US Potato Safari 3 at Claudes Le Cafe De Ville

In my earlier blog post, there it was mentioned that the United States Potato Board(USPB) Philippines have begun their third campaign, the US Potato Safari, in Davao City, Philippines—with the goal of demonstrating to the audience the creativity and innovation of US Potato in line with the local food industry talents.

Yet again, having the same luck as everybody else who have been into the 3-day event, we took it a liberty to dine at one of the event’s intended destination – Claude's Le Cafe De Ville in Davao.

For its name alone, one would know that Claude's Le Cafe De Ville is a French restaurant for its French-sounding name. A heritage house by original design which may confused first-time goers of the place if not because of the sign “Claude's Le Cafe De Ville” attached to it, this charming restaurant set in a countrified area along JP Rizal is not as formal and intimidating simply knowing it is a foreign restaurant.

Having greeted personally by the chef himself, Claude Le Neindre, we were explicated with the chef’s personally curated menu which gives highlights to US potatoes as part of the recipes.

Chef Claude with the kitchen staff

The Appetizer

Giving the attendees something spicy to stimulate the appetite just right, the Chili Potato Cheese with Shrimps was served which is basically a combination of cheese taters and lush shrimps, everything in mix with a modest yet fiery sauce. Moderately served to tease even the non-hungry eaters, this appetizer will truly bring out anyone’s big appetite for foods.

In line with the Chili Potato Cheese with Shrimps is the Creamy Onion Potato Veloutewhich, from the outside, appears like everybody’s favorite gravy (but without something fried that comes with it), but is actually a soup. Essentially a caramelized blend with onion topped with brie (soft cow’s milk cheese) and potato crouton, Creamy Onion Potato Velouteis a dish not too common for any Filipino’s palate which gives a refreshing taste as an appetizer.

Giving something healthy to an already health set of appetizers, we were served with Salade Madayaw, which is basically a fruit and vegetable salad dressed with the tangy vinaigrette but with a little bit of highlight on the US potatoes.

Main Dish

Only quite filled yet with a lot of reservation for more great tasting foods, we dig in to what is supposedly the meal’s main dish, Pepper Steak in Hash Brown, which is basically a hamburger-inspired meal that instead of the bread and the patty is comprised of both grilled steak cooked medium sandwiched between two US potato hash browns. Not confusing with the soup that was one of the appetizers, this particular main dish does have its own gravy sauce that complements the dish.

Desserts

It must be a French thing or the dessert, Potato Cheese Souffle, must be really not intended to be sweet. Either way, the dessert was the least appealing of all the dishes from the meal yet something that may appeal to others, apart from me. The French, perhaps?

Just as when the first of the two desserts was less sweet than expected, the chef make up for with the Potato Durian Pie a la Mode. Basically a combination of potato and durian in a pie topped with ice cream, this dessert did not disappoint with the sweetness department. You may either just like the pie or the ice cream topping, or both, but this dessert is a definite okay for me.