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Torres Street in Davao City is now a bustling hub of nightlife and restaurants. I pass that way everyday to and from work and I can’t help remember my childhood days when it was an out of the way street we would visit only on special occasions. Though the old Torres Street was usually avoided at the time it was secluded and “out of the way“, lined by unkempt banana trees and very dimly lit, that was a special and almost magical place from my childhood. The reason was that Harana, my parent’s favorite restaurant was there. To this day, the Harana of my childhood has changed with the times but the food and the ambience still echo the happy memories we had there. Even now, when the family finds an excuse to eat out together, Harana is still the place to go.

A Brief History of Harana Restaurant

Harana has a history that started in 1966, when it began as a simple place where friends and family could get together in the backyard of Attorney and Mrs. Fermin Abella in Matina, Davao City. The house specialties, which you can still order to this day, were sinangag (fried rice) and spare ribs, the original recipe of Mrs. Rosario Abella-Lizada. The “outdoor picnic feel” of the place attracted friends and neighbors of the couple to come over with family and friends, especially in the evenings when the yard was lit by little gas lamps. Eventually, word of mouth made the little place popular with Dabawenyos for its good food.

In the 1970’s a bigger Harana was set up in a new site along McArthur Highway in Matina to cater to the growing number of patrons. Knowing that Harana was a family restaurant, the owners added a playground with the intention of making Harana a place where families could spend their quality time together. Harana’s popularity grew with the laughter of children and families having fun filling the free flowing garden ambience. On its opening night in June 29, 1970, the Feast Day of St. Peter, Harana cemented its place as one of Davao’s most beloved places for special family occasions and as a place to relax and unwind over a special meal. I find my memory jogging down memory lane as I walk around the restaurant, remembering the times when I was there with my parents. It always seemed like one big family reunion whenever we were there. My parents would even relate the times they were still teenagers and enjoyed a meal or two with their families at Harana. There was always more than enough good food, light conversation and children’s glee to go around.

Davao’s Food Street?

On June, 28, 1979, the second Harana was put up along Torres Street, encouraged by the continued swell of the number of its patrons and the start of Davao’s boom as a city. The bright lights brought the dim street to life and the cheer of the place made its patrons forget the world outside. Most Dabawenyos consider the opening of Harana along Torres Street as “the day Davao’s Food Street came to life.” Over the years, the children who once played on the gardens of Harana have grown and had families of their own. Still, their childhood memories of the place keep them coming back and year after year the playgrounds of Harana have seen children grow from toddlers to adults. The benches around the gardens has been the site of many a whispered first “I love you” and marriage proposals. The original Harana customers have handed down the “Harana dining experience” to younger generations that at present, its common place to see groups of friends and even young couples to enjoy the original house specialties. Even until now, the menu hasn’t changed much. Also on the property are the Mongolian Garden, which serves its signature Mongolian barbecue, and Sarung Banggi Steak House. Now manned by the third generation of its original owners, the Harana tradition of family values and good food is alive and thriving in this one of a kind place that is beloved by generation upon generation of Dabawenyos. What was once a backyard family affair has now become synonymous with good food and family memories.

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This article is written by Monique Musni. Obviously, she loves this restaurant. If you have not been there yet, you will love it too.

She would like to give special thanks to to Mr. Carlo Aquilar for helping her out with the history of Harana Restaurant.

Aside from the beautiful tourist spots and the famed courteousness of the Dabawenyo, Davao City is also known for its abundance of good food.

From fruits such as the luscious Durian to sea foods, like crabs and prawns, and other truly Filipino exotic meals, Davao has it all for you. While the issue of food in other places revolves around the lack of supply, visitors of Davao City face a different dilemma: with so much food, choosing where and what to eat is always a problem.

But it’s the kind of problem most tourists, especially those who like to indulge in good food, love to have.

So, where would you go for a food trip in the city? Let’s start off with the so-called Dabawenyo Specialties.

Durian — Tastes Like Heaven, Smells Like Hell?

