Davao Delicious

Aseya Bistro Orientale opened exactly a year and a day ago, and yesterday, on their first anniversary, they accommodated 10 bloggers for the 7th leg of the Davao Food Trip. And what a feast it was!

Aseya, as their name implies, is a place for Oriental / Asian cuisine. They offer Filipino, Japanese, Vietnamese and Thai dishes, and some very invigorating fusion food as well. A prime example of this is their Salmon Sinigang. Don’t fail to try this exotic concoction!

For the Food Trip, our hosts Ponchit & Lani Ponce Enrile prepared the following dishes for us:

Aseya Salad (P90). A healthy mix of lettuce, bean sprouts, cucumbers, carrots, spices, and more. There’s even a piece of kropok (very much like kropek). The dressing is made of peanut sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame seeds. It’s a great start to a great meal.

Goi Cuon (P100) or Spring Rolls. It’s what you might expect of Vietnamese rolls, but they add mahu to it — it’s the shredded pork that the Chinese use.

Tom Yum Kung (P140). This is one of my favorites at Aseya. It’s a Thai dish with shrimp and vegetables in a thick, red, spicy soup. One order serves 4 to 5.

Muphad Kaprao (P100). Hot & spicy! I would’ve wanted this to be even hotter… but our hosts were correct in thinking not all of us would appreciate very spicy food. Too bad. This is a good appetizer to open up your palate for more of Aseya’s delicious dishes.

Tofu with Chicken & Mushrooms (P120). I love the way Aseya prepares their tofu dishes! This one definitely hits the spot. Another must-try is their Agedashi Tofu.

Kamameshi (P120~P140). Lani’s family owns the Kamameshi chain of Japanese restaurants in Metro Manila and San Francisco, California. No wonder their kamameshi offerings at Aseya are top-notch. We had four different varieties: Chicken (their #1 most-ordered), Kani, Seafood, and Mixed. Each order serves 3 to 4.

Sukiyaki (P180). I swear, Aseya’s sukiyaki could give Japanese restaurants a run for their money. Just one sip of the sauce (no, I don’t think it’s a soup) and you can tell they use only authentic Japanese ingredients. This was the crowning glory of the bloggers’ feast yesterday. One order of Aseya’s sukiyaki serves 4… only 3 if you’re eating with me!

Congratulations to Ponchit & Lani for one year of terrific cooking in Davao! Aseya is most certainly one bistro Dabawenyos can be proud of. Even their coffee and green tea are good!

Aseya Bistro Orientale is located at the ground floor of Humberto’s Inn, J. Palma Gil corner Padre Gomez Sts., Davao City. Tel.: 222-3831 local 131. Shop hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 6:00 AM - 11:00 PM; Monday, 6:00 AM - 2:00 PM.

Photos courtesy of Andrew dela Serna.

Tags: Filipino, Japanese, kamameshi, sukiyaki, Thai, Vietnamese

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