For any readers that are in Davao, there is a new place where you can find a decent selection of foreign style foods to choose from. The place is called “Gourmet Deli” and is located on Governor Sales Street, just outside Chimes Mall in Uyangaren, Davao City. The place is very similar to another well known “Deli” here in town, featuring many of the exact same products, even the same brand. The thing is, that at the Gourmet Deli, the price is about half of the other Deli on most items. When I hear other expats talk about the other, un-named “Deli” in town, everybody likes their stuff, but the complaint is always that the prices are high. If this is your feeling, you might want to check out Gourmet Deli next time you are in that part of town.
Like I said, they have a selection of deli type items, mostly imported from Europe. Cookies, biscuits, sun dried tomatoes, wine and other types of items. They have a meat counter too with cuts of US beef, lamb, turkeys, many varieties of sausages, many cheeses and even some imported fish as well. The selection of many products there is somewhat limited, but I feel that if they can generate some business there, over the long term they will increase their selection to feature at least the same things at the other deli in town.
thanks bob… being a cook i will definetly check it out when im in davao,i remember the last time i was there i cooked for my fiancees friends and family and i had a little trouble finding what i needed.
Hi Ken – The selection may not be complete, but at least it will be a start. By the way, I can do you a favor on this…. why don't you cook the dish for me first, and I can sample it and give my nod of approval before you feed it to your friends and family! Ha ha… just joking!
:smile:ha ha ha bob you so funny !
THANK YOU THANK YOU for the post about this Gourmet Deli! I went there today and bought some stuff my total bill was ONLY over $120 or 5,834.
I bought like 5 steaks for me, some lamb and other stuff plus 1 jar of mint Jelly.
VERY REASONABLE!
I would not have thought of going to Chimes area to buy all that stuff! THANK YOU for posting about it.
Here is a pic of my purchases today. http://www.fantasiashihtzu.com/stuff/purchasedeli…
I will be back there to buy more stuff. I love to eat! (this is gonna kill me I am diabetic, LOL LOL)
Oh and if anyone is looking for pine nuts to add to pasta, or buy grape seed oil, etc go to Healthy options at SM.
Hi Cheryll Ann,
Thanks for the tip re Healthy Options. Is that new? I don't remember seeing that last time I was in Davao (April-May 07).
Be careful with those steaks! I limit our consumption of steaks to, maybe, once a month(?), if that.
Enjoy!!! 😀
Yes, Healthy Options is new, it's got lots of stuff , everything is imported Organix shampoo, witch hazel ( good for zits), diet soda etc, all sorts of stuff.
They have Organic Oats, etc etc.
Lovely stuff.
Hmmmm, I'll check that out next time I am in Davao. Good to know! Thanks!
On the grocery pictures posted.
I can't help but note that the steaks have a lot of fat. I hope you don't mind the question, I'm not being critical, I'm just making an observation because that was pretty noticeable. As you probably notice, Cheryll Ann, since you come to the US a lot, steaks sold here are pretty trimmed of its fat. Very little of it is left, otherwise shoppers would pass them up.
BTW, Bob, or anyone is there a Trader's Joe in RP? That's where I usually get my organic stuff here.
Hi Cheryll Ann – Thanks for the tips on the Healthy Options Store! I saw a sign in SM that it was coming soon, but I didn't realize that it had opened already, I'll check it out!
I'm glad that you liked the Gourmet Deli! Feyma and I feel that the prices there are so much better than Swiss Deli, and the quality is just as good too!
Hi Angie,
Steak with a lot of marbling is more tender and tastes better IMHO, hehehe. I don't really care for the steaks with no fat on them EWWW!
I like to eat foods that are not too great for me my fave food is TWINKIES and other unhealthy stuff! ( No wonder at 28 I have diabetes, high blood pressure, etc, hehehe)
Have you ever eaten at Morton's Steak House? They are not cheap their steak is pretty fatty too, LOL!
If you have had Kobe Beef it is chock full of fat and lots of marbling and melts in your mouth, OH MY GOD sooo good. You can have it at that japanese restaurant in Shangrila in Manila. Just 1 order of beef plus some raw food will set 3 people back around 17,000 pesos. It's not a bad price really great stuff.
