Claude's Le Cafe De Ville: Fine Dining at Its Best

When I hear people ask, "what is the best fine dining restaurant in Davao?", there is one name that almost always comes up in the conversation - Claude's. This is the first and most popular French cuisine restaurant in Davao and continues to draw patrons with its unparalleled food quality and excellent service befitting a fine dining restaurant.

However, there is more to Claude's than meets the eye. I have heard a few people recommend the place for its food and excellent service, but you have to dine here to experience how well they've extended their efforts at maintaining this place to satisfy customers. Even though the price tag might be higher than what you'd expect, or most would be willing to pay for (particularly noting those with a tight budget), it's the kind of dining experience that make you look back and note how every bit of what you've experienced is worth the penny you spent.

The customer service is notable with the owner himself greeting you by the door and accommodating you at one of their tables. Then, waiters and waitresses gather to prep up your table for the meal ahead. In most cases, a live trio band will also come to your table to serenade you with music. It is a nice touch, which helps to add to the romantic vibe of this restaurant.

Speaking of the romantic vibe, the ambiance is part of what makes this restaurant unique. It is situated on the second floor of the Oboza Ancestral House (the first floor is occupied by Cellar de Oboza). The dim lighting and candlelit tables contribute to making each dine an intimate experience.

For the food, you can check out our orders below:

• Complementary treat: A basket of Focaccia bread served with French butter and salsa. The salsa is sure to liven up your taste buds with the fresh flavors coming from various herbs (tomato, basil, onion, garlic and a bit of chili) but when you bite into a bread that has been coated with the butter, all that flavor is neutralized from your palate. 

• French onion soup (195): When picking our soup, we were quick to pick this one. Being in a French cuisine restaurant, we wanted to sample dishes that were authentically French and this one did not disappoint. The flavor and aroma from the onion is definitely there, yet it was subtle too. 

• Guindara Fillet of Fish (295): This is my first time to try guindara and I was blown away. There are two choices for you to have the fish cooked: poached or grilled. We opted for the grilled method and it proved to be an excellent choice. The meat is juicy and soft, while the grill marks gave a smoky layer to the flavor. The fish fillet is served with vegetables and mashed potato (although you can also go for rice, if you wanted). Check out that blue cheese slice on top!

• Piquante (400): Always on the lookout for seafood, we also tried this shrimp dish wherein large pieces of shrimps were sauteed in a fresh spicy tomato sauce, garlic, onions, and topped with fresh herbs. 

 

• Chocolate Treat Crepe ala Mode (115): This light dessert was the perfect way to cap off the meal. The warm crepe against the cold ice cream is such an exciting burst of flavor in your mouth.

• For our drinks, we had Mango Juice (95) and Four Seasons Juice (165). Both are freshly made and they serve you with sugar syrup so you can add the sugar according to your preference. 

After we almost finished our crepe, the waitress served us another dessert compliments from the owner. It was such a nice surprise, no doubt. We even took the time to have our photo taken with no less than Claude himself and he willingly obliged.

Claude's Le Cafe De Ville is located at the Oboza Ancestral House, Rizal St, Davao City. To place reservations online or check their menu, you can visit their website here.  

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