Ranch and Reef: Food Overload

By: Abigail Castro of davaofoodguide.blogspot.com

It was a rainy Monday, October 31 (late post, I know), when E and I ventured on a food trip. Despite the rain, we mustered the courage to get out and try this restaurant located at DavCon compound in Torres Street - Ranch & Reef. For months, I've heard about this place but never really got the chance to try it. So, here I am all excited about all the raving I've read about this place in the blogosphere. At the same time, a voice in the back of my head was hoping that those weren't all hype.

Lo and behold, Ranch & Reef was all those blogs claimed it to be. A food haven that will surely whet your appetite. The buffet table had pasta, roasted beef, chicken, and steamed fresh vegetables. There is also a sushi bar, which I can tell delighted E because he is a BIG fan of anything sushi! In fact, I saw him carrying a plate full of california maki and he could not contain that grin!

Meanwhile, I was like a child in a candy shop, wide-eyed in awe exploring the dessert section. They had mango float, blueberry cheesecake, all sorts of brownies and cupcakes, and a chocolate for dipping of fruits and marshmallow. My sweet tooth was quite thrilled with this lovely feast of desserts that I opted to fill my plate with desserts first.

I'd have to note that the wait staff is friendly and accommodating. And for those with a big appetite, you will be pleased to know that they are quick to refill any empty trays on the buffet table so nothing can stop you from enjoying this delicious buffet experience.

The dinner buffet is available at PhP 329 per person.
Lo and behold, Ranch & Reef was all those blogs claimed it to be. A food haven that will surely whet your appetite. The buffet table had pasta, roasted beef, chicken, and steamed fresh vegetables. There is also a sushi bar, which I can tell delighted E because he is a BIG fan of anything sushi! In fact, I saw him carrying a plate full of california maki and he could not contain that grin!
Meanwhile, I was like a child in a candy shop, wide-eyed in awe exploring the dessert section. They had mango float, blueberry cheesecake, all sorts of brownies and cupcakes, and a chocolate for dipping of fruits and marshmallow. My sweet tooth was quite thrilled with this lovely feast of desserts that I opted to fill my plate with desserts first.
I'd have to note that the wait staff is friendly and accommodating. And for those with a big appetite, you will be pleased to know that they are quick to refill any empty trays on the buffet table so nothing can stop you from enjoying this delicious buffet experience.

The dinner buffet is available at PhP 329 per person.

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La Toscana: Italian Tradition in Davao

By: Abigail Castro  of davaofoodguide.blogspot.com

La Toscana is a culinary institution in Davao. Even when many other new Italian restaurants have sprung up in the city, it still manages to bring in customers who have come to love their freshly prepared Italian cuisines. 

A few months ago, E & I tried this restaurant for the first time – a long overdue visit because I’d been eyeing it for so long. But anyways, I was definitely worth the wait. You can’t go wrong with quality food and quality service. 

We were served Tuscan bread with butter and some dips as complimentary so we’d have something to munch on while waiting for our order. This was a light appetizer that is a great start to a meal – just enough to whet your appetite for the full course ahead.

Halfway through enjoying, our orders were served. I was excited how our choices would be like because it seriously took us a long time to finalize what to get. That’s one of the best things about La Toscana – they have lots of options in their menu! Their pasta selection alone could beat any other restaurant’s entire menu (no kidding!).

Back to our orders, E picked our pasta dish for the night – Toscana Matriciana. This is a very simple pasta dish – but don’t let your eyes deceive you. The pasta is cooked just right and the seasoning is subtly good. I had to commend E for his pick – this one’s highly recommended.

For the pizza, we had Capriciosa. Again, there were lots of options on their pizza but we picked this one mainly because it consisted of our favorite topping choices – ham, mushroom, marinara sauce, mozzarella, and olives.

We ended this wonderful meal with tiramisu. This frozen cake isn’t extraordinary but it is good.

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Read Abigail's other reviews 

Abigail Eats at TONG YANG SHABU-SHABU

Abigail Eats at DIMSUM DINER 

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Caffe Firenzo: Exploring Their Culinary                  Offerings

By: Abigail Castro of davaofoodguide.blogspot.com

Caffe Firenzo is one of the most well known coffee shops in Davao with branches in Damosa and Quirino Street. When they first opened branch in the city, they were known for their caffeinated beverages and fast WiFi connectivity. But when I had the chance to visit them as of late for dinner time, I had the opportunity to explore their food offerings that were way better than I had expected for it to be. 

Let's start off with their pizza... the Cheeseburger Pizza. I forgot to make note of its price, but this one is available for roughly PhP 250 - a serving that is good for two. Love the crust on this pizza because it is thin and crunchy! Plus, the topping consists of mozarella cheese that are beautifully melted on the top, onion rings, and ground beef. I haven't had the chance to try their other pizza toppings, but if I happen to drop by Caffe Firenzo again and want to eat pizza, I will have no doubt about ordering this again. 

Another dish that is worth a try is their Garlic Pesto Pasta. This dish is all about simplicity and subtlety of flavors. I love basil and olive oil, so there is not a question in my mind that I am going to enjoy any dish with pesto! The pasta is also cooked to perfection. I could eat pasta this good everyday!

