The food strip at F. Torres Street continues to grow, as another restaurant opened its doors in time for Kadayawan.
Potions Grille and Restobar started out as a beverage and liquor bar at Plaza de Bole, a commercial complex beside Angel Funeral Homes. The establishment has evolved from selling liquid refreshments to offering main course dishes and other tummy fillers.
The restaurant opened last August 3, 2016, expanding to twice its original floor area to accommodate more guests and offer more spaces to dine and drink. The spankin’ new interior design follows a traditional homey approach, with wooden seats and tables, as well as native-inspired walls.
We dropped by Potions on the early evening of its opening day. The place was well-lit including the bar shelf, which carried different kinds of popular alcohol brands to be used in mixing the drinks at Potions.
Being conservatives in the field of bars and drinking, we opted for their juices instead.
Fruity Rita
Fruity Rita is a delicious citrus mocktail that looks absolutely stunning in a tall glass and sugar rim.
Potion Juice
Potion Juice is a unique mix of calamansi, cucumber and pineapple that refreshes and cleanses the palate quite well.
Potions offers a wide range of dishes for meal starters, main course, desserts, beverages, and snacks. Here are some of the dishes that we were able to taste:
Appetizer Samplers
We started the evening with four samplers:
- Kamote Chips: Sweet and extra crunchy, this upgraded variant of the local chips includes a dash of confectioner’s sugar.
- Sweetened Banana: Their rendition of the local favorite uses sweet cream instead of syrup. I prefer it as a dessert, but I’m sure Leah thinks otherwise (because she loves to start a meal with something sweet).
- Kimchi: Spicy as expected, their version of Kimchi was similar to the ones that I tried in the past.
- Hungarian Sausage: The sausage slices were tossed in a spicy sauce to give the palate just the right amount of kick to prepare my mouth for the feast to come.
Lechon Kawali
I couldn’t pass up the chance to try their take on one of my favorite pork dishes. I was surprised to see a huge serving of Lechon Kawali, delectably plated with rice, mashed kamote, and vinegar. Even without the vinegar dip, the Lechon Kawali was very flavorful. I especially enjoyed the ultra-crispy skin that held much of the flavors that I love in traditional lechon kawali.
BBQ Back Ribs
I have tried many versions of baby back ribs, but this particular one can definitely outclass those from other restaurants. BBQ Back Ribs is a feast on a plate, with grated cheese on top, as well as rice, mashed kamote, and coleslaw on the side.
This dish is a solid winner in terms of overall foodie experience. The dish was cooked to absolute perfection; you can literally take the cottony-soft meat off the bones using a fork. Its barbecue sauce was infused well into the meat, leading to a very satisfying meal that any meat lover would enjoy.
Desserts
Chocolate Ganache
Nothing beats a decadent chocolate dessert to cap off an amazing dinner. Potions’ Chocolate Ganache is elegantly plated with criss-crossed streaks of chocolate and caramel syrups. More importantly, it’s the sublime texture of the chocolate ganache that really takes the cake. This dessert is rich, exquisite, and smooth — exactly how you would want chocolate cake to be.
Potion Ala Monde
I’m not sure if it’s a misspell or a brand endorsement, but Potion Ala Monde is a playful dessert that combines chocolate chip cookie, ice cream, whipped cream, wafer stick, peanut butter cup, marshmallows, sprinkles, and chocolate syrup. This is a sure hit for kids and the young-at-heart.
Potions Grille and Restobar is a welcome sighting and foodie destination for those looking for someplace to hang out within the downtown area. It’s open daily from 10:30 AM to 2:00 AM, but the restaurant section closes at 9:00 PM to give way to the bar. Groups who want to host private events and gatherings may use the restaurant’s function room for P3,500 consumable. The room can accommodate about 15 people, and comes with a videoke system.
Potions Grille and Restobar
Plaza de Bole, Torres Street, Davao City
