THE Davao food scene is quite heavy nowadays with new outlets opening and familiar stalls reopening, proving that restaurateurs, chefs, and professionals are working overtime to entice the taste buds of discerning Dabawenyos and foodies.
This is a significant month as we celebrate our Araw ng Dabaw (founding anniversary) on March 16, so I would like to feature two restaurants worth mentioning. Award winning Chef Anton Abad, Vikings Luxury Buffet corporate chef, recently invited us over for some food tasting, through my partner Rhonson Ng, who is the official photographer.
My girlfriends and I accompanied him for a food shoot in Nords Bread Hub in Azuela Cove days before it opened just a week ago. We were treated to a fusion of delicious meals, one after another, and I might just run out of adjectives to say. Chef Anton has a tendency to pamper friends with his dishes; we delighted ourselves with breakfast favorites such as Adobo Diablo, Fluffy Cuban Style Omelette, and Primera Tapa, among others.
For main courses we highly recommend Salmon Miso Teriyaki, Porky’s Best, Crispy Samgyeopsal, Aglio Olio and Spinach Mushroom Chicken Pesto. Of course the menu list goes on, but I am sure you will keep coming back.
Make sure to taste the mouthwatering slices of Chunky Monkey, Bibingka, Cherry Garcia or the Bourbon Cheesecakes. The girls and I are fans of Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies, Matcha Cornflakes, White Chocolate and Walnut Cookies. Young Chefs Alyanna Barrientos and Abigail Louh have been most helpful as well. Nords Bread Hub opens daily from 10am until 10pm.
Drooling aside, let’s move on to its big brother (or rather sister company), the modern Filipino inspired ambience of Vikings Luxury Buffet in SM Lanang Premier. Bringing a fresh concept for this March celebration, Chef Anton introduced us to Executive Sous Chef Keenan Gran and Junior Sous Chef Aldrian Sarana who filled a long table with samplers of the Araw ng Dabaw buffet street food style, using ingredients from the local market with a spiced up presentation.
The sumptuous array called Bankerohan Special, consists of Green Mango and Pomelo Salad for appetizer, Crispy Isaw, Crispy Pork Belly, Crispy Salmon Skin, Pork Barbecue, Inihaw na Tuna Belly, Sinampalukang Kambing, Kilawing Kambing and Kalderetang Kambing. Desserts are finished with Ube Langka/Ube Durian Turon with Durian Ice Cream, Suman at Mangga, Homemade Biko, Durian Cake and Pomelo Brulee.
Again, thanks to Chef Anton and his young chefs, as well as Vikings F&B manager Luel Magbanua for making our get together meals special.