US Potato Safari 3 in Davao City: Claude's Le Cafe De Ville
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And Woman Elan Vital was one of the lucky earthlings to have joined the safari, along with other food bloggers from Manila, to taste test new dishes using US potatoes before they will be made available in their menu next year.
CLAUDE'S LE CAFE DE VILLE is one of the restaurants that'll road test the versatility of US potatoes. Their location in downtown Davao (Rizal St.) is within easy reach and props also to their exclusive parking. It’s one of those restaurants where you’ll be brought back in time while dining as it is set in Oboza’s Old Spanish Colonial house. Rustic, quaint interior what about that for a dining background? Awesome! CLAUDE'S is also the only full-service French Restaurant in town. I’m from Davao, but I can only count with my fingers the number of times I’ve been here. Not that I don’t like or appreciate their food, their steak is one of the best in town, but because it’s a French Restaurant and I’m not accustomed to stay seated for at least a couple or long hours just for my meal. But for US Potatoes sake, I’m doing this.
Chef Claude Le Neindre prepared us a French meal in seven courses. And just like my previous experience here, he would personally attend to each table and explain his dishes, charming Chef, eh!
So here we go;
To open our appetite, we had Bread, Butter, Salsa. I had my usual pomelo juice, yeah, very Davao. That’s because, again not accustomed to wine with my meal, yeah, very Filipino :)
Bread, Butter, Salsa | Pomelo Juice
and a while later our appetizer was served, Chili Potato Cheese with Shrimps. It’s a platter of round cheese taters with succulent shrimps set in a modest fiery sauce. Theme-wise, I must say that this dish is the most integrated of all. It’s amazing how Claude’s can turn simple ingredients into bold and flavour-packed starter. You should try and pick this one once it's out in the menu next year.
Chili Potato Cheese with Shrimps
We had Creamy Onion Potato Veloute for soup. I love the bittersweet aftertaste of the caramelized onions packed in this bowl. Its richness made this soup flavourfully filling. The soft cow's milk cheese (Brie) and potato crouton topping you can see right there, completed this dish.
Creamy Onion Potato Veloute
Salade Madayaw is served. So apt, the name because the best of Davao is on this plate – fresh crisp greens, fresh mangoes, sweet, juicy pomelo and our home staple, Malagos Cheese (chevre). The fried US potato wedges added texture to the salad and Claude’s signature vinaigrette dressing made this plate a stand-out!
Salade Madayaw
And now, the main course. Claude’s never fail to amaze me when it comes to steaks. They have the best steaks in town and Pepper Steak in Hash Brown will soon be listed as one of them. This grilled tender goodness is served medium cooked with a worthy compliment of two crispy fried hash brown and fresh green goodness on both sides. The luscious peppered gravy that coats on every single slice made this steak the bomb. That one thing one should do when in this charming French resto - take time eating, savour every single bite. So good!
Claude’s also has a good list of wine to pair this steak. Just ask away!
Pepper Steak in Hash Brown
Potato Cheese Souffle came out with a nice springy crisp exterior, molten centre just like nice-looking/tasting soufflés should be. But there was a unanimous food notes on my side of table, we were expecting a soufflé on the sweet side. So I’ll put this dish at least appealing for me.
Potato Cheese Souffle
I was kind of expecting a durian/potato combo for dessert and Voilà! Just what I expected – Potato Durian Pie a la Mode! Anything Durian, anything sweet, anything ice cream is a sure win for me. Say delicious in French!
Potato Durian Pie a la Mode
All these will be available next year on their special menu. Even with short notice Chef Claude Le Neindre has proven and has taken up the challenge to bring out bold and sophisticated flavours out of this lowly tuber – potato.
Again, I’ll never look at potato the same way ever again!
Chef Claude Le Neindre and his very capable culinary team.
Congratulations! Well done!
For online/landline reservations;
Claude's Le Cafe De Ville
Oboza Heritage House, 143 JP Rizal St.
Davao City, Philippines
Phone No. (082) 222 4287
http://www.claudescafedavao.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Claudes-Le-Cafe-De-Ville/
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