No Trader Joe's in RP. My sister loves Trader Joe's huge selection of Beer's in the back area.
Hi Bob,
So happy I found your post and I went there, LOL! I am going back soon. Price is reasonable and the Procioutto, is quite good.
Yep Healthy Options opened a few weeks ago. They have lovely stuff. Tried the organic shampoo and conditioner and I don't think it's the greatest, hehehe.
I have to go back there soon and buy some stuff. I'm gonna buy some Grape Seed Oil when I go.
Hi Cheryll Ann & Angie,
I love Trader Joe's, too. It's not too close to where we live so I go there once every 3 months and stock up on nuts, whole wheat pasta, salsas, bruschettas, etc. I loooove that store.
Cheryll Ann, re steaks at Gourmet Deli, are they from New Zealand? I noticed that the steaks served in restaurants there (i.e., Le Bon Ti Ko) are from New Zealand. Kobe beef is verrrry expensive here (NY). There's a restaurant in Manhattan that serves Kobe burgers for over $100! No way am I paying that for a burger! I can have delicious burger meat from my butcher and make it in my backyard grill myself! 😀
Hi Cheryl Ann,
Yes, most steaks at fine restaurants are expensive, regardless of where you go. I doubt you'd go to a Denny's to eat steak, right? 😉
I've stayed away from steaks for a few years now, ever since I made a concerted effort to revamp my lifestyle, on the inside out. Yes, boring, I know. But organic non-meat meals are just as expensive as steaks.
I'm not vegan though I tend to eat a lot of greens now. I've just replaced steaks with mostly fish. I still eat chicken, and very occasionally pork (can't stay away from pork sinigang. But I do cut out the fat and I eat only the lean meat.)
Okay, yes, admittedly, I do still occasionally eat steaks (when I'm entertaining visitors from RP, boy do they love steaks, I noticed that.).
Sometime ago, I went to Jenny Craig to learn about nutrition and lifestyle changes. I was on Jenny Craig menu for about a year. Now that's a lot of discipline but I could not hold on to it. It cramped my lifestyle and I do a lot of dining out with friends and business colleagues. So that didn't work too well for me.
I hope you're diabetes is under control. You're too young to suffer from its ugly consequences. I have 2 friends, 1 not much older than you, who are now on dialysis because of renal failure, stemming from diabetes.
Take care and thanks for sharing. (And I hope you don't take the above as trying to instill fear in you. I just note that you're too young and vibrant so I hope you will have plenty of years to enjoy and share your vibrance with the rest of us.)
Tina,
No Idea where they are from, they are not from Philippines definitely as Philippine Beef is onlyl ike 250-300 per kilo (2.2lbs) for steak cuts. This one is 1800 per kilo but it's got sooo much fat, I LOVE IT!hehehe Ok, so I don't eat healthy…
You can get some reasonable Kobe Beef Burgers online, it's a proflower.com affiliate.
The website is called http://www.Uptownprime.com you can order online and they will deliver.
I don't know if they are any good, have only ordered from proflowers.com and cherrymoonfarms.com BOTH are excellent sites and I buy from them and have it delivered to my friends in US for birthdays, get well soon, thank you's , etc.
I think uptownprime should be good as it's affiliates are good.
Angie,
Oh good for you! You do eat healthy. Yes, organic is expensive, I mean at costco chicken is like 89 cents a lb on sale. Organic chicken is like a couple of dollars a lb.
I have actually had steakat Denny's YUCK YUCK YUCK nauseating! And the server – I think was an illegal she could not even speak English properly, LOL LOL!
Actually my plane was late and I arrived at my sisters at like 11pm and I was really hungry and my sister does not really eat (only has fruits and chicken most the time)so she said well Denny's is 24 hours and it's 5 minutes away.
So we went there, I wanted soup but they did not have soup at that hour, so I had steak , EWWWW! Nauseating! hehehehe
My sister had soup at her place but she only has clam chowder as that's the only kind of soup she likes, LOL LOL!
Well THANK GOD for 7Eleven near her place. Got myself some tiwnkies and stuffed myself silly.
