Tinto

Chocolate Suman

Jo's Inato (Siliman)

Red Rock

Pulangbato Twin Falls

La Casona

Lab.as

Bravo Hotel

Sans Rival

To my chagrin, I found an orphaned picture in my SD card, that of Sans Rival bakeshop in Dumaguete, and upon my investigation, I learned that I had totally forgotten to write about them. After relishing their oh so yummy silvanas all these years, how could I forget?  Light buttery filling, crunchy coat, just the right sweetness.  Perfect for desserts or mid-afternoon snacks; I am sure you will end up wanting more!  A box costs around P150 thereabouts, but you have to fly to Dumaguete to get some... Absolutely addicting!

Taster's Delight

My cousins sent us a box of goodies from Dumaguete, including hamburgers from Taster's Delight.  This burger house was a popular snack house for students in the city center, but had closed shop a few years back. Relatively inexpensive, pricing was just like the bigger burger chains--just around P30 for a cheeseburger.  The burger though is still available in the nearby Howyang store. Homegrown fast food treats in a flash!  Yum yum!

On the Boulevard

While everyone was having breakfast at Chico's I took a fast stroll around the Dumaguete boulevard--memories of running around here when we were kids came flooding back.  Kong Kong used to tell me stories about there being a diving platform located several meters off the shoreline, and that when they were kids, the siblings would swim all the way up to the platform.  The boulevard is different now, more ships to see, more pubs blaring loud music, more tourists, more hotels--progress is evident.  Thinking out loud, I kept on humming to myself that Manhattan Transfer song "On the Boulevard," and I just had a big smile on my face, reminiscing about the good old days!

Marker commemorating the arrival of the sisters of St. Paul

Ang Tay Golf Course

Another 9 hole golf course in Dumaguete City that we found was the Ang Tay golf course, which is located just within city limits, very near the airport.  We weren't able to go all the way in, but we had a brief stop at the driving range.  I understand the for 18 holes (2 rounds of 9 holes each), the green fee is only P1,700 which, the golfers say, is very reasonable.  Don't know much about the difficulty level though, but seems like a pretty easy flat course for my friends who are probably single-digit handicappers.  Naks naman!

Chico's

Eddie took us for a fast brekky at Chico's, along the seafront boulevard.  This place is a haven for continental deli items, and we found ourselves indulging in various meats.  Pricing is very reasonable, around P250 per head on the average.

They also have a good selection of wines and liqueurs, canned produce, meats and veggies, and I realized that the city had a good number of Europeans and Americans, as the door seemed to open up to expats every 5 minutes or so.  Talk about cultural diversity in this small university town!

Howyang

My cousin Mae Mae invited us to have dinner at Howyang Chinese restaurant along Alfonso XIII, the main road in the heart of Dumaguete.  The place was reserved for the whole clan, and we virtually had a feast!  Prawns, steamed fish, squid rings, oyster egg, lechon, dinuguan,  and various veggies--wow!  We were stuffed!

The restaurant is more like a casual dining place on regular days, and food is prepared like short orders.  While the place specializes in Chinese food, they are flexible and can cook a wide range of dishes--they even have burgers for kids!

Bravo Golf Course

Since my friends are golfers, I also had to look for courses for them to play in.  We wound up at Bravo Golf course, and took time out for merienda!  Kong Kong loves golf, and we've spent lots of chow time at golf lounges like this--ah, the nice fresh air, and the beautiful scenery!

 I can say that the food rivals the best in Manila!  We all shared some seafood and cream pasta, pizza and squid rings, and the kids had halo-halo to boot!

The course is one of the oldest in the country, was founded during the pre-war era.  While this course only has 9 holes, the natural rolling terrain makes a pleasurable play; besides, it's perfectly acceptable to play the course twice!  The owners are building a hotel adjacent to the clubhouse, and once operational in 2014, this would be a good candidate for our group to check in.