Stella A. Estremera
FOOD buddy Yas has been mentioning it, thus when I saw that SunStar Cagayan de Oro chief editor Nef was in town and already tried the pitta bread, I demanded that they eat with me as well for dinner on the same day.
It was Easter Sunday and there was nothing much to do (that was before my cat decided to stir things up and I ended up in the hospital for animal bites, but that did not suspend our dinner date).
Apparently, the management of the new restaurant at the corner of Palma Gil and Ponciano Reyes Streets also thought it’s Easter Sunday and there is nothing much to do.
We arrived at just past 6 p.m. and occupied a second floor cubicle. We learned a few minutes later that that was the last space in the restaurant and a long line of customers came trooping in soon after, orders were all in disarray, and impatient toddlers were throwing tantrums.
Still, it was Easter Sunday, and there was nothing much to do, so we stretched our patience a bit and just waited for our orders that came in three batches, more than an hour apart.
I guess, Easter Sunday was the worst day to try out a new restaurant as families, hordes of toddlers among them, intend to eat out... the new restaurant was mobbed.
The place is Dani’s Palace Shawarma and Grill and they serve good food. That is if you are into Middle Eastern (normally) quick chows.
Amy ordered the beef kebab meal, and we ordered the small Shawarma platter, fattoush salad, and added the Plate of Salad when we already consumed all shawarma and kebab, and the fattoush still had to make its appearance. Actually, we wanted more shawarma and extra garlic sauce – they ran out. It was that full.
We agreed to sneak in again on some lazy weekday like maybe Tuesday or Thursday, and eat to our hearts’ content. It’s difficult to indulge if your food comes one hour apart, you know.
But yes, Dani’s deserves a visit. The food is yummy.
If you’re not like some of my friends who cannot even stand the thought of eating raw leaves, then the Plate of Salad is a must-order. The shawarma too and the kebab. The fattoush is just chopped cucumber, tomatoes, and red onions, it’s something you already tried somewhere else although the dressing was tastefully tart and sour, but the Plate of Salad is something else.
Just don’t do it on a crazy Easter Sunday when families intend to eat out.
Dani’s is right across Radyo Ukay, a small unassuming restaurant that is a big delight.