I try to get my diabetes under control as they all threaten to sell my dogs to a puppy mill if I drop dead…. sigh…
My dogs do eat healthy though http://www.eaglepack.com plus I cook for them and sometimes give them BARF.
My granny was a vegetarian actually vegan (was a buddhist) – she died of pancreatic cancer. My other granny died of lung cancer. OMG genetically dyfunctional aren't we? hehehehe:mrgreen:
Hi Cheryl Ann,
You're soooo funny! I wonder if there's sugar-free Twinkies? Wouldn't that be something? Sugar-free junk food? 😆
Tina,
EWWWW it would not be as good. High in fat and high in sugar – that's what I love.
Sugar Free Candy, Diet Soda, etc.
YUCK YUCK YUCK!
Also if one has too many sugar free candy one gets the runs, hehehehe ewwwww…..
Well I also eat Kimchi that's supposed to be healthy…
Okay, Cheryll Ann, Tina,
I got tempted to search for sugar-free Twinkie. Instead, look at what I found, deep-fried Twinkie!!! Have you ever heard of that? Probably Cheryll Ann might have. I don't know how "new" this invention is, I've never really followed the trends in snacks.
But wikipedia's blurb on this new(?) phenomenon reads:
———————————————————————————–
"It was described by the New York Times in this way: "Something magical occurs when the pastry hits the hot oil. The creamy white vegetable shortening filling liquefies, impregnating the sponge cake with its luscious vanilla flavor. . . The cake itself softens and warms, nearly melting, contrasting with the crisp, deep-fried crust in a buttery and suave way. The piece de resistance, however, is a ruby-hued berry sauce, adding a tart sophistication to all that airy sugary goodness."
———————————————————————————–
Now, with that luscious tempting exaltation, who could resist this devilish calorie-laden snack? Oh my, I'll probably go into a coma after devouring a few pieces. I'm the type that gets really sluggish after a carb intake.
Angie,
That's been around a couple of years, hasn't it? I don't wanna try that I like the filling of Twinkies, don't want it melted. BTW if the filling is not cream -sure as hell looks like cream – what is it?
Oh and if anyone is looking for cranberries (canned ) for Thanksgiving. Park & Shop usually has it.
Or you can all just go to Claude's and have Thanksgiving dinner there, his thanksgiving turkey is quite good.
Hi Angie & Cheryll Ann,
To be honest, I've never had a Twinkie in my life, okay maybe once. I don't remember much about it, though.
Cheryll Ann,
How does Twinkie compare to Krispy Kreme? Just curious… Angie, you'd be surprised that at Serendra, in Makati, there's always a loooooong line at Krispy Kreme. Kids just love it! My nieces and nephews are not content with devouring them there, we have to buy boxes to take home! Of course, they're all bouncing off the walls from the sugar! 🙄
I don't like Donuts, hehehe! So never had a Krispy Kreme. The lines at Serendra are no longer long says my friend Wendell who gained like 20lbs from Krispy Kremes.
have you had Beard papa's? Now those are scrumptious. Glorietta is where you can get them.
They have creamy center filling too, hehehe.
Twinkies are the BEST!
I wonder why they don't sell it in the Philippines???? 🙄
If anyone knows where I can buy "dressed" rabbit, please let me know.
Okay, Cheryll Ann, I've just been having a kick with reading your posts. How do you want your rabbit "dressed"? Casual or formal?? Just kidding. 😆
Since you seem to do a lot of online shopping (which I do also), I wonder if you have had first-hand experience with MyAyala.com? If so, are you pleased with the quality of the goods coming from there?
Actually, I have been using MyAyala for gift-giving in the Philippines for the past 3 years. But I've never tried ordering food items, except for boxes of chocolates. Mostly I've used it for ordering flowers, teddy bears and chocolates, or gift certificates for spa and restaurants. I have not seen the quality but everytime I've asked recipients (friends or cousins) they always tell me, "oh yeah, they're beautiful" or "they're excellent" etc etc. I wonder sometimes if they're just being polite to me because of course, they might be thinking it would be rude to tell me otherwise?
