jeepneyjinggoy: Dumaguete

Showing posts with label Dumaguete. Show all posts

Originally, I was going solo to explore Dumaguete, a bucket-listed place. That was until a couple of good friends, Alex and Boo, decided to join me.

Three is a good number. Hotel bills can be split three ways and more importantly, since it was going to be a “food trip”, three dishes (or more) can land on the tasting table.

The famed “university city” in the province of Negros Oriental may be small but it’s packed with culinary treats. What’s on our list? The Dumaguete specialties and recommended restaurants. We didn't want to waste time. As soon as we arrived in the city at mid-morning, we dropped our bags in our hotel along the boulevard and commenced the food safari.

Meals below P200? Oh dearie, many of the city’s menu entries are practically below that price. In fact, anyone can get used to pricing that if a dish goes beyond P200 that may be deemed as pricey.

What is quite evident though is restaurants don't scrimp on the portions. Short of saying, each food item—no matter the price— is worth it.

Let me start with the entrees and main courses and save the desserts for another story.

Sans Rival Bistro. Rizal Boulevard

Yes, it’s perhaps the first thing that pops to mind when Dumaguete is mentioned. Sans Rival is a pastry shop and next-door is the bistro, which is a repurposed old house. This was where we had our first bite of Dumaguete cuisine.

There’s a wide selection on the menu from entrees to dessert offering choices of different meats.

What we ordered: Grilled Malasugi in Mango Salsa (Php175); Salmon Cake Salad (Php190); Bistro Signature Roast Chicken (Php 210P; and Sizzling Squid Sisig (Php 280).

Sans Rval Squid Sisig & Signature Roast Chicken

Unanimously, we picked the fish (sourced locally, thus fresh) as the winner. It was cooked to perfection and flavorful.

The salad with tzatziki dressing was okay but the salmon cakes needed a citrusy flavor to balance its “fishy” aftertaste.

The chicken was well cooked. Since I have issues with anything too sweet, the apricot topping came too overpowering on my palate (perhaps request yours to be served separately); and the sizzling squid was tasty and tender.

Kri Restaurant, 53 Silliman Avenue.

After the Siliman University tour, we went to a suggested resto a few steps off campus. “Everything,” was the reply to my question on what we should try.

Kri is a “New American Resturant” (as pers its FB page) with offering a mix of meaty treats and vegetarian dishes served in a very cozy and modern interior.

Everything was tempting but decided to order three to taste—Bacon-wrapped Asparagus, Chicken Pesto Penne (Php195) and the Truffle, Blue Cheese and Bacon Burger (Php255), and the Rice Paper Vegetable Rolls (to counter the guilt of the all-meat meal. Php145).

Bacon-wrapped Asparagus & Truffle, Blue Cheese and Bacon Burger

Of course, anything with bacon will taste good, if one is a meat lover. The beef was tender and cooked well.

We will revisit the place to try the rest.

Adamo, Daro.

A local suggested this resto located in what it seems to be a residential neighborhood.

Adamo is a small restaurant, perhaps a repurposed old house, and quite popular that calling in for reservations is wise. Luck was on our side that we were able to get seats.

The menu holds select dishes of meat favorites, salads, sandwiches and dessert.

Like the place, nothing about the menu is pretentious. No fancy-named entries, like our selected dishes—Prawn and Mango Salad (Php160), Pork Belly (Php185), Half Native Chicken (php250), Fish (Php245).

Half Native Chicken & Fish dish

However, the dishes were presented pretty much how a fancy fine dining joint will serve it. Beautiful!

Everything was good. A couple of snags though, the shrimps, which must have been defrosted, came a bit gummy and not as sweet, and the chicken, though quite tender, was short on the flavor kick.

Believe it or not, all those beautiful dishes plus drinks cost only Php969!

Next issue: Tres Bistro, Tinto, Gabby’s and the Siliman cafeteria.

Also published in the SunStar Davao newspaper.

For lifestyle stories, visit www.dduriandaily.com (www.ofapplesandlemons.com)

Email me at jinggoysalvador@yahoo.com

St. Catherine of Alexandria Church aka Dumaguete Cathedral, the oldest stone Church in Negros

How long has Dumaguete been on my bucket list? Quite a while I guess, but like they say, good things come to those who wait.

It took a while since an airline offered a direct flight from Durian City to the City of Gentle People. So when Cebu Pacific opened the route, I immediately booked a flight and crossed my fingers that nothing would come up that may cancel the trip.

Long before the departure date, I asked around what to expect of the place and what to do for four days and four nights. The place is small therefore touring the sites can be done in a couple of hours, go on a weekend, check out this place, eat at these diners, try these specialties, walk the boulevard, spend a night at this beach, go diving, trekking, etc., came the comments and suggestions.

Apparently, travelers make Dumaguete as a base or a transit stop to get to other destinations in its vicinity. With its easy to reach shorelines, caves, waterfalls, and nearby islands, “Dumaguete is all about nature tripping and exploring,” said a friend.

Most often, I travel solo to a new destination, but when a couple of Dumaguete-curios good friends decided to join me on the trip, I said, why not? It’s good to share the excitement (and the hotel accommodation cost) in exploring the place.

Finally, three friends made it to the Negros Oriental city for the first time, and quite conveniently at that. Minus the hassle of connecting flights that can eat up a day off travel plans, we arrived in Dumaguete at midday with less than an hour plane ride from hometown Davao.

The ride from Sibulan Airport to the hotel along Rizal Boulevard took a few minutes. We dropped our bags and started our exploration.

Provincial Capitol of Negros Oriental

The Landing of the First St. Paul of Chartres Sisters. The monument along Rizal Boulevard commemorates the centennial of their arrival in 1904 on Dumaguete shores

Rizal Boulevard was shorter than I expected, but it’s one of the busiest in the city. From the break of day to late at night, it’s a choice spot for the health conscious, locals who want to chill at day’s end and tourists who want to catch the sun rising across the Philippine Sea. Beckoning across the breakwater and calm waters was the island of Siquijor.

The Rizal Boulevard promenade, where to catch the sunrise or chill on day's end

Next to Residencia Al Mar, the first hotel we stayed in, was the Siliman University, the first American University in Asia. Student volunteers will take you to a walking tour around the campus, show the points of interest, share the history and if you like, the ghost stories as well.

The Siliman Hall at night. The building was erected in 1903, two years after the university was founded

Siliman University Church interior

The Rizal Boulevard at night

Night falls in Dumaguete

We moved to Bethel Guest House the next day. The top floor room provided a panoramic view of the boulevard and the sea from a higher point of view.

A block away is the Quezon Park and right across it are the Dumaguete Cathedral, aka the St. Catherine of Alexandria Church, the oldest stone Church in Negros; and the Camapario de Dumaguete, the oldest belfry in Visayas.

(Lft) Jose Rizal sa Dumaguete at the Roxas Park and (right) the Campanario de Dumaguete, the oldest belfry in Visayas

On the next street is the public market where we had the famous Tanjay budud with sikwate for breakfast, and across the bridge is the Chinese Bell Church.

Breakfast at the public market: Tanjay budbud with sikwate

The Chinese Bell Church

It’s true what they say about Dumaguete, the people are indeed warm and gentle, visitors can tour the city center in a day, and the rest of the sites are short drives away.

We, however, stayed within the boundaries of the city (except when we went to Bacong Church which was a 10-minute tricycle ride away) and took our sweet time in visiting the city sites in between meals for four days. After all, we were in Dumaguete for a single purpose—to eat. I’m sharing the food journey in the next stories.