(First of two parts)
SANS RIVAL and silvanas come to mind at the mention of Dumaguete, but the City of Gentle People offers more than these famed delicacies.
The management of The Henry Resort Dumaguete has invited Dumaguete’s best purveyors of food to provide multiple options for guests.
Sans Rival Cakes and Pastries
Sans Rival Cakes and Pastries began in Dumaguete in 1977 when Trinidad Teves Sagarbarria whipped up culinary confections for family and friends. She crafted her famed buttercream Silvanas and placed her own twist to the Sans Rival cake which quickly became favorites among the locals and visitors.
In the menu of the thriving icon in Dumaguete City’s dining scene are treasured family heritage recipes, including Café Breakfast consisting, among others, of the Sans Rival Spanish Chorizo and Boneless Bangus served with plain or garlic rice, fried or scrambled farm-fresh eggs, and baked bean as well as orange juice, freshly brewed coffee or a selection of tea.
Sans Rival, a house specialty, is a multi-layer of delicate cashew meringue and the creamiest of butter mousseline with a generous sprinkling of cashew on top of its final layer.
Silvanas which come in butter, chocolate and strawberry flavors, are made of thin cashew wafers filled with butter mousseline and coated in the restaurant’s especially bespoke cookie crumbs.
Si, Senor
Si, Senor is hole-in-the-wall Spanish-Filipino restaurant that offers a more personalized dining experience. Previously known as Senor Juan, it offers foodies such specialties as Gambas con Mayonesca, shrimps sauteed in olive oil and butter topped with garlic and mayonnaise.
There’s also Miguel’s Hot Wings, deep-fried wings smothered with signature buffalo hot sauce.
The Si Senor House Salad in the Ensaladas section, has the pepper flavor of arugula paired perfectly with romaine lettuce, sun dried tomatoes, candied walnuts, sliced apples and shaved Parmigiano Reggiano coated in the restaurant’s own special balsamic dressing.
Its Negros Burrata Salad boasts of a proudly Negros-made burrata, a soft cow’s milk cheese distinguishable by its loose texture. Soft cheese curds and cream are packaged inside an outer shell made of mozzarella and served with mixed greens, parma ham, pan-seared tomatoes and a balsamic glaze.
The Chicken Alfredo Pasta is a classic made with a cheesy, buttery white sauce, bits of bacon and slivers of chicken breast topped with prosciutto and parsley.
Black Truffle Cream Pasta, a decadent treat, has the unmistakably earthy rich flavor of black truffle that is paired with everything it loves, butter and grated parmesan.
The Crab Meat with Aligue pasta has an unexpected flavor foodies can surely fall in love with.
Beef Brisket features meltingly tender chunks of beef brisket enveloped in a rich, deeply flavored sauce. It is topped with crispy sweet potato strings and green beans.
The restaurant’s version of Callos, a heart stew popular across Spain, contains beef, peppers, Spanish chorizo and olives, slow cooked in tomatoes and olive oil.
Its Baked Salmon is seasoned with lemon, garlic and fresh herbs, and baked with butter to flaky, tender perfection. This dish is paired with rice.
Paella Negra, which originated in Valencia, Spain offers a delicate flavor, with rice and squid, topped with shrimps and served with aioli sauce.
Topping off the meal is the restaurant’s Mango Panna Cotta, a tropical version of the popular Italian dessert, served with a light golden sweet syrup topped with mango.
The Dining Room
Such great travelers themselves, the owners want guests to be transported to the scent of distant markets and exotic cultures wafting from the restaurant’s kitchen.
Its Watermelon Burrata has mixed greens, watermelon, basil oil, candied walnuts and balsamic cream.
The Chicken Inasalitos are grilled chicken inasal skewers that come with biryani rice. The Fish Puttanesca is made from local fish, tomato sauce, white wine, clams, olives, capers and extra virgin olive oil.