I'm more concerned with accurate/constructive feedback. So have you used them to order items for yourself? How is the quality?
Thanks, would appreciate your feedback about this.
Oh my goodness, Angie….. You're using my blog to promote one of my competitors! I own WowPhilippines.com which sells and delivers goods pretty similar to MyAyaya, and I feel that we offer much better customer service compared to them…. if you are going to order gift items and such, give us a try sometime! 🙂
Bob,
I was laughing when I read Angie's comment. I wanted to see what your reaction would be. I guess you need to do a better job of promoting wow.philippines.com! Just kidding! 😆
Sorry, sorry, sorry, Bob! Oh my God, I did not know about WowPhilippines. How would I? Let me check on that later. Is that the same site that promotes tourism? When I think of Wow Philippines I think of tourism. So are you then also the owner of tourist-related services???
My apologies, Bob. I did not mean to do it, honestly. Okay, I retract my question to Cheryll Ann. Never mind, Cheryll. I will now be a fan of WowPhilippines! Okay, Bob? Peace.
Please Bob, do ask Father Fanco. I don’t want a live rabbit, I want a dressed one, I would not know how to go about killing the creature, LOL LOL! (it’s for the dogs) If Ftaher Franco has Quails too, he is my new best friend, LOL LOL! I want dressed Quail too.
Guess Father Franco supplies Uncle Claud’s rabbit? Selena, Claud’s daughter is one of my sisters best friends.
There was actually a missionary couple who came to my house a few years ago that was interested in a shih tzu, they told me they raised rabbits and instead of using rabbitry software (there is kennel software, I use that = rabbitry software, cattery software, etc) to track breedings they used sipit system like blue sipit for this and red sipit for that – coz the Filipinos they were teaching to raise food grade rabbits did not have a computer. I wonder if they are connected in any way to father Fanco.
OH bad Angie, LOL! You better start ordering from Bob’s site, Lol lol lol! I don’t order online for local deliveries etc. I can always send my employees to LBC stuff locally, LOL!
Hi Angie – No, the Government's tourism site is: http://www.WowPhilippines.com.PH My gift sales site is http://www.WowPhilippines.com
They are two totally different sites.
No problem on the link – of course you didn't know! I just had to defend my territory a bit! Di ba? 🙂
Hi Tina – Angie doesn't know it, but I just might pay a visit to her house in the middle of the night soon! I don't take kindly to people promoting my competitors on my blog! Ha ha… just kidding, Angie.
Hi Cheryl Ann – I have an idea for you… Do you know of Father Franco, the Italian Priest who lives in Buda? He is a friend. He raises rabbits (for food). Sells them to a lot of restaurants around Davao. I don't know if he offers them already dressed, still alive or what, but I could check on it for you, if you like.
Hi Cheryll Ann – For Thanksgiving, we like to buy a turkey and take it to a Lechonero. They stuff it full of lemongrass and other herbs, then cook it lechon style for us! It's the best tasting method of cooking a turkey that we've ever tried!
Hi Bob:
On lechon turkey, Pinoy style, you just confirmed of what I have long suspected that it tastes better than what they do here in the US, such as trimmings. The sad part is, there's no lechonero in my neighborhood. Surely, lemon grass makes a huge difference to the flavor.:sad:
Hi jul – I bet you can do it yourself! Anybody who can cook a lechon baboy or manok should be able to do it. And, I promise you – the results are well worth the effort! You know how the breast meat on a turkey can easily get dried out? When you cook it lechon style, the breast is just as juicy and tender as the dark meat! Hmm… I'm starting to get hungry!
Turkey lechon is better with the local turkey because it is more flavorful – it's meat is really tough… hehehhe
I like the butterball turkey baked though – there are other brands being sold but the flavor seems off…
Hi Cheryll Ann – We make Lechon Pabo with Butterball turkeys! It's great! We did try local turkeys one time, and you're right – it was tough.
Hi Cheryll Ann – Yep, Fr. Franco supplies Claude with his rabbit, and a few other restaurants too. I don't think that Fr. Franco is associated with the missionaries that you mentioned. Hey, guess what – I know Selena too, she is really a great person! I really like her, and she is so intelligent and attractive too. Claude is a wonderful guy too!
