As a General (a term used for people from General Santos) living in Davao City, it’s easy to notice the differences in lifestyle between the two cities. Certain communities and cultural niches that thrive in Davao are still finding their way in Gensan.
The contrast is especially stark in the culinary and café scene. While Davao has fully embraced third-wave coffee culture, Gensan is only beginning to open up to it. There’s a noticeable lack of spaces for intimate food pop-ups; unlike Davao, there are bazaars and multiple flea market areas that regularly provide an avenue for small businesses to showcase their products to propel growth and exposure.
So when someone asks, “What’s there in General Santos City?” or “What’s a good pasalubong to bring from Gensan?”, it becomes a difficult question to answer. BUT, apart from its lower cost of living and the tuna for pasalubong, believe it or not, one of the common responses from Generals I meet in Davao is – Butter and Spoon’s Boston Cream Cake.
Butter and Spoon PH, which was originally named as Butter and Spoon, is a homegrown cake shop in Gensan that was founded by Darryl John Rey Batilo, a young entrepreneur, who started small and offered his own version of Boston Cream Cake along with his signature cookies and brownies.
Competing with well-established names in Gensan’s cake industry has been an uphill battle, especially in a city where people tend to be risk-averse when it comes to trying new food and are price-conscious. What started out as an order-based cake delivery system is now a household name.
Currently, they have three stores. Their first branch is in Uptown Place in Purok Malakas, their second branch is in Koronadal City, and their newest branch, which has expanded to a cafe, now offers meals, coffee, and new cake flavors and pastries located at G-Square in Lagao.
Butter and Spoon PH is part of the growing roster of new cafés and restaurants in General Santos City that are helping reshape and elevate the local food scene. Its presence reflects a quiet but meaningful shift, where young and local entrepreneurs are starting to redefine what dining out in Gensan can look and feel like.
And as a food blogger, it is my way to challenge and expose some truth, and begs the question, “Is it worth visiting Butter and Spoon PH and recommending it?”
Food Review
Personally, when Butter and Spoon were starting out, the Boston cream cake was an instant hit and has been the cake of choice for every party that I go to within my circle of friends.
Now that it has been a few years since its conception, and more competing cakes and food trends have come up, I wonder how Butter and Spoon PH is holding up. It seems well, because they have expanded and opened their newest cafe. I know that it has established a name in the cake market, but how does the cafe and its meals hold up to the foodies of Gensan?
I gathered four people to try and rate food with me (a total of 5) for the different flavors that Butter and Spoon PH offers. The score is averaged and graded by people with varying food preferences, economic status, and age. Some dish names may not be specific, as I was not able to take a picture of their menu, and no receipt was provided for reference.
Caesar Salad – 9/10 (9,9,9,9,9)
Their Caesar salad had fresh and crunchy lettuce, which gives it a great texture. It had a very nice dressing. If I’m not mistaken, it’s a mayonnaise-based or a cream-based dressing that had a strong onion or garlicky flavor to it. (I cannot determine, but I’m guessing it’s more on the onion side).
Unlike other Caesar salad dressings in Gensan, which lean heavily on plain mayonnaise and worst – uses sweet mayonnaise, this one didn’t. It’s almost reminiscent of Davao’s Taste of Home Caesar Salad. Room for improvement, though, is the lack of protein. The ham used seemed a mismatch for a good dish. If they can replace it with a better alternative like bacon or chicken/turkey bacon, if opting for non-pork. It would elevate the dining experience. Also, a better experience is to put the salad in a bowl or a deep dish instead of a flat one so that the dressing and the toppings can be distributed equally.
Chix and Fries – 7.5/10 (8,8,8,6)
Their Chix and Fries generally have an enjoyable flavor. However, there is a noticeable imbalance between the chicken-to-fries ratio, which might affect the overall impression, especially for price-conscious people. There were only two to three medium-sized chicken strips in a bowl full of fries. Flavor-wise, the people with me enjoyed it. The chicken strips look visually big because of the thick coating. It’s mostly coating and a very small piece of chicken meat. There is an inconsistency with the size and structure.
The fries were the same for all their meals. It’s coated and fried. My guess is that it’s dipped in cornstarch for coating and not your typical fries. It’s their own house fries. I’m not entirely a fan of it and find that there are other better fries, but a lot of people would surely appeal to it because of its unique version.
Cheesy Mushroom (Chicken Rice Meal)- 7.5/10 (8,8.5,6)
Their cheesy mushroom chicken is much better than the quality of the chicken and fries. It’s not puffed up and has chicken meat inside the coating. It has a generous serving along with the fries, but it’s not really cheesy, nor does it have any mushrooms. It has some cream and then is powdered with garlic parmesan.
Korean Chicken (Chicken Rice Meal) – 7.7/10 (8,8,7)
Their Korean Chicken is a favorite among the chicken meals tried. It’s spicy, but it’s tolerable. Generous in portion size and flavorful. It does lack some sauce, though.
