Discovering Dumaguete - Part 4 - Sans Rival Cakes & Pastries

Sans Rival Cakes and Pastries is Dumaguete's biggest attraction for people with sweet tooth like me. We stumbled upon the shop while we strolled along the Boulevard and I remembered all the raves I previously read from other blogs.

It is a tiny shop tucked in one of the streets perpendicular to the Rizal Boulevard. When we entered, the shop was abuzz, it's interior was almost full and the staff were on their toes. 

Aside from Sans Rival, they also offer various cakes and pastries.

But we were set to get their classics:

yummy silvanas

yummier sans rival 

I was completely floored with the melt-in-your-mouth sans rival! It was buttery and yet it was not too sweet. It was absolutely perfect! The silvanas was also good, although it took us about three bites before we fully appreciated it. I guess HB and I completely got enamored with the sans rival.

But I must say that both were truly perfect with brewed coffee!

We ordered these treats as well to bring back to Manila and arranged for pick up that night. We were told that the cakes should not be out of the freezer for more than 4 hours so we asked our hotel to keep our cakes frozen overnight. The cakes were wrapped and boxed very nicely. I guess they have perfected this art as a lot of tourists do bring home the sans rival as pasalubong.

Here are pictures upon unpacking when we got home.

carefully wrapped and packed sans rival

foil wrapped silvanas

Our sweet tooth satisfaction lasted for three days ... I wonder who's going to Dumaguete so I can ask him/her to bring me back these goodies. Hmmm ... anyone? 

Royal Bellagio Hotel's Frozen Brazo de Mercedes

Earlier today, I had a meeting in Royal Bellagio Hotel which is located along P. Burgos Street in Makati City. The hotel has been our client for more than 4 years now and I must say that I have established a good personal rapport with the Hotel Manager, Ms. Boots Magno. Knowing my love for sweets, she made me try one of their desserts, the Frozen Brazo de Mercedes.

The cake was absolutely divine! It had four layers comprised of egg white, egg yolk, ice cream and crushed graham crackers. Really yummy!! The merengue on top had the perfect consistency while the custard filling provided the right sweetness. The slab of ice cream and the base of crushed graham gave a different but wonderful twist to this classic dessert. 

I shared about a third of the cake with my colleague while I unabashedly finished it off. ;)

The Royal Bellagio Hotel is home to Caffe Ibiza Italiano and the Filling Station Bar and Cafe, with the latter popularly raved for its 1950's-theme and memorabilia. The hotel itself is famed for its elaborately decorated theme rooms which have been featured in several magazines and even a television show. 

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Royal Bellagio Hotel

5010 P. Burgos Street

Makati City

Telephone Number: 899.5555

Website: http://www.royalbellagio.com

Pasalubong Shopping in Baguio Public Market

Squeezed in a quick detour to the Baguio Public Market to buy my usual pasalubong stuff for my girls. For more than 3 years now, I have a suki stall where I go. (I wanted to take her picture beside her stall but she refused.)

Here are my purchases:

cornic, Php 35 per bag or 3 for Php 100

chocolate crinkles, Php 35 per pack (1 dozen) or 3 for Php 100

chocolate flakes, Php 60 each

lengua de gato, Php 80 each

honey, Php 150 per bottle

When in Baguio, the usual pasalubong fare, aside from fresh strawberries, vegetables and flowers, are the Romana's peanut brittle, strawberry jam and Good Shepherd ube. I also recommend the Sagada oranges which are usually sold at Php 80 per kilo (about 2-3 pieces). Various flavored sausages can also be brought home as pasalubong. The usual 'flavors' are garlic, hamonado and Vigan-style. Handicrafts and woodcrafts are also favorite souvenir items. Some hoard Ilocos-made blankets.

The Baguio public market is a favorite one-stop area for souvenir and pasalubong shopping. The dry goods section is relatively clean and devoid of smell. A personal pet-peeve though are the local kids pestering tourists to buy their plastic bags or sack bags. Some even offer their service to carry your bags for a minimal fee. My suki also tipped me off about pickpockets and she advised me to place my bag in front of my body.

Going to the Baguio Public Market is an experience one shouldn't miss. There's a certain thrill in getting good finds at bargain prices (compared to that of Manila) offered by this market.

Sweet Goodies from Rowena's

From Tagaytay, we took the Sta. Rosa road and passed by a little pink shop with a number of cars parked on the road side. I recognized the name as an officemate had previously brought chicharon and buko tarts to the office before and she made us taste them then.

I told DH to stop so I could buy some sweets.

Rowena's is famous for its buko tarts. Inside the shop are an assortment goodies which are perfect for pasalubong.

I decided to get a box of blueberry tarts,

Box of 6, Php 160

chocolate fudge brownies,

Box of 16, Php 180

and a couple of silvanas.

Php 40 each

Mmmmm... sweet tooth satisfaction! :)

I will definitely come back for more goodies on our next trip to Tagaytay.

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Rowena's

#152 Brgy Francisco,

Tagaytay City

Tel: (+46) 860 2481

Mobile: +63920 9080318

rowenas_tarts@yahoo.com