The butterball does not fall apart when made into lechon pabo?
Now I must try that…
I also like local turkey made into adobo, takes hours of cooking but it's so good! And you better have a restaurant sized pressure cooker, ehhehe
Selena is now in Monte Carlo says Calud (he told me last week when we we had dinner at Claud's). She was in France last year.
Their whole group is scattered all over the world. Selena in Europe, my sis in US, Yuko in US, Jenny in Korea, etc. LOL LOL!
I hope Ftaher Franco sells dressed rabbit, as I don't know how to nor do I want to butcher rabbits.
OMg my spelling is sooo off… sorry. When I try to type quickly I mess up everything.
Oh yummy! Am going back for that.
In the US I can buy just turkey breast hehehe here in PH I have to buy the whole turkey, hehehe.
And since my parents are always overseas (my dad is kinda retired) there is usually just me and my 2 siblings plus our nanny. (I am not a kid OK – hehehehe ) so a whole turkey is not exactly something we want.
What else does the deli have? I know I am going back for the sun dried tomatoes. And buying more prociutto and steaks.
Bob – I have a funny story about wow.philippines.com, but I gotta tell you in person
You all are making me hungry as heck talking about these gourmet foods. Well at least I know where to go to get the good stuff. I was buying proavtiv for my wife at first but just didn't see a difference, she was using it right and still got breakouts. Went to the body shop in SM and got her some tea tree oil facewash and bingo, instant clear up… at less than half the price of proactiv. I really want aood steak for dinner now, I haven't touched beef in 3 months. Oh well I will indulge when I go back to the states in a week. I'd love to buy a turkey for Thanksgiving here in the Philippines, my wife had turkey once but said it was very dry and she didn't like the taste… wonder how they cooked it. What I don't look forward to is sitting in front of the oven for 3 hours switching between high and low settings to maintain the temperature… why oh why didn't I spend the extra money to buy an oven with a thermostat? 😆
Hi Louis – You can get Butterball turkeys in most of the bigger grocery stores in Davao. It is much more tender and juicy than the local turkey.
Hi Cheryll Ann – Father Franco is also a great source for sun dried tomatoes! He makes them himself, and they are better and less costly than you'll find at the deli!
Hello All,
Are you all talking about Thanksgiving already? It's not even Labor Day yet! Wait a minute, we're still enjoying summer here in the States… 😆
Has anyone tried deep-fried whole turkey? That has become very popular here. Haven't done it myself, I think the frying part is what turns me off, although they say it's not greasy. I still prefer the traditional way of making it. We get fresh turkey from the butcher.
Oh, I have a funny story. A few years back, my sister and I made turkey for Thanksgiving. We needed turkey liver for the stuffing but didn't find it in the turkey (the butcher usually puts the heart, gizzard, etc. inside the turkey), so we made the stuffing without the liver. When the turkey was ready, I put it on a serving platter, put the garnish around, etc., I noticed something bulging on its breast. It was the turkey liver! The butcher stuffed it in the neck cavity (you know how turkeys have loose neck skin). Why didn't we think of looking there? 😕 So, we roasted the turkey with the liver, still wrapped in paper, in it's neck!!! 😳 I guess we all live and learn! We always host Thanksgiving dinner. My mother-in-law decided that I do such a wonderful job, I should just keep doing it. 😆
Hi Turkey… oops.. I mean Tina – So, how did that stuffed neck cavity bird turn out?
Heeeeeey, be nice, Bob! I don't have a "turkey neck", if that's what you mean! 😆 Well, it turned out really good! Well, at least that's what everyone said. We cooked the turkey with salt pork or bacon covering its breast to prevent it from drying, so we didn't notice the "goiter" on its neck. We all learn from our mistakes, don't we? 😆
I'm not a big turkey fan myself. I make and eat it for Thanksgiving. That's my turkey for the entire year.
Tina, TOO FUNNY! hehehehehe Did you buy Turkey at the butchers? If you buy it frozen like butterball the giblets are always in the neck cavity…
There are now organic Turkeys – really expensive, hehehe and they give you photos of turkey since it was a baby till it grows – why would someone wanna see growth stages of what they are going to eat? So wierd!
