Enjoying Halohalo in Bohol

In (warm) summer afternoons, who can resist the halo halo? Wikipedia defines halohalo as "a popular Filipino dessert that is a mixture of shaved ice and evaporated milk to which are added various boiled sweet beans and fruits, and served in a tall glass or bowl." But my favorite halo halo in Bohol, for quite a number of years now does not have those boiled sweet beans. It does not even have ube haleya or leche flan. It's just tons of diced fresh fruits interspersed with shaved ice, bathed in milk and topped with your favorite flavour of ice cream.

For several years now, nothing comes best to me than Garden Cafe's halohalo. The restaurant, run by the IDEA Philippines, an NGO working for the welfare of deaf-mute, is located right next to the St. Joseph Cathedral in Tagbilaran City. It has been renovated and "re-themed" since it opened more or less 20 years ago, but the friendly service, and the halohalo still remains the same and to my liking.

However, it seems like Garden Cafe will face a competition this year for the best halohalo in town.  My wife and I tried the Buzz Cafe's halohalo and it was a blast. (The cafe is located at Island City Mall.) Buko strips mixed with fresh mango, banana, watermelon, and avocado cubes lined the bottom of the bowl where the halo-halo was served. A generous stream of milk made the shaved ice float and home-made malunggay ice cream completed the very tempting dessert.

The price was almost twice what you will pay at Garden Cafe, but I really didn't mind. In the next few days, I need to make up my mind.