Cagayan de Oro's Missy Bon Bon for Durian Gelato and Nutty Nutella Cronut

Whenever I travel, I always seek out home-grown restaurants. Usually I'm pressed for time during my work-related trips, thus eating local is how I experience the culture pronto. At Cagayan de Oro, I made a beeline for Missy Bon Bon's dessert selections. From their frozen items, I ordered their excellent Durian Gelato. I love the real fruit goodness and the creamy, silky texture. It was also not too sweet. It was one of the better duran ice creams I had.

I must admit I'm not crazy about food fads, so it took me only now, in faraway Cagayan de Oro, to sample a cronut. Missy Bon Bon's Nutty Nutella is quite good, if a bit oily and tough from sitting too long. I love the mix of nuts and Nutella, and the pockets of cream and Nutella. This is more croissant than donut.


Missy Bon Bon
Centrio Ayala Mall
Corales Ave
Cagayan de Oro

Romulo Cafe's Chocnut Ice Cream

Romulo Cafe is named after famed multi-hyphenate Carlos P. Romulo, best-known as a former president of the UN General Assembly. The restaurant's modern interiors are in black and white, with splashes of green courtesy of plastic coiffured plants. Pictures of the diplomat are everywhere. Like in most of my research expeditions, I came for a well-regarded dish, only to find out that another one is more note-worthy. The chocnut ice cream belongs to the latter.

Chocnut is made of chocolate and crushed peanut. Romulo Cafe's chocnut ice cream is a good translation of this Filipino childhood staple into ice cream. Imagine bright creamy peanut and choco ice cream with real chocnut bits. I'm smitten.

Romulo Cafe
148 Jupiter Street cor Comet Street
Bel Air Village, Makati
(+63) 02 478-6406

Makati's La Grotta Cucina Italiana for Quattro Sapori and Linguine Alla Vongole

Locating La Grotta  is quite a challenge since the frontage is not showy. Just look out for stairs leading to the restaurant at the ground floor of a nondescript building at Rufino Street, Makati.

My lunch-mates and I were raving about the cheesy Quattro Sapori (literally, four flavors). This is two of of our favorite orders. The pizza crust was just right--not too thin, not too thick, floppy enough to fold in like a sandwich. 

The Linguine Vongole (linguine pasta mixed with clams and garlic in white wine sauce) was also a winner. What makes this tasty is lots of garlic and the full, unmistakable goodness of the clams. Rare are the times I come across good seafood pasta.

Give La Grotta a try--reasonable prices, generous portions. Better make reservations.

La Grotta
G/F Etna Bldg
Rufino Street, Legazpi Village
Makati
(+63) 02 894-1320