⌛ Café Laguna in Dumaguete

The recently opened Café Laguna is located in the San Jose Street just next door to Hotel Nicanor downtown Dumaguete. It is another Branch of the Cebu based Restaurant Chain operating there since 1991.



First it has to be said that it is more a Restaurant than a café, second Café Laguna is serving only Filipino Food; so if you expect a imported Beef Steak for 255 peso you might be disappointed.



Anyway, Café Laguna’s interior is top notch for Dumaguete (for my personal taste a bit too light, so I was cheating with the pictures a little bit). Everything was pre-produced in Cebu and Luzon and assembled here in Dumaguete. The aircon was working and the seating comfortable.



The Staff is very friendly in a professional way. All of them received their training for several weeks in Cebu’s Café Laguna Outlets.
I was there with Rechel and we ordered Kinilaw Tangigue and Crispy Crablets for our Pampagana (appetizer) and Beef Tenderloin steak a la Popre and Buttered Chicken, rice and coke light. The menu is quite big and one should be able to find more than one dish fitting his/her taste. The main dishes are between 180 and 300 peso



A typical philippino way is that all dishes come at the same time (or when ready), so if you want your starters first, like the name might appear to some, you should order your main dish when the appetizer is served.
All four dishes were well sized portions and priced reasonable. I actually (other than I read on another thread) liked the Steak a la Popre a lot and the Chicken were not just skin and bones. It was not fried to death and still juicy meat. Maybe a kind of dip should be served with it.



I would certainly like to have some paper-tissues, pepper. salt, etc. as a standard on the table, because I want to start eating when my dish arrives hot and not asking and waiting another few minutes.

To sum it somehow up, I would describe Café Laguna as a kind of Filipino fine dining and a positive addition to the local restaurant scene. Perfect for introducing first time visitors to local cuisine before throwing them into a street kitchen.

cheers

Rhoody

 

Looks very nice and reasonably priced, will drag my family in there in January when they come for a visit so they can try some real Filipino food

 

Fully agree with Rhoody's comments regarding La Laguna.
I find the ambiance quite modern and different from all others.
It is a new and good addition to the extending choices people can make now.
The food was certainly form me value for money: I had the Filipino beef plate.
My sweetheart had a different opinion about her plate (food) but as usual she is much more demanding than me

 

Yeah! I love this place too. Yummy foods, really worth what we spent. But I wish they have something like a group of 'serenaders' with guitars and stuff who play music.