When we went back last summer to Davao for our yearly visit, we asked my brother in law, what new restaurants have opened that they have tried. One place always came up, Ronaldo’s, so we scheduled a lunch trip to try it out.
The place has a funky orange and green colored signage beguiling diners into a sense of quirkiness but once the doors open one is ushered into a sea of sophisticated charm of whites and browns. Despite the sophistication, they still manage to inject a sense of playfulness through the all white plates and cutlery mounted on the wall.
After we had ordered, two plates of bread were laid down containing pizza slices and squid ink bread (yes you read that right, squid ink). Irene and I thought it was kinda weird and she prodded me to try it first. I nibbled on the corner, hmm the taste is not what i expected, it tasted somewhat like rye bread with nary a hint of the squid ink. Next I added some mango chutney they had serve with the bread, and it matched up quite well.
First to arrive among our orders was the Malagos Pizza (P260), a simple pizza with cheese, tuyo and generous amount of arugula. The pizza tasted like a mix of peppery, salty and sweet from the drizzled liquid on top, my guess was sweet balsamic vinegar. This served as a light starter to get our appetite going.
Irene had Hamonado Half-cured Chicken (P260) which was suggested by my BIL as a favorite of theirs. Its not the most looking of dishes, it looks somewhat like an embotido. The chicken had a deep smoky flavor while the meat was very tender.
I zeroed in on Prawns Suzette (P350),partly because I had a little too much lechon the night before and my penchant for citrusy food. The prawns came with a lemon and orange whisked butter sauce and a siding of pasta. I coated the prawn pieces in the butter whose richness was tempered by the citrus hints. Since there was
a lot of citrus butter sauce, I coated my pasta with it also, by the time I noticed it the contents of my plate had disappeared save a couple of shrimp heads as evidence.
My BIL ordered the Cedar Planked Salmon (P495) which looked quite delicious served in the small wooden plank in was cooked in. I was not able to taste but I could just imagine the flavor seeping into the fish.
Time for dessert, Banana Cherry Mousse (P110). The mousse was ensconced in a tart with a small scoop of marachino ice cream on top and crowned with a orange cotton candy like fluff, which was immediately appropriated by Lauren. The size of the dessert surprised me, I think I could have finished the tart in one bite. The banana mousse was delicious and proved a nice match to the cherry ice cream kinda reminding me of parts of a banana split.
Before heading home , ladies should definitely check out the powder room. Here’s a peek inside from a photo Irene took.
Ronaldo’s aims to use local produce and served it with a decidedly European flair. This endeavor for quality comes at a price, dishes are priced quite a bit higher that what one would readily expect in Davao. Ronaldo’s addresses the need for a special occasion destination in a restaurant scene bursting with grills and buffets.
Ronaldo’s
Holiday Gym and Spa Complex, F. Torres Street, Davao City.Like this post? Subscribe to Tales From The Tummy by Email
Looks quite promising. I will definitely try it sometime this month! I had been doing a bit of research on Ronaldo’s to see what other bloggers think about it.
Finally had the chance to try them out! I love this place – the ambiance, the quality of the food, and the reasonable prices! I would highly recommend them :)
I enjoyed my experience also, glad you did too.