December 22, 2015

US Potato Safari 3 Vinta Bar at Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao Chef Vic Barangan

The United States Potato Board (USPB) Philippines recently held its third US Potato Safari in one of the safest cities in the world- DAVAO. The campaign follows the success of the previous US Potato Safari held in Cebu last year. This initiative by the USPB aims to promote local restaurants in the country while being able to showcase US Potatoes in the most creative and innovative way possible.


I was lucky to be one of the selected bloggers from Manila who embarked on a 3-day potato safari along with other media and Davao bloggers. I previously wrote about the first restaurant on the list which happens to be one of the most popular fine-dining restaurants in Davao- Claude's Le Cafe De Ville.

We did not travel far for our second stop as it was conveniently located inside the hotel where we stayed during our 3-day trip- at Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao.

We had our dinner at the hotel's Cafe Uno to accommodate our group, but food served was from the hotel's Vinta Bar- a cozy and classy place for great food, refreshing cocktails and captivating entertainment of jazz and R&B music.

Our dinner was exclusively prepared by Waterfront's Executive Chef Victor Barangan who gave a unique presentation of the culinary possibilities of US Potatoes.

Bacon and US Potato Roll w/ Miso Peaches


A simple starter but very pleasing to both the eyes and palate.

US Potato and Corn Bisque


A cup of corn soup garnished with US curly fries. The endless possibilities of US potatoes.. The fries may look a bit forced on this dish, but it did a great job making the presentation prettier.

Hot Crab Salad


My favorite dish of the night. If only I could have this amazing recipe.. I can have this for my appetizer, main course and even dessert any time of the day. The crisp greens, crunchy criss cut potatoes, tangy pickled daikon, refreshing watermelon balls, and a delicious blend of crabsticks with a kick-it was a symphony of textures and flavors from ingredients that complemented each other perfectly.

Surf and Turf



The classic duo of tender beef steak and crunchy prawn tempura on a bed of creamy US mashed potatoes. I also loved the sweet onion chutney used on this dish.

Green Tea Doriyaki


The classic Japanese pancake dessert, filled with a double scoop of vanilla and durian ice cream. The green tea pancakes were chewier and not as soft as regular pancakes because of the addition of potatoes in the recipe. Nope, still not a fan of durian.

Here is Chef Victor Barangan, former Sous Chef of Richmond Hotel Eastwood, who specializes in menu development and menu engineering. He was the person responsible for the special dinner everyone enjoyed that night. He personally explained the menu featuring the US potato dishes with a touch of asian flair.


Vinta Bar at Waterfront Isular Hotel
Waterfront Insular Hotel, J.P. Laurel Avenue, Lanang, Davao City

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