Basti's Brew Coffee Station

Category: Coffee Shop.

Basti's Brew is located in Victoria Plaza Mall on the first floor. I have been going to Basti's Brew for years and one of my favorite Coffee Shops in Davao City. It is also a favorite with the IT Professionals in Davao. Most of the time I am the only one out of 20 or so persons there that does not have a Laptop Computer.

Today (May 12, 2008) after having a good Breakfast at Sana's Carinderia we went to Victoria Plaza to do some shopping and had about 30 minutes to kill before they opened. I decided to go to Basti's Brew and have a cup of Coffee and wait for the Mall to open. They open at 9am, an hour before the Mall opens. I noticed that the smoking area was larger and they have nicer tables and chairs now. The coffee and service was good.

Rating (Scale 1-10 with 10 being the highest):

Food: 6

Service: 7

Ambiance: 7

Recommendation: Very good. A regular cup of brewed coffee at Basti's Brew is only P45 were at other Mall Coffee Shops it is P65. They have a good menu with specials that change every week or two. For the ones that smoke they have a very nice area.

Basti's Brew Coffee Station

Victoria Plaza Mall

J.P. Laurel Avenue, Bajada, Davao City

224-5061

Sana's Carinderia (Original Kabawan)

Category: Filipino Foods / Carinderia

Today (May 12, 2008) the wife, sister-in-law and myself went back to Sana's for breakfast. On our first visit to Sana's I got to meet the son who I found out is married and has two young daughters. Today I got to meet the original owner. She is a very nice lady and we hit it off great. She said her and her husband had been saving up money for years to build a new building when he got sick and Davao Doctor's Hospital got it all plus a lot more.

The soup today was better then our first visit. It had a lot more meat in it and was a bit more spicy. The service was good or even better. We told them we wanted the same as last time and in two minutes we were eating.

Rating (1-10 with 10 being the highest):

Food: 8

Service: 9

Ambiance: 5

Recommendation: Very Good. We got to Sana's for Breakfast at about 8:30am. We were told they are ready to serve at 7am. Next time we will get there a little earlier. Good food and service. They told us between 11am and 12 noon they are very busy. The owner said I was the 3rd or 4th foreigner to ever eat there in 35 years.

Sana's Carinderia (Original Kabawan)

J. Luna Street, Davao City

Probinsya Restaurant

Category: Filipino Foods / Buffet.

Probinsya is located in Victoria Plaza Compound. We have only been here one time and that was for Breakfast a few weeks ago. We got their rather late and the buffet line was pretty much picked clean. What we did have was good. Breakfast was only P118 and that came with free drinks.

Rating (Scale 1-10 with 10 being the highest):

Food: 5

Service: 5

Ambiance: 5

Recommendation: Good. It would have been nice if the Staff had told us Breakfast was just about over and getting ready for lunch. We will give them one more try and see if it is better. Lunch and Dinner P238 with Bottomless Juices. I think they will have a hard time beating Buffet Palace for lunch and dinner.

Probinsya

Victoria Plaza Compound

J.P. Laurel Avenue, Bajada, Davao City

225-1455 - 56

Oriental Buffet Palace

Category: Filipino Buffet.

Buffet Palace is located in the Victoria Plaza Compound next to Metro Bank. The wife and I enjoy going here for some good food and the best Mango Float in town. I have always liked their Fried Chicken when they have it. The price for lunch and dinner buffet is P248.

Rating (1-10 with 10 being the highest):

Food: 6

Service: 6

Ambiance: 5

Recommendation: Good. This has been a favorite place of ours for years. They have good food and a nice Halo-Halo station. They do not have that many main dish selections, but enough. I have never left there hungry. Buffet Palace can be very busy so get their early. I think they open for lunch at 11am and dinner at 5pm.

Oriental Buffet Palace

Victoria Plaza Compound

J.P. Laurel Avenue, Bajada, Davao City

224-5157

Five One Coffee Shop

Category: Coffee Shop.

