Delicious destinations in Dumaguete
MANILA, Philippines - Dumaguete City is a great alternative destination where one can wind down after the frenetic pace of active sports, parties and summer vacation fun. Its laidback pace, greenery, expansive spaces and proximity to scenic spots and diving destinations are part of the attraction. But, unquestionably, it is the friendly citizens and interesting mix of native and introduced cultures that greatly add to the city’s charm.
Known as “the city of the gentle people,” Dumaguete’s name seems to have been derived from a word with less than peaceful connotations, however. “Daggit” in a local Visayan dialect means “to snatch or seize,” and local lore relates that marauding pirates once pillaged the coastal settlement, taking with them villagers as prisoners and slaves.
Thus, the belfry of the St. Alexandria Cathedral once served the dual role as a bell tower and lookout, so that residents could be warned of impending danger. Fortunately, the main risk to visitors today is that they are usually enticed to stay longer to indulge in the city’s diverse delights.
We were in Dumaguete recently to sample its various attractions and were pleased with what we found. Silliman University and its wide avenues lined with century-old acacia trees is particularly appealing, not only for its extensive library or museum with fascinating relics of both indigenous and foreign culture, but also for its famous cheese bread.
“You should try it when it is fresh out of the oven,” said Mark Garcia, director of the university’s information and publications office, while encouraging us to more servings of a delicious mid- morning sampling of two varieties of bibingka, sweet mangoes and budbud kabog, a suman that is made from millet. Seated at the verandah of the building that housed the museum and enjoying a view of Rizal Boulevard and the ocean beyond, we sipped a thick, delicious tsokolate-eh to go with the native cakes and secretly wished for a hammock. We started to comprehend that Dumaguete nurtures poets, artists and dreamers because one has the luxury of introspection and imagination in this calm, quiet and friendly place.
It was from native delicacies to European-inspired sweets and at Sans Rival Cakes and Pastries, named after the confection, that we enjoyed the local version of the meringue and butter cream sans rival dessert (P25 per slice). The outlet’s silvanas, pieces of round-shaped meringue enclosing a butter cream filling were truly outstanding at P10 a piece. These were not overly sweet, and were rich, crisp, chewy, and buttery all at the same time. Definitely these were best quality goodies at prices hard to beat. Not surprisingly, the pastry shop started by Trinidad Teves Sagarbarria in 1977 continues to attract an enthusiastic and loyal following.
Although we certainly love desserts, we had to eat proper meals. On this trip, we enjoyed the seafood and grilled meat at Lab-as Restaurant, contemporary cuisine at South Sea Hotel’s Likha Tapas and Vodka Bar and Mexican fare at Mooon Café in Robinsons Place mall. The callos at Mamia’s along Rizal Boulevard was also truly outstanding. And, if an after-dinner stroll along Rizal Boulevard should get the gastric juices going again, a variety of local street food can be sampled until late in the evening.
Alternatively, there are other establishments that serve Swiss, Spanish, Italian, American, Korean, Chinese and other types of cuisine throughout the city.
Admittedly, however, it is difficult to resist the call of the mall. And so, we went off to explore Robinsons Place Dumaguete, the city’s first full-service mall opened in November last year. With two levels and a floor area of approximately 34,000 square meters, the mall has the usual areas for restaurants and al fresco dining, apparel and fashion, cinema and amusement, as well as service and IT zones.
What caught our attention, however, was what was called the Artist’s Alley, which had paintings for sale. “This is just one way of supporting our local artists,” said Joseph Sian, Robinsons Malls group property manager for Robinsons Place Dumaguete, Robinsons Place Bacolod and Robinsons Cybergate Bacolod. He notes that local singers and bands also occasionally perform in the al fresco dining zone.
How does a mall affect the culture of Dumaguete? “Apart from providing a venue for family bonding, we make shopping more convenient for both locals and those who reside in nearby towns,” continued Sian. “Malling is a new activity in this area, but the variety of competitively priced, good-quality items sold in our various outlets make us a preferred shopping destination. Our supermarket, for example, carries items that would otherwise be hard to get in the area.” Certainly, this is a bonus for Dumaguete’s growing expatriate community and lifestyle and food-savvy residents.
For us, however, an unexpected surprise was to be had at Robinsons Place’s Booksale outlet: pristine copies of Jack Kerouac’s The Dharma Bums and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson for a food-for-the-brain grand total of P160. Yum! Even the book choices in Dumaguete are delicious!