Speaking of Turkey Necks I want to buy just turkey necks – you can buy it by the case in the US, but not here – grumble grumble (for dogs not me)
Oh wow Father Franco seems to have everything. Why doens't he sell his stuff in supermarkets and all that? he can make some real good money.
PS – so turkey won't get dry buy the oven bags – turkey sized – Reynolds brand I think… Put in Turkey and bake – it won't be dry. (OMG It's gonna be really obvious I really love to eat)
Butterball is available in Park &Shop and SM. But no BIG sizes like in USA biggest is like 10lbs or 12lbs. In USA I have seen some really huge turkeys, hehehe.
If you want local turkey go to AGDAO or BANKEROHAn public market – if you value your health send your help.
Go to live chicken area and ask for turkey, they usually have it available. They will slaughter it for you, hehehe.
Speaking of Deep Fried whole turkey…
has nayone tried Pritchon? Lechon that is fried whole?
OMG soooo good! We used to serve it at Victoria's SEafood and Grill but my sister decided to get married to a guy who lives in cebu so we had to close down resto as noone wanted to manage it, LOL!
Hi Cheryll Ann,
I think we should ask Bob to start a blog on food. It's obvious we can talk about this subject forever… 😆
Hi Tina – First, let me say, I didn't say anything about Turkey Neck! Ha ha… Glad the bird was tasty!
Hmm… food blog? I'll have it up and running tomorrow! 🙂
Hi Cheryll Ann – I've also seen Butterball at Makro in Bangkal too. Pritchon? Never heard of it, but it sounds like it must be delicious (anything that bad for you must be good!) Where in town can I get Pritchon?
AMEN to a blog on Food , Tina !:grin:
yes please yUM YUM!
Bob, I wa stold there is dressed Rabbit in lanag area with huge sign, I might check that out before asking soemone to drove 1 and 1/2 hours to Father Franco's.
I do wish Father Franco was closer.
I was at Chimes last night ate at Tong Yang was not able to go to Deli again. Sigh…
Hi Cheryll Ann – I have not heard of the place in Lanang. For me, Father Franco's place is quite close, so it's just a matter for each person. I guess I am used to driving in the USA, where we regularly travel hundreds of miles and consider it a "short trip." Especially in the Western USA.
I know but US freeways are not bumpy at all.
i don't mind driving from SFO to LA, or SFO to Vegas or Miami to Orlando. The freeways are smooth and all that and you can stop and use bathroom (which are clean)
Long trips in Philippines are not the same, roads aren't good, etc. shudder…
I am not sure where that place in lanang is either am sending our bodygaurd and driver to look for that place later or tomorrow.
I meant San Francisco not SFO hehehe which is the airport, hehehe at least I did not put SFO to LAX hehehehhe.
Tina,
FINALLY I can answer your Twinkie VS Krispy Kreme question (I made my Aunt buy me a boxful from Manila and hand carry it here)
I chocked down half the donut – ewww. (You know donuts are not my fave food)
I LIKE my Tiwnkies better.
The Krispy Kreme is too oily and it's just wierd.
I LOVE my twinkies.
If all goes well I will be in USA in Decemeber – GOOD more twinkies for me.
Hi Bob,
Oh, I'm so excited about this new deli shop!Is there some way I can order on line? I would like to order by bulk if this is possible because I am from Iligan City and I have a coffee shop that will open before the year ends.I have ordered a lot in Assad ,Santis' and Cdo deli shop-its kind of stressful and expensive to have to go there every month.I would need a lot!
Thanks for sharing this I appreciate it!
Lea
Hi Bob thank you for the Gourmet Deli address, I have been suffering local beef now for the past 2 years, not sure whether to eat it or resole my shoes,
I doubt you will remember me but you were most helpful at the time I was considering the philippines as my new home,
I am living in Tagum city , Luv it.
my regards
Robert.
Hi Robert, it’s really great to hear that you are enjoying your life in Tagum! Keep having fun, my friend! Enjoy the beef!