Located in the Victoria Plaza Compound next to Metro Bank on J.P. Laurel Avenue, Bajada, Davao City. I had been going here once or twice a week for over six months until I put myself on their Black List. It was a nice place to hang-out waiting for the Mall to open or waiting for the wife to take care of business in Metro Bank.

51 Coffee Shop is owned by a Japanese guy and his Filipino wife. It has been at this location for 3 or 4 years. The coffee, food and service is average at best.

Rating (Scale 1-10 with 10 being the highest):

Food: 5

Service: 5

Ambiance: 5

Recommendation: Good. I will never step foot in this place ever again. The owner has to many rules and shows no respect for the staff or his customers. Rule number 106 is what broke this foreigners back. The ATM was off-line so the wife and I decided to go next door to the Coffee Shop. We had a big breakfast a few minutes before getting here. I ordered a cup of coffee and the wife did not want anything now, maybe later she said. The waitress gave the wife a dirty look and left to get my coffee. When the waitress put the coffee on the table she told the wife she would have to wait outside if she was not going to order anything. The wife and I have been regular customers here for over six months. The wife waiting outside and me inside did not go over that well with me and had tell them what was on my mind. As we were leaving the waitress had the nerve to ask me to pay for the coffee. With the Security Guard hot on my tail as we got outside a Davao Police Officer who just happens to be our neighbor and good friend pulled up on his motorcycle in front of Metro Bank. I told the guard to get his boss so we could have a little talk. The owner looked out the window but would not come outside.

Five One Coffee Shop

Victoria Plaza Compound

J.P. Laurel Avenue, Bajada, Davao City

Miami Food & Bakeshop

Category: Bake Goods.

Miami Bakery is located on C.M. Recto Avenue, Davao City. It is to the left of the Marco Polo Hotel. It is a small bakery that bakes everything on site. They have good Pandesal and bread. They also serve Filipino breakfast. The girls that work there are very friendly and fun to talk to.

Rating (Scale 1-10 with 10 being the highest):

Food: 6

Service: 7

Ambiance: 5

Recommendation: Good. A nice bakery to kick back and wait for the hot Bake Goods to come out of the ovens. I specially like their hot Cinnamon Rolls and their Pandesal. I have to drink instant coffee, but that is OK. They have some good sliced bread that I buy at Victoria Plaza grocery. The only problem is that it is across the street from Aldevinco Shopping Center. Having a white face, every person selling jewelery and watches tries to get me to buy something. Some are fun to talk to and others are a big pain in the butt. Most know me by now and ask me once to buy and keep walking.

Miami Food & Bakeshop

127 C.M. Recto Avenue, Davao City

221-0305

Cafe Marco at Marco Polo Hotel

Category: International Foods.

Cafe Marco is located on the second floor of the Marco Polo Hotel Davao. If you want the very best cuisine in Davao City and cost is no object then Cafe Marco is for you. I have been a Marco Polo Privilege Gold Card member for over five years. The wife and I were eating at Cafe Marco at least 3 or 4 times a week for over three years. We had to cut back to 3 or 4 times a month. We were both putting on the pounds.

Cafe Marco is a Buffet that beats hands down any Buffet I had ever been to before and I have been to my share. The food is well prepared and beautifully displayed. The service is unbeatable as it should be in a 5-Star hotel.

Rating (1-10 with 10 being the highest)"

Food: 10

Service: 10

Ambiance: 9

Recommendation: Excellent. Cafe Marco has everyone beat as far as great food and service. We are friends or neighbors of most of the people that work there and we still are greeted with Mr. & Mrs. Branham. The people that work there are dedicated professionals and make for a great dinning experience. You can show up in a three piece business suit or shorts and you will be treated like a king or queen. The food is great and the selection are an adventure in its self.

Cafe Marco

Marco Polo Hotel

C.M. Recto Avenue, Davao City

221-0888