Last December 2015, I was invited by the US Potato Board (USPB) to join their Potato Safari 3 in Davao City. After a brief introduction to frozen US Potatoes, we were then into vans, traveled back in time, and landed at the front gate of Claude’s Le Cafe de Ville Restaurant.

Claude’s Le Cafe de Ville has become a household name in Davao City and Davaoenos recognize it as the quintessential fine-dining restaurant in the city. A colonial house transformed into a dining spot, its atmosphere evokes a laid back and relaxing feel. It is known for its unparalleled French and Mediterranean cuisine and excellent service.

Chef Claude Le Neindre

After looking around this Instagram-worthy locale, we were introduced to owner and chef, Claude Le Neindre, from Loire Valley in France. He started his culinary career at the Hotel de La Univers and the L’Etoile d’Potel in Paris. He soon went on to work with five-star chains such as the Hilton, the Inter-Continental, and the Sofitel and Novotel of the Accor Group. After a short three-year stint managing a 16th century property called Hotel Du Dauphn in L’Aigle, Normandy, Claude sold his shares and decided to settle down in Davao City with his wife. He worked for two years as the resident manager of Pearl Farm Resort before he started building his namesake restaurant in November 1995. The restaurant officially opened on the 1st of May 1996.

USPB Potato Safari 3

Chef Claude took up USPB’s challenge by setting up a seven-course lunch for all the participants and organizers of the Potato Safari 3.

We started with some freshly baked Bread with Butter and Salsa to stir up our taste buds, which was then followed by the super tasty Chili Potato Cheese with Shrimp. The shrimp were perfectly cooked and soft to the bite a good contrast to the crunchy chili potato cheese.

We were then served a bowl of their piping hot Creamy Onion Potato Veloute, topped with potato crouton and a dollop of Camembert cheese from La Maria. Before proceeding to our salad, the soft and airy Potato Cheese Souffle landed on our table.

What came next was a salad dish that truly showcased Davao’s diverse and abundant agriculture. The Salade Madayaw is a plate of fresh greens with fresh Davao mangoes and pomelo, tossed with a tangy-sweet vinaigrette and goat cheese from Malagos.

For our main entree, we enjoyed a plate of Pepper Steak on Hash Brown. It’s a perfectly medium slab of beef, sandwiched between two deep-fried US Hashbrowns with some stir-fried vegetables.

We ended our meal with quite an unforgettable dessert. Chef Claude’s Potato Durian Pie a la Mode was so unique and delicious that I can still remember how it tastes like until now. It combined two ingredients that, on paper, seemed like a flavor combination that would not simply work, but SURPRISE! the pungent durian fruit mixed with US potatoes is awesome!

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Claude’s Le Cafe de Ville

Oboza Heritage House, 143 J. Rizal Street, 8000 Davao City, Philippines

• Hours of Operation: Monday-Saturday Open 11:00AM – 11:00PM | Sunday Open 06:00PM – 11:00PM
• Website: claudescafedavao.com
• Facebook: facebook.com/claudesdavao