I tried in the last few month ,what is I believe, each restaurant in Dumaguete multiple times. While there are some gems and a lot of fakes, I can't help myself to go back to one place, where I get good sized portions, delicious dishes and all to a fair price. Not that I don't like the cheap places and can get excited about a chicken on a stick with a cup of rice. However, I wondered how much food I get for the peso, so I took a letter-scale to most places and measured the weight of the eatable main-dish (reading: I deducted the weight of bones etc.) and the side-dishes. I also did not take unlimited rice into the account. To be sure that I don't get treated as a "well known" guest in some places, I send other people who normally don't go to those places, to make the test with a minimum of 4 different dishes, as all had 2 visits, I had 8 different dishes measured. My volunteers and I got some strange comments, you can bet. We tried to compare similar dishes, so for example a vienna schnitzel of 1 restaurant with breaded pork or pork chop in others. In many places the side dishes where separate orders, so we added them to be comparable. Now the interesting result was that a so called "very expensive" restaurant had the most grams of food per peso for meat dishes, pasta and soups. I do understand that people have different tastes and that is very good, however when it comes down to the best value for the money, a "wow-that-is-expensive" restaurant, turns out to be actually one of the cheapest. I ended the test about 4 weeks ago but had no time to write something. Having sacrificed myself for a few month during the testing period, I got on a "cabbage soup" diet the last 3 week, but treated myself and my family with a nice dinner last Saturday. 2 adults and 2 kids (which eat like adults) decided for family style, we all wanted MEAT and we got what we wanted !!! We started with homemade Bread with Salsa (no picture) Fresh Mango Salad with carrots, cucumber, tenderloin stripes and other healthy stuff Imported Salami with Mango-Mustard sauce served on marinated Garlic and Onions Marinated Imported Beef Carpaccio Rigatoni in Blue Cheese Sauce and Fresh Herbs Imported Steak - BBQ Ribs platter with mashed potatoes and vegetables Here the Ribs side .... and forget about ALL other famous Rib places anywhere in town... Here the Imported Streak with pepper sauce R and Kids got additional free shake and ice-cream, I an imported dark german wheat-beer. Price? well, once in a while I take advantage of DI, but it is around 10$/person for regular guests, I would assume...
When i see a price in in the Philippines, be it a hotel, a restaurant or an airline, i'm always suspicious. It adds to the idea that the service is expensive.
... you are totally correct... but as more than 75% of the visitors of this website were never ever in the PI (Philippine Islands), I am certain that they know to handle a dollar better than a third world currency. For you and local expats, the price is about 400 - 450 php per person. If that is expensive for the tasty food above, I am happy not to see that guy around me when I eat there....
All the pics were on Google and the write-up didn't pass copyscape! Just kidding! Looks awesome, and I'm sure it tastes even better! Is it the "new" McDonald's? Back room at Jollibee? For Members Only? :D
rarely go out in the evening for dinner, but it's one of my favourites for their lunch specials when downtown
Thanks for your time and energy to share lovely pics. I am hungry now! Casablanca is by far the best in town, meals made with love and great service. He also makes superb soups.
On our last visit in Dumaguete we tried some of the new recommended restaurants just to find ourself back at Casablanca after being too disappointed with most other places.
