Sagingese Cuisine at the Newly Opened Saging Repablik

Saging Repablik is now open in Davao City at Tionko Avenue corner V. Mapa Street in front of Kangaroo Coffee Company. It’s the exact location where the old Sunburst Chicken Restaurant used to be.

Create Your Own Banana Cue at Saging Repablik

They opened last Friday, June 27, 2014 around noon but we missed it and so we headed out for brunch on Saturday (today) to check out this new place.

We noticed the building a few weeks ago and we knew this is something new to Davao.

We thought a new hotel was going to be built here as rumors had it last year. But what came out and what we have which is new in Davao now is the Saging Repablik, Sir Gatchi Gatchalian’s new venture here in the city. He is known for starting Blugre Coffee here in Davao in 1998.

We liked the interiors, design and lighting of this new place. It’s quite unique with what we are used to having here in Davao.

The place was almost full around lunch time when we were there. It’s big and spacious. It even has a mezzanine area to cater to more customers and diners. This is where people can hangout too. They have free WIFI.

Saging Repablik serves what they call “sagingese cuisene”.

In their menu, they have come up with unique names with a twist as they serve saging or banana cue with their dishes.

• Gigingka for their banana cake served like bibingka and you can order it with kesong puti as topping
• Sabadobo for adobo served with saging
• Sisag for sisig served with saging
• Humbananacue for humba served with bananacue
• Empanana for empanada with banana (not yet available)
• Menunado for menudo (I suppose) with saging

We have yet to try most of them.

They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner plus coffee, cakes and of course their “create your own banana cue.”

Each banana cue costs P55 with a choice of a dip or spread, and 3 toppings.

I can’t help but think as soon as I saw the set up that it is like Davao’s version of Magnum Manila but this is Davao-style! They are using saging or banana which is healthier. I love banana cue just like many of you do.

My kid enjoyed the unique experience since we’re used to buying banana in ‘pinaypay’ and turon at the school canteen for our afternoon snacks before we head home. It’s cheaper at school of course. At Saging Repablik it’s different since you get to choose your choice of dip or spread and toppings.

They also have their own banana cake. This is their Gigingka plain daku (big) and you can also order it with kesong puti as topping.

They also serve bancake or banana pancake which we have yet to try.

This is their 3-piece turon drizzled with condensed milk.

For lunch, we tried their SaBagnet which is bagnet served with saging or banana cue.

It was good though I ate this later after this was served since we enjoyed chatting with our friend E. who was also there to try the newly opened Saging Repablik after he saw the IG photo of another friend K. who tried it on the opening night before and she was also there again today. More people are coming trying out what’s new in Davao.

At Saging Repablik, you will be served by the “sagingeros” and “sagingera” who are dressed in black uniform. It makes me think of them as back up dancers of the late Michael Jackson with matching black hats, shirts that says “sagingero or sagingera”, black pants and apron. Plus I didn’t miss their bright yellow socks.

For dessert this is what we had. We noticed the sagingeros bringing out this huge slice of cake. It’s their signature cake, Banana Walnut Torte.

 A slice costs P150. It is like a good mix of my fave sans rival and banana cream (pie) with chocolate filling plus whipped cream or is it soft cake icing. It’s good and it has my favorite walnuts in it. I had to share it with my boys. Try it!

Here’s one of their friendly sagingeros serving our Saging ni Naty cold drink!

They have Gigingkoolers – cold drinks with fresh banana. They serve it in clean used bottles.

We chose to try their Saging ni Naty which is made of banana and nutella. It’s refreshing and not too sweet. I just wish it’s a little creamier like a creamy shake.

While the Saging ni Elvy is made of banana and peanut butter. Who is Naty and Elvy you may come to ask? The sagingeros and supervisor said they are Sir Gatchi’s neighbors. They must be kidding or maybe not! I do have friends though named Nat and Elvy. *wink*

While making our orders I noticed their lights…

They really like the terms sagingero and sagingera. They used it too to label their comfort rooms.

I’ll share more photos next time. I’ll make a separate post up next on how to create your own banana cue at Saging Repablik.

There’s a new place to go now in Davao that features saging or banana cue in its dishes. Tionko Avenue now has Kangaroo Coffee Company, Crazy Wraps Cafe and Saging Repablik!

Their store hours are:

7AM-12MN Sunday to Thursday

7AM-1AM Friday and Saturday

We will be back Sir Gatchi! 🙂

Visit their page at https://www.facebook.com/sagingrepablik.

Don’t forget ours too…

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