The Durian Park along the Torres Street is a popular hang-out when Durian fruits are on its peak season. If you are not familiar with the place, it is close to the Davao City Convention Center and fronting the famous restaurants of Davao like the Harana, Bistro Rosario, and others. If you’re looking for take-out outlets, the most notable location is the Magsaysay Park.

Foreigners beware: Durian can be considered an exotic food for you. Please tell your friends if you are offended by the smell of the fruit. The other technique is to keep it in the refrigerator for a while and the take a few bites as you feel comfortable. It works for some. Ask your other foreigner pals how they handle that smell of hell.

Barbecue

Now if you’re craving for delicious barbecue, there are even more to choose from. The more popular barbecue food chains in Davao City include Banok’s, Penong’s and Delongtes. Each of these food chains offers delicious and affordable barbecue plus a variety of other popular dishes. They are usually served with unlimited rice. It all you kan-on, as popularized by Penongs. This means that when you are done with the first rice serving, you can order as many plates of rice you want.

Restaurants

For regular meals, there’s an abundance of quality restaurants to choose from, such as Taklobo Restaurant (located in JacksRidge resort), Yellow Fin Seafoods Restaurant, Luz Kinilaw and many more. At the back of the Victoria Plaza Mall, you will find a number of good restaurants service Chinese and Filipino specialties.

Fine Dining

For high-end and first class dishes, you can find them in hotels like Marco Polo Davao, Apo View Hotel, and Grand Regal Hotel, among others. There are also several restaurants that cater such food like the re-knowned Zakoya Japanese Restaurant, Hanoi Vietnamese Restaurant, and so on.

(If fine dining is your thing, you may want to refer to the previous article on Fine Dining in Davao.)

The Fastfood That You Love

And for fastfood junkies, Davao doesn’t have a shortage of it either. In fact, a variety of fastfood chains abound the city. You’ll find good ole’ McDonalds and KFC over here. Western visitors will surely love to see they can eat hamburgers that taste and smell like those back from the homeland. Thanks to globalization and the carefully standardized Franchising manual.

Plus there are also the locally-started food chains like Chickies N’ Patties and Cecil’s (for merienda) and nationwide run outfits like Chowking and Jollibee. You will find them in the malls of Davao and along the major streets.

Finally, always remember that most restaurants in the city adhere to city guidelines on quality of food and service, so have confidence and happy eating.

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Another article by Ramesh Dataya in response to the previous article on fine dining.

Metro Davao prides itself with various food venues that truly appeals to both our appetite and cravings; truly a Land of Promise for Filipinos and foreigners alike. Title absolutely justified! Ask anyone from the city for their favorite restaurants and you’ll surely get excited to try every food destination being suggested.

There are several classifications of restaurants based on the menu style, pricing, preparation, as well as the way the customers are being served and certainly, one of the sought after restaurants in Southern Mindanao are the fine dining restaurants.

Defined as full service restaurants with a specific meal course, interiors of fine dining restaurants showcase higher quality and sophistication. The restaurateur employs highly trained staff featuring a more formal and decent attire. Fine dining is perceived to be a privilege of a select few, unlike fast-food, family style, and casual dining restaurants because of the classy ambiance and highly satisfying food choices.

Below are the three highly recommended fine dining spots in Davao:

Lotus Court, Marco Polo Davao

Located in the heart of the city; at the junction of Claro M. Recto Street and Manuel Roxas Avenue, is the Marco Polo Davao. Winning the 2007 Hotel of the Year Award, besting all other Marco Polo hotels in Cebu, and Beijing, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Xiamen and Wuhan in China, proves that Marco Polo Davao emerges as a true-world class hotel. You may choose any of the five restaurants serving exquisite cuisines from international buffet at Café Marco to Cantonese delight at Lotus Court.

Lotus Court, Marco Polo’s premier fine dining Cantonese restaurant offers the finest choices of fresh quality seafood, served in an elegant and stylish setting, highlighted with warm Filipino hospitality. With four private rooms that are truly perfect for private parties, family or social gatherings, and business meetings, the restaurant is located at the 3rd floor of the hotel. Also, it has a total seating capacity of 228 persons.

