I'll tell you where NOT to go...
Near my fleabag hotel room, there's a shopping mall. And there is a restaurant that specializes in breakfast there. Filipinos always try to get Americans to go there because it's the only one in Cagayan de Oro that serves a glass of "fresh" milk with any meal and no one will laugh because milk is considered a child's drink here.
Pancake House menu (without prices)
I went there this morning. I had a rough week but the last two days were great. Now the first thing I noticed was how expensive the prices were (even by American standards). I ordered a large order of "Mom's Pancakes" (
3 pcs.) and a glass of
fresh milk. I was told that I would have to wait 10-15 minutes.
No problem. They kept giving me lots of cold tap water. I thought this was a good sign but...
As I watched towards the kitchen, I saw scissors being used to make perfect thick circles. Obviously they where using the
Hots Cakes Recipe made famous by Lisa Douglas on
Green Acres.
Now, the milk and the hots cakes, uh, pancakes, came and they were awfully thick and not the texture I like (but these were the only variety they have--at the Pancake House, hots cakes are hots cakes). The milk was served at room temperature. And it wasn't fresh.
Del Monte sells honest to goodness fresh milk which comes from a dairy in Bukidnon province (not far from Cagayan de Oro) and it's cheaper than the price of milk in America. Too bad more places don't sell it. The milk wasn't even fresh. It was UHT (processed at an ultra high temperature) and was probably collected from a cow in New Zealand back in 2004.
The three yellow hockey pucks were 143 pesos and the glass of white paint was 58 pesos. I tried to pay exactly what was expected. So I had 201 pesos ready. (And I wanted out.) When the bill got there, the waitress (not the waiter who served me) announced I owed 214 pesos. Tips aren't usually paid in the Philippines. But they were charging me 8% for a tip and that was too much for what I was getting.
Next time, for about 25% of the price, I'm going to McDonald's. It can even be seen from the front of the Pancake House. No wonder they get more business.