No matter how great the local food and the cook at home is, once in a while a visit in a Restaurant is important to tickle the pallet and to have something special. Dumaguete is a place with some good international restaurants, which do their best to prepare authentic food.
One problem all of those restaurants have in common is the availability and quality of ingredients. Local beef is most of the time not suitable for a steak with international standard and vegetables are often harvested before they are ripe. Only those places with skilled chefs and trained staff are able to keep the high standard over the years. The DC team saw many promising tries of many hobby-chefs to start a restaurant but it did not take too long that reality caught up and the place closed after a few months, sometimes weeks.
Filipinized Dishes
International traveler will come across many familiar sounding dishes from chicken cordon bleu to spaghetti carbonara in the local restaurants. Most of them are tasty in their own way but are far away from the taste one might be used to. This mainly results from the limited ingredients and training of chefs to prepare this dishes. Last but not least is the price factor. Using authentic ingredients would raise the price into a range where many locals can’t afford. If one expect an authentic Italian lasagna for 100 peso might want to think about how that should be executable.
Casablanca Restaurant
Casablanca is since its opening one of the first choices for many when striving for quality food. The menu has mainly German and Mediterranean dishes but also includes some Mexican and local Filipino Food.
The daily changing lunch special for under 250 Php includes complimentary bread, soup, a choice of 2 or 3 main dishes and ice tea.
The University town also might lack of the buying power needed for more international restaurants. Even most expats who pay in their home-countries 20$ for a meal in a normal restaurant complain about 10$ meals in Dumaguete which have international standard.
Therefore it is rough water for most restaurant owners and only a good handful is able to serve authentic international cuisine. Following some of the international restaurants in Dumaguete which kept their standards over a period of time
Mooon Cafe – Robinsons
Mooon Cafe at the al fresco dining area of Robinsons Place is a franchise restaurant originating from Cebu, serving mexican inspired food as well as Filipino favourites. – read more –
Mifune – Japanese Restaurant
This restaurant in Sta Catalina Street is the closest to authentic Japanese food as it can get in Dumaguete and Negros without paying the price which is usually charged for this cuisine.- read more –
Rai Rai Ken Ramen House
(CLOSED)
Rai Rai Ken Ramen House is a typical mall franchise originating from Cebu. The place offers a Japanese inspired dishes and Ramen as well as some curries – read more –
Mooon Cafe – Silliman Avenue
The Mooon Cafe branch in Silliman Avenue is the perfect place for a gathering with friends with yummy mexican style food and tropical drinks at the north end of the Boulevard. – read more –