JUANdering at Dong Juan resto, Tagbilaran City

Tickle your tastebuds at Tagbilaran City’s newest Filipino fusion food nook! 

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USEFUL TIDBITS

Location: Galleria Luisa, Gallares St., Tagbilaran City, Bohol

Budget: Reasonable at PhP 250 per head

Must-try: Gambas Al Ajillo Pasta, Kalamansi Blush

Ambiance:  cozy, perfect for intimate gatherings

Service: Prompt and friendly

Comfort Room: clean, makes use of the mall’s CR

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I love its design and use of bronzes and earthy colors mixed with the Fil-Spanish vibe.

Dong Juan is one of the latest restaurants to open in Tagbilaran City. A resto chain originally created with the Cebu foodie market in mind, it is a striking addition to Bohol’s handful of eating-out choices.

Dong Juan claims to serve up a selection of Filipino all-time favourite meals - with a twist. They have gourmet burgers, pizza, pasta, steaks and seafood fritters. A budget of PhP 250 per person maybe costly for some, but after we ate here I’d say the prices are justifiable. Its serving size gives you the bang for your buck.

 

The entrance to Dong Juan located at Galleria Luisa, Tagbilaran City.

The Menu from outside: Calling all restaurants! This is essential so customers are made aware of what you offer.

Modern Filipiniana feel

Jacqui and I visited Dong Juan on a hot April noon for lunch. The branch is just small, housing a comfortable 10 tables inside and 2 tables in the balcony. 

Lunch time vibe.

 

Their group menu and promos

The nook is clean, cozy and well-ventilated – perfect for the obligatory family or friend rendezvous. Its interior design maximized on minimalist earthy themes. Brown wooden chairs and tables as well as dividers – typical of modern Filipiniana designs.

This beautiful lamp I so love. - Jacq

We sat ourselves in one of the balcony tables outside where it was surprisingly cool. Plus, it offered a spectacular view of the Bohol sea nearby.

Awesome view of the sea on my right!

And this is the view from my left.

What we tried

We ordered the bestsellers for our first visit:

I ordered Dong Juan Cheeseburger (PhP 179) which was quite a mouthful.  It was served with a few potato chips on the side. 

The burger beef patty was generously thick and well-done but still juicy. I loved how the cheddar cheese gave it just the right amount of salty. The wheat bread was soft as well. 

Top view of the Dong Juan Cheeseburger

Up close view of the burger patty.

Jacqui had Gambas Al Ajillo Pasta (PhP 179). It is an olive oil-based pasta with shrimp and fish floss toppings. Jacq was impressed at how the floss gave the pasta its needed kick.  It was not too salty nor too oily. 

The Gambas Al Ajillo pasta

The plump shrimps were removed from their shells and were cooked to perfection – juicy and succulent. Shrimps and crabs abound in this tropical island that’s why seafood dishes here are deliciously fresh.  

The Shrimps. ;)

A surprising standout is the kalamansi blush (PhP 89), a lemonade infused with strawberry preserves. It is a refreshing beverage with just the right hint of sour, but not too offensively sweet.  

Yummy Calamansi blush. The right mix of sour and sweet!

Because we were full, we skipped dessert that time. But the Ice Cream Burger in their menu seemed exciting to try. Another dish that popped out from the menu was the Cebu Native Chorizo Pasta. I will not miss the chance to try these next time.

The Menu Cover

The service staff were prompt to deliver our food – in just about 15 minutes. The waiters and staff were downright accommodating as well. This is a testament to the Boholano people’s trademark hospitality, something I am proud of being a Boholano myself.

Pros and Cons

If you are a Boholano local with an adventurous palate and a few bucks to spare, you’ll be pleased with Don Juan because it offers:

• A pleasant venue to host small group get-togethers.

• Unique and tasty dishes at just enough serving size to make the cost reasonable.

• Food served by friendly Boholano staff

However, if you’re someone who has gone to one too many fusion restaurants, you may quick to appraise that there are limited fusion dishes here. 

Hopefully they would cook up more Filipino fusion dishes, or give a Filipino touch to the Western favourites. This would then sensibly reflect the “Dong Juan” image of modern Filipino food experience that the restaurant is trying to convey.   

  

On the other hand, Dong Juan is one of the lesser expensive resto’s of its kind that I’ve gone to. So I give it big props for affordability. And the fact that it provides a new eating-out option in Bohol makes it all the more special.

Our only Wefie in the restaurant.

Verdict

All things considered, I would highly recommend visiting Dong Juan for another one of your leisurely lunch. I’ll likely wander into here the next time I come to town. I rate my experience at Dong Juan, 4 sweet strawberry-lemonade glasses out of a possible 5.

Cheers,

Eric 

Message from Jacq: Hi friends! My husband has invaded my blog! But nevertheless, it's a welcome invasion. He now is my designated food and travel blogger. Prepare to read more about his awesome reviews only here at JacqWritesWorld.

xoxo, 

Jacq

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Visit Dong Juan located at Galleria Luisa, Gallares Street, Tagbilaran City, Bohol. You may give them a call at Tel No. (038) 501 8188.