⌛ Mifune – Japanese Restaurant

As it was mentioned here a few times I finally write a quick review of Mifune – Japanese Restaurant in Sta. Catalina Street in Dumaguete.

I went there with Rechel around lunchtime and the first positive surprise was that the air-con was actually switched on and it was nice and cool (what was the reason I left on my first visit again).

The chairs are super-crappy, small, cheap plastic chairs, which is for me saving on the wrong end. Whether I can sit comfortable or not is one of the big factors for me when I go out for having a meal in restaurants which cost more than 35 peso plus 5 peso rice.

Anyway the staff was attentive and fast and we ordered 5 different dishes (Mix Tempura, Chicken Teppan Yaki, Mixed Seafood Teppan Yaki, a Dragon Seafood Roll and a Tuna Teriyaki) to get an overview.

All together we had some nice lunch, but I would call it more Japanese-style restaurant with good dishes but all of them a kind of “philipinized”. As an example, the Tuna Teriyaki came soaked in this typical oversweet BBQ-sauce, the dragon seafood roll (which would have been my favorite) had this terrible sweet philippino mayonnaise all over it. The salad had Catsup-mayo-mix dressing and slices of green unripe tomatoes.

But we are in Dumaguete, so if you want real Japanese Food, you should go to a real City. Naga (the owner of Mifune Restaurant) is here long enough that he knows that there is no way to survive with a Japanese Quality restaurant as nobody would pay the price.

So he made a clever move and adjusted Mifune to the local needs with “cheesy” dust-catcher interior, plastic chairs, flashy colors and Banana Catsup dressing. Naga doesn’t call Mifune a Japanese Restaurant, but Mifune – Japanese Food and Bar.

Mifune will certainly not end up in my Top 5-Dumaguete Restaurants recommendation list, but is for me a very welcome option to eat some kind of different food in Dumaguete. Naga is a nice guy and his Japanese restaurant, (ooops of course I mean Japanese food and bar) offers good value for the Peso and I am sure I will be back soon with my 2 little ones, well, 3 little ones if you count Rechel as little.

cheers
Rhoody

PS: sorry, my internet sucks today, so no pictures here, some on my private blog

 

Thanks for the review Rhoody. Its good to know that japanese restaurant is here in dumaguete city. I know it can be a little bit pricey i think so because most of the ingredients are imported. But i would go before the quality of the meal. I guess they have set dishes in their menu? Right? Same as in manila. But thanks for it. It will be next on my list for my next vacation.

 

Maybe he could set it up to do a "Special Menu" of the good stuff one night a month. I bet there are enough people around here to support it at least once a month!

 

DG, how long are you in Dumaguete ? I admire you that you didn't loose your dreams and illusion :D. There would be 100.000 people excited about that and 1 or 2 would show up ...

I would not mind to spend some more for sitting on a real chair and eating real Japanese food but for that you will need to go also to a real city :(

One can't expect authentic ingredients for a price people of Dumaguete are willing to spend. Thousands of "wow, great that this place is here" won't pay the rent. Why do you think Gustavians never opened up to now.

 

You're probably right, but hey, it's doesn't hurt to suggest!

In the US, I lived in a smallish city, in a land-locked state. We didn't have enough of a market for a full-time fresh seafood restaurant so a local country club organized a once-a-month seafood night and they would overnight in Alaskan King crabs, lobsters, jumbo shrimp, etc. It was always the most popular night at the country club.

So maybe, just maybe it would work here...

 

Maybe, if it was marketed correctly. Marketing is an unheard of term, for the most part, in Dumaguete!

 

I have to conforme with your statements knowdafish. Marketing is not done to convey people to come.

 

Thx rudy...food is ok to good...prices average to med high BUT, the tv,chairs, have to go !!!! Miguel

 

well, marketing helps if there is any potential. The buying potential in Dumaguete is so low.

where people changing their places because the happy hour in the other is 15 minutes longer you do not need to be a rocket scientist or marketing - expert. I am seriously surprised about KDF as I thought he is living here. We should meet for a 2 hour walk through downtown. You show me how to pull money out of a naked persons pocket and I show you with what somebody can earn money.

The only sad achievement with quality-products in Dumaguete is to have thousands of people complaining why things are so expensive.

Isn't it totally ridiculous that you get imported beer here cheaper than in a pub in the home country and people still complaining ?

5-6 dollar for a pizza with imported stuff but too expensive for people here ???

I think Mifune is a great alternative and Naga goes the way he can reach customer and can survive. We paid for 5 dishes and 2 ice-teas 920 Peso. In a real not even expensive japanese Restaurant with authentic ingredients I wouldn't get that for under 2.500.

And that is a price not many would pay here more than once just to try.

cheers

Rhoody

PS: Miguel, just saw your post now... I absolutely agree.

 

This week was the first time I did take lunch there.
The previous 2 times was to see the status of the new facility, because Naga is a friend of us.
We were nearly neighbours in Dauin-Massaplod Sur the first monthes after my arrival in the Philippines in 2006.
I had a simple but good tasting lunch: Chicken Teriyaki.
I will certainly go back there, and that is not only to see my Japanese friend but the rest of the service (as said by others) there is friendly as well....and of course the food.
I had to travel to Japan several times for my work: specific and tasty food they have.
This is of course not the same but it has at least something of it
Yes....the chairs and tables are not up to level.
Luckily not a big point for my more moderate body-size
Eh....one other comment ...........the beer (SMB) was not as cool as I am used to drink.