And speaking of pasta, Caffe Firenzo offers another unique way to serve up Spaghetti with Meatballs. I've already noted how I love Grub Resto Cafe's spaghetti but this one is just as good. The meatball is also amazing - very tender and flavorful! There is a pepper-y hint to the taste of the spaghetti sauce which I really dig. 

Here is another unique offering from Caffe Firenzo: Stuffed Pork Chop. Like the spaghetti, it also comes with a strong and potent flavor, which I think meat lovers will appreciate. It is a great new twist to eating your pork chop.

The last, and least, favorite dish from Caffe Firenzo would have to be (well, not technically a dish but an appetizer) their Onion Rings. The onion was sweet, though, but the batter was poorly made. It wasn't crunchy at all; in fact, it soaked up too much oil that it ended up being too greasy for my liking. The solution? We removed the batter and justate the onions by itself. Yum!

Please note that I've tried only their Quirino branch. All the photos and dishes featured here are from the aforementioned branch. You can check them out right across Central Bank in Quirino Street, Davao City.

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Read her other food and restaurants reviews

Abigail Eats at McDADDY"S CAFE

Abigail Eats at GILLIGAN"S RESTAURANT

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Pearl Farm Buffet

Pearl Farm Buffet

By: Abigail Castro of Davaofoodguide.blogspot.com

On our fifth anniversary, we decided to spend the day at Pearl Farm since both of us haven’t been there before and we were looking for a nice and quiet place to relax (for me, that meant anywhere near the beach or any body of water). Pearl Farm was a no-brainer because I heard it isn’t just an exclusive resort but they also serve good food.

I bet anyone-foodie or not- would find their buffet spread quite irresistible. They have all sorts of seafoods ranging from fish, crabs, and shrimps to a salad section. But my favorite would have to be the stir fry section wherein you can pick any ingredients you want and then hand it over to a very friendly chef who’s going to cook it for you. Then, they will serve it to your table for you to enjoy. The sautéed meat and vegetables was the best part of this meal. 

My second favorite part? The dessert buffet! There’s plenty to choose from that I didn’t hold anything back. (My plate full of desserts pictured above.)

Paradise :)

A return visit is certainly called for, if not for the beauty and amenities of the resort, but for the quality of the food alone.

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Army Navy at SM Lanang Premier

By: Abigail Castro of davaofoodguide.blogspot.com

On the day of my birthday, I went to SM Lanang Premier with my nephew and boyf to do some errands and a little bit of shopping. When we got tired and hungry, we decided to scour the entire mall to find a place we can grab a quick bite. Since it was merienda time, we decided to skip restaurants offering main course meals but opted for a burger joint, which is why the idea of dining at Army Navy struck me. I haven't tried this place before and so it might be a good time to sample them.

One of the reasons why I  was really curious to try Army Navy is due to its ambiance. It reminds you of a military base pantry with a small window in the center working as the main cashier wherein you can place your orders. It is very simplistic and straight-forward, definitely none of the over-the-top design concepts. 

The food is also equally good. We ordered the Chicken Burrito, which is a flour tortilla filled with several ingredients such as Spanish rice, chicken meat, beans, onion, lettuce, and cilantro. I love Mexican food so this was just right up my alley. The serving is pretty humongous, too! It comes served with a slice of lime and I tell you, squeezing some juice off of that lime to the burrito can make a whole lot of difference as it kicks up the flavor! An order will set you back at PhP 165.

Aside from burrito, I also am a big fan of taco. Since their crunchy taco is not available, we went for the soft tacocarnitas. Priced at PhP 175, you get three small soft flour tortillas that are topped with meat, onions, and cilantro. Again, I squeezed some juice from the slice of lime provided with each serving to cut the strong flavor a bit. However, I was not too excited to find the pork cuts included in my soft taco were mostly the bony parts. Hence,only about half of the pork cutlets included in my taco were actually edible as I had to set the rest aside as they are made up of bones.

Lastly, we had the Tortilla Chips (PhP 35) that is served with its own freshly made tomato salsa. I love salsa! Hence, I was excited to give it a try when I saw it on the menu. And it fell nothing short of my expectation - the tangy flavor from the salsa helped to add a rich texture to the tortilla chips, which in itself is not that rich in flavor. 

Overall, I enjoyed dining at Army Navy at SM Lanang Premier. My only qualm about this dining spot is that it can be a bit on the expensive side. For a small snack, we billed nearly PhP 500. I am not one to complain about paying for good food, but I think that it is not the best value for money. I can get an equally good taco from Taco Boy and they can go for half the price! But if you don't mind the cost and simply want to be treated to good food, give Army Navy a try! I'm looking forward to my next visit to try new items off the menu, esp their Double Burger (though it might be too big for my appetite!).

Army Navy has two branches in Davao: Abreeza and SM Lanang Premier.  

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More Food and Restaurant Reviews fro Abigail 

Abigail Eats at RANCH AND REEF

Abigail Eats at PEARL FARM

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