Lotus Court is open on:

Lunch: 11:00 am to 2:30 pm
Dinner: 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm

For inquiries and reservations you may reach them at (082) 221-0888 local 7232.

La Parilla, Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao

Relax and dine at the La Parilla Grill and Restaurant, as you treat yourself to sumptuous food creations. Located at Lanang, Davao City and nestled all along the picturesque Davao Gulf, La Parilla never fails to satisfy every guests of the Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao. The modernly designed Filipiniana interiors with luxurious amenities and of course a tropical taste to the flavors of Davao welcome every foreign and local guest to an exceptionally Davao dining experience.

The open-air Seafood Restaurant offers seasoned-inspired menus and signature entreés. Anticipation rises to a new level as everyone looks forward for the Lobster Night. Yes! Have your stomachs ready for a mouth-watering lobster dinner; great with chili sauce. Other well-remembered options are tuna kinilaw and the grilled prawns, among other savory specialties in the midst of a nightly live entertainment. A 90-person total seating capacity restaurant, La Parilla is open from Tuesdays to Saturdays, 5:00 PM – 11:00 pm. Dining at the “al fresco“, La Parilla will certainly bring the fond friendships and close family ties together and bolder.

For further information and queries, La Parilla Grill and Restaurant can be reached at (082) 233-2881 loc. 8701

Claude’s Café de Ville

In a quest for a more private and romantic restaurant, one can dine in a relative silence to complete the highly adored French and Continental fine dining. Davao takes pride for having Claude’s Café de Ville as the well-loved restaurant for French Provencal and Mediterranean Cuisine. Now on its 15th year of operations, Claude’s Café de Ville remains to enjoy a regular patronage from businessmen, executives, and tourists with Chef Claude Le Neindre and his wife Theresa Villanueva Le Neindre taking the role as the primary drivers of its success and legacy.

It’s a crowd-drawer for their steaks and Ceasar salad; remarkably the best in town. Few of the top favorites include the rib eye in mushroom sauce, Lamb Chops Vert Pré, shrimp cocktail smothered with light dressing, tomatoes and avocado, Crepe Samurai, Roast Chicken Forrestierre, and salmon patae with a slice of a lightly toasted French bread. Because of its quality food offerings marked with classiness and variety, Maurice Arcache, a well-known social arbiter and columnist featured Claude’s Café de Ville in his book entitled Cosmo Dine in 1997. Feature write-ups in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine F and B Magazine and other lifestyle magazines proves that it’s a dining place worthy to be regarded as the first and only authentic French and Mediterranean Cuisine in the South.

Claude’s Café de Ville is located at 29 Rizal St, Paseo de Habana, Davao City. You may call them at (082) 222-4287.

Other Options

Categorized as semi-fine dining restaurants, below are a few to consider:

Café Mediterranean
Chimes Bldg., Gov. Sales St. Chinatown District Davao City
(082) 225-0975

Bigby’s Café and Restaurant
Metro Lifestyle Center, Jacinto Extension, Davao City
(082) 221-0111

Ground Flr. SM City Davao
(082) 298-0111

Polo Bistro
4th Flr. Marco Polo Hotel Davao
(082) 221-0888

Swiss Deli Davao
Lanang, Davao City
(082) 2340271

Hola España Bodega de Vinos y Deli
Damosa Gateway, Lanang, Davao City
(082) 2346877

Above is just a part and parcel of what Davaoeños are adept of doing. Davao City has a lot more to offer to the Filipinos and to the rest of the world. Culinary expertise along with the much valued and appreciated services speaks something of Davao’s dedication in providing global productivity and efficiency.

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This article is written by Julius Neil Piala. A true-blooded Davaoneo, Julius has earned a degree in Communications Arts from the prestigious Santo Tomas University in Manila. He has traveled extensively around the Philippines.