The best way to enjoy Davao aside from its spectacular sceneries and bustling metropolis is to be at the far flung areas where it is tranquil and peaceful. It is at Calinan where you will find this place. It is full of plantation and it is also the place going to the mountain ranges of Bukidnon.

Durian and Red Horse

As part of my itinerary every time I travel, I always search for the best food there is. Here in Davao, I found a place for ginataan and crispy hito (cat fish).  It is very unusual in Davao to have cat fish since the place is so blessed with salt water fishes. I was brought my friend Tyron to a restaurant named Santander and he let me try their specialty,” Ginataang Hito”. But first, we had our durian while waiting for the hito and a couple of beer as we call it “pampaganda” (appetizer).  

Ginataang Hito

Then came the main dish of the event. That is ginataan and crispy Hito.  The Ginataan hito was so delicious.  They used luyang dilaw (turmeric) with coconut milk and long chilis. It was served hot and on a banana leaf. The meat was so soft and the combination of the gata and luyang dilaw really made a wonderful taste.

Gata Rice

As a matter of fact, I even mixed the sauce to my rice and created my own version of gata rice. Hehe.

Crispy Hito

Eating my gata rice was a perfect with the cripy hito. It was a very good food adventure that I highly recommend.

Santander, Kainan ng Bayan

The name of the restaurant is “Santander, Kainan ng Bayan, Inato Lang Ihaw Ihaw” or simply, “SANTANDER”.  I guess the secret of the wonderful Hito dishes is the freshness. They have an aquarium where all the live cat fishes are stored.  Once you order, they will get it live and will cook it. This style of food handling makes a big difference when it comes to the taste plus their way of cooking with plenty of spices has created a culinary masterpiece.

Live Catfish

SANTANDER is located along the highway of Calinan, Davao City. As a matter of fact, they have a place at the back of the restaurant where you can have a much more relaxed ambiance.

Kainan sa Bukid

To my fellow food lovers, this is a must when you go to Davao. SANTANDER is highly recommended and I will surely go back to this place when I visit Davao once again.

Santander

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Durian is the fruit that I always associate with Davao. When I am in Davao, this wonderful gift from God is always present as my favorite dessert and sometimes in between meals. October is fruit season and this wonderful fruit can be found everywhere in the city as well as to other places in Mindanao.   For this durian experience, I tasted the Arancillo variety. It has a sight bitter taste aside from the sweetness it has.  Some people doesn’t like it because of the smell. It has a strong smell that either attracts or repels people. For me, I am attracted to it.   

Durian has its spell to those who taste it. For the first timer, I suggest you try the Puyat or Chanee variety. It is much sweeter less the bitterness. It has a distinct taste that you attract you. Just like when I first tasted it, I swore that I will not eat again. However, sworn statements are meant to be broken. Hehehe.  I cannot resist it taste and up to now, I an a loyal durian fan.  No wonder, it is called the King of all Fruits.

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You cannot complete your paragraph about your experience in Davao unless you put a period with a Durian. This fruit is also common in other South East Asian countries. In Davao, there are plenty of fruits to choose from. Everywhere you can see people selling fruits. Name it, they have it. But this particular fruit has conquered the taste buds of the people in this place as well as to other areas in Mindanao. The taste is sweet, a little bit bitter and has a strong smell. Others may shy away upon smelling its odor, but for me the stronger the smell, the better!!! That is how I adore and respect the king of fruit.

Where to Find

Durian is very much common in Mindanao. In Davao, I use to have this along Magsaysay Boulevard, Bangkerohan, Lanang area even in the Downtown area along Ilustre st. The variety are vast like Puyat, Chanee, Kob, Arancillo, Montong and of course, the home grown and my favorite, Native. Each and every variety has its unique taste. Our farmers have also cross bred and they came out with a different sting. There is also the unique Kradum that was perfected in Butuan. This is a little bit expensive but the taste and texture is true to its promise. In Davao, I was fortunate to taste a cross breed between Arancillo and Puyat. It is called Puyat-Tapul. The taste is sweet with a little bit of bitterness. It has a small seed which is wrapped around with a big Durian Meat. I suggest for the first timers, try to eat a small portion but make it more frequent. Once you captured the taste, I’m very much sure that you will be just like me who can consume a fruit that weights 2 kilos in just one sitting.

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