The longest running restaurant in Davao City is a place called Luz Kinilaw. It is probably the most famous restaurant in Davao as well. Luz is located in Salmonan, Davao City, right on the waterfront. When I say it is on the waterfront, many of you surely have idealic thoughts of a pure and beautiful beach area, girls clad in bikinis running through the sand and such. Wipe those thoughts from your mind. That’s not Luz, and that is not the kind of waterfront that I am talking about!
Luz sits right next to the highway, with the Davao Gulf right behind it. This waterfront area is a squatters area, dirty, dingy, it even stinks a little bit. But, Luz is quintessential Davao. Luz is famous all across the country! Television commercials have been filmed at Luz. When major politicians visit Davao and want to eat the foods that Davao is famous for, they go to Luz. When you go to eat at Luz you never know who will be at the next table… it could be a poor, common “Juan dela Cruz” or it could be the President or a well known Senator. The place is that diverse!
My friend, Rick Bowden and I went to Luz for lunch on Wednesday, and shot a little video of the experience so that you could come along for the meal. Sorry, I haven’t figured out how to actually send food through the Internet, so you can only watch!
For lunch, we had Panga, which is Tuna Jaw. Rick also enjoyed the dish that Luz is famous for, Kinilaw! Kinilaw is raw fish with vinegar and vegetables. I’m not a fan of Kinilaw. It’s not the raw fish, I love raw fish, but when I choose to eat my fish raw, I prefer sashimi. We also had rice, and soup. We even enjoyed a few live ants with our tuna, since they were crawling on the plate! You get used to things like that when you live in the tropics for any length of time! I know that it didn’t bother me, and Rick didn’t seem too upset about the ants either!
Anyway, it was a great meal, and a place like Luz really shows you the “real” Philippines, and how the common people live! I hope that you enjoy the video!
By the way, how much was the lunch? Two people – one medium sized tuna jaw, rice, kinilaw, drinks…. P350 total. Not bad!
Lovely as it looks Bob, I think I’ll stick to the roadside cafe at SM for my favourite Davao Restaurant. Oh heavens, even the thought of those baby back ribs have me drooling.
Hi jim hannah – Baby back ribs? They only serve fish at Luz! 😯 😆
If ever I make it to Davao Bob lunch is on me but the ants don’t eat forfree!
Hi Bob, Luz is definetely a great place especially for the atmosphere. Keep in mind the next time you go to a place that serves Kinilaw. Just ask them to leave out the vingar and onions and you will have the sashimi you like. Just bring along a little squeeze bottle of wasabi and your in like flint for much less that it would cost in a Japanese restaurant. I’m sure they won’t mind In fact they would probably slice it thin for you as well.
Hi Dan Mihaliak – That’s kind of mean to those ants! 😯 They have to eat too! 😆
I’ll look forward to our meeting, Dan!
Hi Rich – great idea on the sashimi! I will have to remember that one!
350 pesos wow Jollybees cost more then that Bob…Phil R.
Hi phil R. – P175 per person for a nice lunch! not bad! 😆
Maayong Buntag Bob
When you get the technical difficulties worked out to send food through the internet please leave that ants back there.
😉
Hi Larry – Well, OK, I’ll arrange for “ant-free” transmission of the foods. But, don’t come complaining to me if you don’t get enough protein in your meal! 😆
Oh gosh looks like the place remained the same, Bob! I ate there 10 years ago! 😯
Hi ROY – Yep, I ate there about 5 years ago, or maybe more, and then came back on Monday. The place had not changed a bit in that time, so I am quite sure that you are very correct on that! 😆
Ok now I want some sashimi lol. I had kinilaw as today was Venice’s birthday so we packed up and went to Costa Marina for the day. Mom made kinilaw, pancit, mechado and adobo and I made roasted chicken, gravy, spaghetti (italian style) Macaroni salad and deviled eggs. It was quite the spread.
Hi BrSpiritus – Sounds like some serious food there! Yes, I agree, sashimi would have completed the meal! I doubt that you went away hungry, though! 😆
Hi bob! how are you & the family? whew its been a long time i did not comment here…got busy to the max..juggling work & a housewife i guess – anyway, back to Luz Kinilaw, i did enjoy this place, esp the Tuna panga! great place to bring first timers in davao if they love “inihaw” — i love sashimi too!!