While coming up with my Favorite Coffee Shops of 2023 and updating my Coffee Shop Guide, I scrolled past some photos of the delicious food I have had this year. I remember enjoying different flavors from the small stalls to the big restaurants.
After going through the photos, I told myself that I might as well do one focused on the food for my year-end list. I already did a similar list a few years ago. So, why not bring it back? This list will only be about the food I ate and not the restaurant itself.
My criteria for my best eats? Food that I enjoyed eating.
In no particular order, here are some of the delicious meals I had in 2023.
SAVORY
Truffle Mushroom Gnocchi
Pilgrim Restaurant
Hands down, this is high on my list of Best Eats of 2023. It is a simple-looking dish but packed with flavor. The gnocchi were soft and pillowy, and I love how they were not heavy-handed with the truffle.
Nasi Goreng
House of Sambal
A contender for the best fried rice in Davao City. House of Sambal’s Nasi Goreng is savory and sweet with a spicy kick. I have ordered their platter several times, and House of Sambal always delivered with taste, quantity, and quality.
Tetsutaage
Teitoku Izakaya
The Tetsutaage is one of the best-tasting dishes from the brains behind Taichou Izakaya. Served exclusively at their sister restaurant, Teitoku Izakaya, the Tetsutaage was well-seasoned and had a nice crunch to it
Breakfast Steak and Mashed Potatoes
Before Weekend
This is my favorite to have for brunch. The dish is a serving of melt-in-your-mouth Wagyu cubes and delicious mashed potatoes with a side of buttered vegetables and egg.
Classic Fried Chicken
Zander’s Fried Cravings
When it comes to fried chicken in Davao City, I think they serve one of the best. The chicken is juicy, well-seasoned, and cooked to the bone.
Kebab Rice Jumbowl
495 Kitchen
One of my regular orders here, the Kebab Rice Jumbowl is a serving of their turmeric rice topped with Chicken Kebab. It is a delicious rice bowl that I can’t have enough of.
Chicharones
Botanica
I love a delicious crunchy chicken skin. Botanica’s Chicharones is just that. While this is an appetizer, it is best enjoyed with rice.
Chicken Lumpia
D’Silva Kitchen
De Silva’s Kitchen’s Chicken Lumpia is one of the best-tasting lumpia I have had. Whenever I am in the south of the city, I try to wiggle De Silva’s Kitchen into my schedule for a hot and crunchy lumpia.
Lumpia Ubod
Momo’s
Another best-tasting lumpia joins my list. Momo’s Lumpia Ubod became one of my favorites when I had it for the first time. It is a lumpia packed with flavorful ubod and deep fried for a delicious crunch.
Kumamoto
Taichou Izakaya
Taichou serves different kinds of ramen, and their Kumamoto is my favorite. It is a flavorful bowl of ramen with a rich, garlicky broth. The noodles have a bounce to it after each bite.
Egg Fried Rice
Lanzhou Ramen Restaurant
Of all my favorite meals for the year, I think this is the simplest on this list. It is a classic egg fried rice, but it is the best egg fried rice I have had in a long time. It can be a bit too salty to some, but it is one delicious spoonful after another.
Lechon Baka
Chew Baka
Tender and smoky, Chewbaka’s Lechon Baka is always a joy to eat with lots of rice. It is just that kind of food that you must have rice with. The marinade of their beef is delicious. It is savory with hints of sweetness and sourness. The charring of the beef gives it a smoky flavor. Pair it with their Wowsawan, and you have a winning dish.
SWEETS
Apple Pie
Taste of Home
This Apple Pie is what, I think, is the best apple pie in Davao City. Drizzled with a rich butterscotch sauce and topped with cheese, this apple pie is simply delicious.
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Sanbelo’s
Served warm with a decadent butter sauce and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this dessert will satisfy my sweet-loving friends.
Ultimate Cookie
Mamz’s Recipe
I will go out on a limb here and say this is the best cookie in Davao City. The Ultimate Cookie has a light and crunchy crust while it is soft and chewy in the inside. The best part about the cookie is the toffee that gives it a caramelly and buttery flavor and an added crunchiness for each bite.
Brazo de Mercedes
atCurbside
The brazo de mercedes is a very sweet dessert but is addictive. What I love about atCurbside’s is it is not very sweet. It is that kind of brazo de mercedes that you would not mind getting another slice.
Ube Leche Flan Cupcake
Confex & Co.
While Confex serves a winning slice of brownies and revel bars, their Ube Leche Flan is my favorite here. The ube cupcake has been topped with a generous slice of leche flan. You would think that this is very sweet, but it is not. The sweetness of the flan complements the ube cupcake.
Crinkles
Bakesy
What I love about the crinkles from Bakesy is its texture. The texture was chewy and not crumbly like the usual crinkles you buy. I also love how you taste the flavors of their crinkles. I could choose one flavor to include on the list, but it is hard to choose one. Bakesy’s crinkles are just that good. Their lemon, birthday, peanut butter, ube, and pandan are some of my recommended flavors.
For my Favorite Coffee Shops of 2023, click here.