I SAVED the best for last.
Every meal has to come to an end and the final course closes the dining experience on a high note. I am the non-conformist though. If a dessert excites me I will have it at the start of the meal and if it’s that good, I will have another at the end of the meal. If not, I order another on the menu.
With me on this food trip is Davao’s pastry queen, Booboo Maramba. Long before the rise of the fancy pastry shops in Davao, she has created the best desserts in town and the most elegant wedding cakes. What we both have in common is we go for desserts that aren't too sweet.
Let’s talk about the popular sweet treats of the City of the Gentle People. Perhaps it’s the sucrose in these desserts that made them so.
Sans Rival. This dessert has become synonymous to Dumaguete. The founder didn't even worry what to name the cafe and bistro that arose from the single dessert. I wouldn't either. Why bother, right?
The Sans Rival Bistro was the first stop of the food trip.
Like I said, even before I had the main course, I had to find out why people are raving about this particular sans rival. I asked for the two variants, the butter and the chocolate.
Straight out of the chiller, the dessert is crunchy. However, (fans of this dessert forgive me) I find this brand of sans rival too sweet for my taste.
The bistro though serves other cakes that suited my palate. We probably went to the place four times during our stay to sample the other cakes on the display.
Chantilly Cake Haus’ name came up during the tour of the Silliman Campus. In the memorabilia room of the library is the original replica of the Silliman Hall made of icing created by Chantilly Cake Haus. The tour guide said the place makes good desserts.
After winding through small streets in a residential area and the tricycle driver asking for directions from fellow drivers, we made it to the place at Claytown Basketball Court.
Chantilly serves meals as well but we went there for the dessert. The cheesecakes were the specialty according to the saleslady. We picked the Triple Chocolate Cheesecake and from the other offerings, the Queen Elizabeth.
We fell in love with the Queen Elizabeth— caramel glazed butter cake with raisins. It was dense and most with the caramel providing the hint of sweetness.
Panda Ice Cream landed on the must-try food of the Dumaguete City guide map so we went to its ice cream parlor at No.3 Silliman Avenue.
What’s on the menu? Popsicles, ice cream scoops, fried ice cream, fancy preparations and student meals.
We went for the popsicles in four flavors. No comment.
The ice cream scoops though were more flavorful. The melon and avocado flavors were good and had the distinct flavor of the fruits.
Taking the crown was the chocolate ice cream with chili. Yes, flavor of the dark chocolate is pronounced and tailing at the end of the palate is the chili flavor. It was biting but I loved it.
Budbod with Sikwate at the Dumaguete Public Market. The locals said the market is the best place to enjoy this local delicacy and to go early in the morning as it can run out towards midday.
Indeed it can, the “Budbod Straight”, as I called the single row of eateries that went through an entire block at the public market’s rear end, was filled with diners enjoying the fare for breakfast.
We could have opted for the traditional Budbud with sikwate but we wanted to try the different preparations of the suman made of Budbud from the local town of Tanjay.
It was the Tres Marias, Choco Mango and Kabog we feasted on with the thick and sweet sikwate. You know that feeling of winning in a raffle draw? That’s what we felt leaving the market.
Yes, it's that good that we went back to the market for a second bout and ordered dozens to take home.
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