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings Meal – 7.8/10 (8,8,8,7)
The general consensus is that the garlic parmesan wings are a bang for your buck. The chicken wings are large in proportion, offered in six pieces, and served with rice. Flavor-wise, the wings lean heavily on Parmesan, which comes off strong or salty for some palates. It did not meet the expectation for having some garlic butter element, which is usually common for garlic parmesan wings.
The chicken dip, which I assume is ranch dressing, was ok and had a strong herby aftertaste. The strong point for this dish is the wing size. If consistent, I would continue to support the overall value of their chicken wing dishes.
Mushroom Fettuccine in Truffle Oil – 8.8/10 (10,9,9,8,8)
We tried their truffle pasta and can say is one of the most decent versions I’ve had so far in Gensan. It has a balanced truffle flavor, despite its subtlety, blends nicely with the cream they used for their fettuccine pasta. There were mixed types of mushrooms (best guess is shimeji mushroom and sliced champignon) that were thoughtfully portioned, adding a nice texture and earthiness to the dish. There’s a hint of sweetness in the sauce, which doesn’t align with my personal preference, but I can appreciate how it adds an extra layer to the overall flavor profile. Despite that, it’s definitely something I’d order again. In fact, it ended up being the group’s favorite dish along with the Caesar salad.
Beef and Mushroom – 9/10 (10,9)
This is my personal favorite. It has a thoughtful amount of mushrooms and is bathed in their delicious gravy. The beef is tender and soft. Not gummy at all. Had a sufficient portion size, but wouldn’t hurt to add some extra. I enjoyed the simplicity of the gravy, which I admire because I have personally tried making different versions and adjustments in the kitchen to achieve a similar taste to their gravy. It’s for a Filipino palate and has a close proximity taste to Jollibee’s mushroom gravy. The comparison is meant as a genuine compliment.
Drinks Rating:
Choco-Loco – 9/10 (10,8)
The Original – 8/10 (8,10,7,7)
Choco-Peppermint – 8/10
It is safe to say that their chocolate drinks are consistently enjoyable. The chocolate base has dark richness to it. However, the level of sweetness can make or break the experience. A simple suggestion is to offer adjustable sweetness levels. Perhaps tweaking the ratio on the condensed milk for The Original to cater to to broader range of preferences. Another idea could be to introduce or add a dark chocolate series for those who prefer a more intense and less sweet flavor profile. Some flavors, like the choco peppermint, come with a very niche market. Happy that they offer it. On the other hand, choco-loco would appeal to chocolate lovers.
Cake Rating:
Euphoria – 8.6/10 (9,8,9,9,8.2)
Biscoff Toffee Cake – 8.3/10 (8,9,8,8,8.7)
We had the chance to try their new cake flavors, and overall, it was a consistently enjoyable experience. The cakes leaned toward the sweeter side, particularly the Euphoria Cake, which features a brownie base topped with chocolate mousse and, I believe, a layer of cheesecake. It’s a rich and indulgent dessert that would pair well with a hot cup of bold and dark coffee to balance the sweetness.
The Biscoff Toffee Cake was a personal favorite from what we ordered. It had Butter and Spoon’s signature soft, cottony cake texture, complemented by a gentle sweetness and just the right touch of Biscoff flavor.
Restaurant Rating
Food:
Butter and Spoon have strong dishes that would make people come back to them if the price is accessible. With a consistent quality and portion size, they will gain more customers in Gensan. A few minor tweaks and adjustments to their dish could elevate the experience. Most of the dishes lean toward comfort food rather than gourmet, which is a great fit for non-foodies and casual diners looking to explore new restaurants that are accessible and still deliver a satisfying experience.
Value for money:
The overall quality of the food is commendable, and most dishes were well executed. However, apart from the chicken meals with rice, the price point leans closer to bistro-style dining or group platter meals, which may not fully reflect the simplicity of the meals they offer.
It might give some diners pause, especially those looking for more affordable comfort food options.
Location:
Their location is huge and can cater to big groups. What is nice with their location at G-Square is that it is accessible and along the main highway. Their area is well-lit, clean, and offers numerous outlets.
Service:
They have warm and attentive staff. They have free wi-fi but have a limited time. They keep their doors open until 2AM. Friendly for students and working adults. However, they do need to be more proactive when they are packed. They only have one cashier, and the queueing system takes time and patience, especially for hungry diners. I suggest, if they have a full house, to have waiters take orders from tables in groups and have a system in place.
Variety:
They have a good selection of food and a wide variety of drinks, and cakes to choose from. Not accounting for their cakes, they only have a few unique varieties. Other than chicken, they only have limited options for beef and fish. Perhaps they could add tofu meals, using the same flavors as their chicken meals. It’s a good list of comfort food, though.
Personal Recommendations
Caesar Salad, Mushroom Fettuccine in Truffle Oil, and Beef and Mushroom
Cakes: (Ube Marble, Boston Cream Cake – not on the dishes we tried, but almost always ordered) Biscoff Toffee Cake
Drinks: The Original
Information
- Payment Method: Cash, Gcash, Credit Card
- Budget: P600-800 for 2 pax
- Type: Filipino, Comfort Food
- Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/butterandspoonph
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