cuisine française

I'm really not familiar with French food but I must say that I am quite intrigued by it because it is much talked about on most food shows on TV.  This is why I did not pass up the opportunity to visit again the only genuinely French restaurant in Davao, Claude's le Café de Ville.

Claude's was located at the Habana Compound before but they have since transferred to a much better location, at the Oboza ancestral house.  The old house, as it would turn out later, was a very good backdrop to an unforgettable feast.

Claude's Baked Goat Cheese Salad

We started by ordering a couple of salads and an appetizer.  We had shrimps cocktail, baked goat cheese salad, and arugula salad.  I have always been a fan of arugula, so I really enjoyed the arugula salad.  The shrimps cocktail was good, too, but I enjoyed the goat cheese salad the most.  I am not a salad person but this is one of the few times that I enjoyed salad.  The goat cheese was creamy but not runny and the mango slice that went with it was a perfect combination together with the light vinaigrette and the salad greens.  We were feeling a little daring that time so we also ordered a very quintessential French food: escargot. I really did not expect to enjoy it, but I did!  The herb and cheese that flavoured the escargot was so good I forgot that I was eating snails.

Claude's Escargot

For our main course, we ordered lamb stew, rabbit stew, and pork chop.  The lamb stew which was cooked with red wine was really good.  The rabbit stew which was cooked with white wine, tasted just as good.  The rabbit meat had a very good taste and texture, just like chicken, as they always say.  But I can't just forget that I was eating a rodent.  However, the best course for the night was the pork chop (Pork Chop a la Café de Ville).  It was cooked perfectly with ham and cheese in the middle.  The  lightly sweet sauce and the slices of apple that went with it provided a sweetness that complemented the pork chop perfectly.

Claude's Pork Chop a la Café de Ville

To end the fabulous meal we were having, we ordered baked cheesecake and creme brûlée.  This was a very appropriate ending as both desserts were amazing.  The cheesecake came with three different sauces, mango, blueberry, and strawberry.  I chose the mango sauce which was, in my opinion, the best partner ever for the cheesecake.  The sweet mango was a perfect topping to a very airy and light cheesecake.  However, hands down the creme brûlée was the better dessert. I have tried making creme brûlée at home to some degree of success but I would have thought of my attempt as a disaster had I tasted Claude's creme brûlée before.  One has not tasted creme brûlée until they have tried Claude's.

Claude's Creme Brûlée

The dinner at Claude's le Café de Ville is the best dinner I had in a very long while.  The food was amazing, the service was great, and the ambiance of the old house provided a romantic backdrop to a very unforgettable meal.  Claude's just made it to the top of my favourite restaurants in Davao.