Tori Grill Review

A new grill/Japanese restaurant has emerged in the city! As self-professed Japanese food lovers, we could not help but get excited at the thought of dining at Tori Grill. The idea of dining in a Japanese restaurant sans sushi is a bit alien but as adventurous foodies (as we like to refer to ourselves now), we were still filled with anticipation.

The Good: One of the things that I remember most about dining in Tori Grill is the taste of their grilled selections. All items are well seasoned even diners with discerning taste buds will give them a passing mark. And if you had been paying attention to your food, you can also tell that they use fresh ingredients.

The Bad: The fact that the food tastes good in Tori Grill cannot make us overlook a few shortcomings about our dining experience, though. The reasonable prices on their menu is something to be commended for. However, the serving sizes were a tad too small. They're even smaller than a kiddie sized meal. They could argue that they have kept serving sizes commensurate to the prices. But we would have appreciated it if the waitress warned us about just how small these servings are. Given the taste and quality of their Japanese barbecues, I would be willing to pay more (and consequently get a bigger serving!).

Another important observation we made during our dine: the menu. I have noticed that they have listed the menu items in Japanese. Even a Japanese food aficionado myself is not that well versed in all dishes in the cuisine. Hence, they could have listed an English description below the Japanese names of the dishes, just so diners have an idea on what they're going to order.

In case you are curious, I got to sample these:

Meal 1 (PhP 84): 2 negima (chicken thigh), 1 okura bacon (okra wrapped with bacon), and 1 torikawa (chicken skin)
*You can add PhP 30 for unlimited rice, miso and salad.
Aspara Bacon (PhP 35 per stick): Asparagus wrapped with bacon
Uzura Bacon (PhP 35 per stick): Quail egg wrapped with bacon

We wish to not make any conclusive opinion about Tori Grill. Hopefully, if the proprietors read this, they will consider this as one of  honest feedback they get from customers and use that to make improvements.

Tori Grill is located at Quirino Avenue, corner General Luna St., Davao City.

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Dencia's: Old-Time Favorite

This blog has been around for roughly 4-5 years now but it has not dawned onto me until recently that I have not got around to writing a review on Dencia's. When you talk about Davao food and restaurants, there is one place you cannot afford not to include in the list: Davao Dencia's Restaurant. This restaurant has notably turned into one of the landmarks of the city and is recommended with pride by locals to tourists coming into the city for the first time.

Dencia's actually traces its roots in Manila and first opened way back in the 1950s. The husband-and-wife team of Mr. Olegario and Soo te Brito, founded Dencia's. When they moved to Davao, they decided to bring Dencia's with them. Ever since then, the culinary landscape in Davao has never been the same.

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The two-storey building where the restaurant sits is within walking distance from other notable landmarks in the city. Hence, accessibility is the heart of this restaurant. But that is not all. They are lauded for producing remarkable Filipino-Chinese dishes that scream comfort food. Among their most famous dishes in the restaurant are the Tokwa't Baboy and their Lugaw.

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On our recent trip to Dencia's, we opted for the non-conventional choices. The Inihaw na Pork Chop (PhP 75) and Shrimps ala Newburg (PhP 195) were among the items we sampled. Do not be deceived by the looks as even though the Inihaw na Pork Chop is lacking in presentation, it does not lack anything when it comes to the taste department. The pork is soft and well seasoned that you can eat it on its own without needing any dips or sauces. Meanwhlile, the shrimp dish also does not scrimp on taste and serving size. And you have to appreciate restaurants that serve fresh seafood ingredients!

Have you been to Dencia's? What is your favorite dish from the restaurant?

Davao Dencia's Restaurant is located at General Luna Street, Davao City. For reservations, you can contact them at (082) 227-6777 or (082) 226-4336. They are open Mondays to Sundays from 7AM to 9PM. You can also check out their Facebook page here.

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