valentine’s Day is just two weeks away. Making this day extra special for our significant other is always a must. And since this coming Valentine’s Day falls on a Wednesday, the most feasible plan would be romantic dinner date. It is best to make early preparations, especially on hotel and restaurant reservations, since the best ones usually get fully booked a week ahead. So far, here are my top recommendations for that romantic dinner date this Valentine’s Day here in Davao City. 1. Misto at Seda Abreeza Seda Abreeza's will be having a movie-inspired dinner set-up made more romantic with harmonies of love songs for their Valentine’s Date Night. Their Misto Restaurant, which was hailed as one of the best restaurants for 2018 by Philippine Tatter, will be offering an exquisite 3-course dinner featuring their signature Angus Roast Beef. https://www.facebook.com/sedaabreezahotel/ Seda's Date Night costs P1,680 nett per person. Dinner will be ...

When our friends from Cebu, Therry and Charles, told us they were going to Davao for a weekend vacation, Keen and I were completely excited. There were a hundred activities and places I could think of that we could tour and enjoy over their two-day stay. Keen and I had to plan out every single detail in our itinerary to make sure we can cover as many places and eat as many local specialties as we can. All this without breaking our budget as well. Here's our weekend itinerary for the Davao City Tour. Note that we had a private vehicle so we just chipped in for the gas :) Day 1 7:30 am - Pick-up from Airport James and I picked up Therry and Charles from the airport. Thankfully their flight was not delayed. Therry and Charles did a quick photo op by the famous Durian sculpture made by one of Davao's highly respected artists Kublai Millan. Charles and Therry 8:00-8:30 am - Breakfast at Driver's Choice/Rommel's Eatery The original Driver's Choice in Roxa...