Let's go for some chow!
I've just had dinner, but I think there is still room for some more. In this post, I'll share with you the second day of my trip to Cagayan de Oro City, which mostly involves food. If you missed part one of this travel series, you can check it out below.
I Rode a Boat! | Taking the Longer Route to Cagayan de Oro City
Morning chow at a strange hotel
The night before, I rushed to get to my hotel after heavy rains welcomed my arrival at the port. My hotel was located in Divisoria, right in the middle of the city, and it was an odd hotel. It was named GC Suites, but that was actually the name of the whole building, and the hotel rooms were located only on the 4th and 5th floors, with the other floors provided for business establishments. The lobby of the hotel was quite colorful, with geometric wall paints and bright-colored furniture. The walls of the hallways were also painted with colorful flowers. My room was nothing fancy, but it was spacious. It had a very small window which you couldn't open, and the walls were plain white except for one part painted with a boat and a bridge and the word VENEZIA.
The elevators of the building had curved glass walls, and you can see the space below. People on the ground floor can also look at you while you make your descent (or ascent). It was quite intimidating having people look at you while being inside a moving elevator.
My hotel room came with free breakfast, but the hotel wasn't the one that prepared the food. I had to go down to the ground floor, where I could get my breakfast at some of the restaurants there. A chicken place served breakfast rice meals, and I ordered their chicken tocino with egg. I had it with coffee, of course. Their tocino was too pale for me. I guess I'm used to the bright pink-dyed ones. I also found them to be too sweet for my liking. But the whole meal was enough to energize me for the day.
Lunch chow at an ugly-named festive restaurant
One of the things I looked forward to on this trip was the restaurants where my colleagues and I would have lunch. After doing our morning work, they suggested we go to this place called Crumbcoat for lunch. I thought the name sounded ugly because it feels weird in the mouth when I say it. Crumbcoat. Dry and crusty come to mind when I say the word. Or maybe it's just me?
Anyway, we arrived at the place, and it definitely did not deserve the name because it was charming and festive. Upon entering, we saw colorful flag garlands on the ceiling. The seats were bright yellow. There were plastic trees and seashell chandeliers. Murals also decorated the walls. We went upstairs, and there were bird cages with soft yellow lights hanging from the ceiling. The middle column of the second floor had plastic branches and leaves, which had lanterns hanging on them.
The place was packed with students, and we were lucky to find empty tables on the second floor. We ordered chicken tenders, chicken wings, tteokbokki, and Maki. The combination of food was crazy. I didn't expect the restaurant to offer a mix of Korean and Japanese food. I didn't notice it at that time, but most of the meat on their menu was chicken. I think the Maki even had chicken in it. The food was good, and we were all satisfied. I had an iced fruit tea while everyone else had milk tea. I still had work to do in the afternoon, and being lactose intolerant, I wanted a calm stomach for the rest of my day.
Dinner chow at a mismatched restaurant
For dinner, I went back to my hotel and decided I wouldn't go far. There was a restaurant on the ground floor called Beaks & Brews. At first, I thought it was a coffee shop because it had "Brews" in its name. And I couldn't properly place that "Beaks' meant chicken. Because how could you? The restaurant was supposed to be a chicken and coffee place.
Anyway, I thought the restaurant looked great. It was aesthetically pleasing with its colorful and well-lit interior. They had artificial leaves hanging from the ceiling, which gave the place a calming vibe.
I looked at their menu, and there were very few options. They had Korean-flavored chicken wings, Bibimbap, and Japanese chicken rice Bowls. I didn't want to eat chicken anymore, but it was already late, and I had little choice. I ended up ordering the Karaage Don.
I made my way to a table and saw a large mural on their wall. It said "Agricola Montecillo." A Google search told me it was a place in Italy, and I wondered why they chose such scenery and location for their restaurant that only sold chicken and a few choices of coffee. Nonetheless, it looked pretty. I went to their washing room and found a very cool-looking sink. Pink neon lights surrounded the mirror, and the words "Espresso yourself" were painted above it. I was not expecting to see a Glowwave aesthetic inside a restaurant named Beaks & Brews.
I ordered a beer with my dinner, and it was served first. I didn't want to upset my empty stomach, so I waited for my food. My chicken rice bowl arrived, and it was pretty underwhelming. The serving size was not generous despite its price, and the taste could definitely be improved. I devoured the whole thing in a matter of seconds. I enjoyed my beer while reading on my Kindle before the restaurant closed. At least I got the whole place to myself.
That is it for now. I started writing this post after dinner, and just as I finish this, I am eating again. And the eating still does not end! There is the next part to this food adventure as I look for other places to eat in Cagayan de Oro.
See you in the next one. Stay nourished, everyone. Cheers!