The next five

Last weekend, I wrote an article called Davao Restaurant Favorites, in which I told you about my five most favorite restaurants in Davao.  Actually I promised you my top 10 favorites, but split it up into two articles.  So, this article features my other five favorites!  There is no particular order in these listings.  Last weekend’s 5 favorites are not better than this weekend’s favorites.  As far as I am concerned, these are all pretty equal – they are all great places to eat out!  Some are more family friendly, some are more places for you and your date, leaving the kids behind for the night.  All in all, though, it is my belief that you cannot and will not go wrong if you visit any of the top ten restaurants that I have listed.

So, let’s get on with it and see the rest of my top ten!

Mooon Cafe

Yes, I spelled it right.  In this case, Moon had 3 “o’s” instead of two, so it is Mooon Cafe.  Mooon Cafe is located in Abreeza Mall, up on the 2nd floor.  Their menu claims to be a combination of American, Mexican and Filipino foods, and it is exactly what it claims.  I think they do a pretty good job on all three types of cuisine too!  Mexican food is always hard to find in the Philippines, but you can find it at Mooon.  Is it perfectly authentic to the Mexican traditions?  No, it isn’t, but it’s still a good representation of Mexican food, for being in the Philippines.

One thing that I really like about Mooon is the ambiance of the place.  It has a real “Mexican” feel to the decor and the general ambiance.  The waitresses are dressed up in Mexican style attire, and most all of the waitresses there are pretty cute too!  Nothing wrong with having some nice scenery to enjoy while you enjoy your meal!

I tend to eat either the Mexican or the American dishes at Mooon, although there are a few Filipino favorites that I like too!  Two of my most very favorites are the Pork Tocino, a Filipino dish that you will find on the appetizer menu, and the Onion Rings.  The onion rings are big and hefty, and quite delicious.  They come in a kind of an “onion ring tower” that is quite impressive.  If you are a steak lover, like I am, they also have a pretty darn good Fillet Mignon that I often order as well.  It is wrapped in bacon, and how can anything wrapped in bacon be bad? Anyway, Mooon has branches all over the Philippines, so give them a try if you see a branch anywhere in the country!  I think you will enjoy it, and I know that I do.  See my review of Mooon Cafe over on my Davao Eats site too!

Spirale

Spirale has been a fixture in Davao for maybe about 5 years now.  Their original location was out in Damosa, but they recently opened a second branch at Abreeza Mall.  Spirale is an Italian Restaurant, and they have a little more than you will find at other Italian places in Davao, at least in my opinion.  For the pizzas and some of their other dishes, they have a wood fired oven, proving excellent quality cooking.  For an Italian place, though, pizza is not really a specialty at Spirale, I guess the different pastas and other dishes are more of the specialty.  That’s fine by me, because all of their food is excellent.

One of my most favorite dishes at Spirale is an appetizer that they serve, which are ripe mango slices that are wrapped in proscietta.  After wrapping the mango they are then sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and drizzled with olive oil.  Feyma and I tried this on a whim the first time we saw it on the menu, and we have been sold on it ever since.  Absolutely delicious!

Always check to see what the special of the day is at Spirale, because the feature some really good food on their specials!

Ranchero Grill

One of my favorite restaurants in the Philippines, since the day we moved here in 2000, has been a place called Ranchero Grill.  I know the owner of the place, her name is Sol Sunglao, and she is really an excellent restaurateur.  Ranchero Grill is a sort of combination Western (as in the wild west, old style western) and Filipino place.  They have lots of Filipino food, but with a western or ranch type twist.  You know what? The combination really works!   If I had to rank all of my top ten favorites individually, Ranchero would probably take my number 1 spot.  I have loved Ranchero Grill for years, which is unusual, because usually after I while I move on to other restaurants for different tastes.  But, Ranchero Grill has endured.

Ranchero has two branches.  Their original outlet was in General Santos City, so when we lived down there that is when we were introduced to the place.  Their Davao location is located on the 3rd Floor of Abreeza Mall.

What are my favorite foods at Ranchero Grill?  It’s hard to list them because there are so many good items there.  I will limit it to two dishes that have been my most very favorites for years…. the Baby Back Ribs and the Lumpia.  Baby Back ribs are so common in the Philippines, you can get them almost anywhere you might go, but the Baby Back ribs at Ranchero are to die for!  Excellent, tasty, fallin’-off-the-bone tender too.  You can’t beat them!  In fact, I would argue that the Baby Back ribs at Ranchero rival the ribs you will find anywhere in the world, they are that good.  Also, I am a lumpia lover, and the lumpia at Ranchero is the best I have had anywhere too.  The lumpia at Ranchero is also very big… just one will give you a great appetizer or side dish!  Just sit down an order some baby back ribs and a lumpia, and you will have a super meal ahead!  Check my review of Ranchero Grill on Davao Eats.

Bon Appetite La Boutique

Obvious from the name, this is a French restaurant.  The owner of Bon Appetite is my friend Yves.  I met Yves one time when I was having lunch at his restaurant, and we hit it off right away.  He is a very nice man, and also he recognized me immediately because he reads LiP regularly!  Any LiP reader is a friend of mine, especially if he is also serving delicious food!

The menu changes regularly at Bon Appetite, so I am not going to recommend any certain dishes.  I will say, though, that there is no food that I have ever eaten there that I didn’t like!  Yves puts a special personal touch to the food, and you can really tell.  A Frenchman cooking authentic French cuisine… you can’t go wrong.

Bon Appetite is located at Plaza del Carmen on Loyala Street, just a block or so off of JP Laurel Avenue here in Davao.  Yves recently opened a second location at The Peak on the rooftop of Gaisano Mall.  Visit either location, I think you’ll be glad that you did, if you like French Food (who doesn’t like French Food?).

Don Beppe

Don Beppe is another Italian Restaurant, and it is located at The Peak on the rooftop of Gaisano Mall here in Davao.  Don Beppe has been around for a couple of years now, and I believe they were one of the first restaurants at The Peak.  The Peak is quickly becoming one of the premier restaurant locations in Davao.

The food at Don Beppe is great, and Don, the owner of the place is a great guy.  Very friendly, and he will always visit your table to say hi, if he is around when you visit.  They have a lot of good dishes at Don Beppe.  My favorite?  Not sure.  The Risotto is excellent, though, and I always enjoy that.  Similar to Spirale above, they also have a wrapped mango appetizer, although I think the one at Spirale is a bit better, although both are very good.  The ambiance at Don Beppe is nice too, sitting up on the rooftop at G Mall, there are some very nice views to enjoy.  Comparing Italian restaurants, Don Beppe is probably a small step up from Spirale in terms of ambiance, but I think the food at Spirale is probably slightly better.  So, it’s a draw between the two places, I like to enjoy both of them at different times.

Here is my review of Don Beppe that can be found over on my Davao Eats blog.

So, that’s my final 5 in my list of my Top Ten Restaurants in Davao!  I hope you picked up a few tips on where to visit on your next stop in Davao!  I really think that you will enjoy any of the ten places I have listed!