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Sooo Pinoy in Davao City at Patok sa Manok

Even though I know we will be visiting 6-7 restaurants in a day, I can't help to have a heavy breakfast especially in one which serves this mouth-watering lechon manok. These were so juicy inside-out, with the skin, cholesteroliffic as it may seem was a big hit, as everyone went scrambling to have a piece  Our third day in Davao City commenced in an almost 30-year old restaurant that started with only a singular item - roasted chicken. "We are are the first lechon manok in Davao." says owner Lena Benedicto."During the peak time then we can sell as much 50 lechon manok an hour". The locals were so gastronomically engrossed that we really lived up to our name - Patok sa Manok!
I was part of Sooo Pinoy, Food Trip na Pilipinas! which is set to visit 300 restaurants in 10 key regions/areas in 10 months all over the Philippines. Davao is the 4th food stop after Iloilo, Boracay and Cebu that started last March. The goal of the Food Trip is to show that Filipino dishes per region have different identities based on the culture, lifestyle and history of the area.  The Food Trip also aims to show that there are many Filipino recipes from different regions of the Philippines, each having its own specialty that has to be recognized for the unique flavor it adds to the Filipino Cuisine.
I was expecting to be in an al fresco, grill restaurant but was really surprised to be in an air-conditioned tur-turo that can seat hundreds of patrons and more in their functions rooms for private gatherings just like ours. That's where the Sooo Pinoy Foodie Team gathered and did our thing - taking photos, interviews, taste test and had breakfast. Patok sa Manok served us a breakfast consisting of Dabawenyo cuisine and of course their specialties.
One of the first to catch my attention was this Adobong Buntot ng Bariles (tuna) with that distinct tuna aroma and taste. It was so big it almost occupied the whole pan.
Then there's Kalderetang Kambing - saucy, soft and flavourful they say. I passed on this despite my hunger,
Again there's tuna but in Kinilaw form which is a staple in almost all Davao restaurants and food joints.
The Fried Liempo looked very appetizing because of its almost chicharon like skin and indeed it was delicious.
I also liked the saucy Pancit Canton which had very generous amount of sahog - almost a complete meal it self.
Even the Pork Barbecue sport the trademark Patok sa Manok timpla for the marinade making it as delicious as well.
A surprising item on the menu which at first I thought to be just any fried meat like chicken cordon bleu turned out to be a Seafood Roll. It was a light fried item with every bite, you'll have vegetables (they're still fresh), crabrolls and others. A very "refreshing" fried dish - ironically.
Despite being Goat Kinilaw, I still tried this dish because it was appetizing to look at and the aroma was just too enticing.
And now the Spare Ribs swimming in savoury sauce - need I say more? Yes, and it's very delicious!
And here are Squid in Sambal Sauce. Sambal is a condiment that is chili-based. Typically made from a variety of chili peppers, it is sometimes a substitute for fresh chilis and can be extremely spicy for the uninitiated. Some ready-made sambals are available at exotic food markets or gourmet departments in supermarkets in many countries.(Wikipedia)
And finally desserts! I thought we would never get to this point as Patok sa Manok simply gave us a breakfast fiesta. And we also feasted on their leche flan and turon which were so indulgent that i had more than one serving of these two (and I won't tell how many). Indeed it was a delectable ending to our gastronomic stint and I just remembered this was just breakfast and we have 5-6 restaurants to go after. it was a breakfast Sooo Patok, Sooo Pinoy!


Filipinos are encouraged to join and support the Sooo Pinoy movement, a partnership between Unilever Food Solutions and the Department of Tourism, and go on a gastronomic adventure that both fills the stomach and enriches our awareness of our own identity.   To know more about the campaign, food lovers are invited to like the Sooo Pinoy page on Facebook and follow @SoooPinoy on Twitter


Sooo Pinoy Epic DAVAO Food Trip: June 25-29, 2012

DAY 1: Round up | Dencio's Kamayan | Grand Regal Hotel | Barbeque Boss
DAY 2: Round up | Probinsya | Ahfat Seafoods Plaza | D'Leonor HotelThe Ritz at Garden Oases | E.Y.'s Tuna | Flyover Ihaw-Ihaw
DAY 3: Round up | Patok sa Manok | Marina Tuna | Waterfront Insular Hotel |  Paradise Island Park | Garden by the Bay Resort | Taklobo at Jack's Ridge
DAY 4: Round up | Kusina Selera | Binggoy's Lounge | KusinerosGlamour Crabs Buffet | Tiny Kitchen | Pansititoy | Kookel's
DAY 5: Round up | Harana | Penong's | Chippen's | Yellow Fin | Fiesta Dabaw

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