06 Oct Restaurant Damaso: The Latest Go-to Place When it Comes to Rare Scrumptious International Dishes and Parisian Ambiance
Restaurant Damaso is the new eating place in CDO that serves rich and palatable unique international dishes. This restaurant hails from the same owners of Chino’s Deli. You can’t miss the place too because it now occupies the space of the former Mom’s Corner Restaurant at Pabayo corner Toribio Chavez Streets (ground floor of Casa Crystalla).
From Sandwiches to Smoked Ribs and Spaghetti Vongole
To put a cap on the suspense, the name Damaso comes from the first name of the owners’ father, Damaso Mempin. Restaurant Damaso is run by the siblings, Chino, Jonathan, and Katrina. While everyone is aware of the success of Chino’s Deli, the origins of Restaurant Damaso has its beginnings from the deli itself.
Chino Mempin
It was Chino himself who noticed that the menu lineup for the deli was somewhat limited. He had other menus and dishes that he had already cooked up and tested but couldn’t serve in the deli because of the limited concept and limited cooking space at the Centrio Mall. Likewise, the frozen foods from the deli could provide plenty of meat ingredients for the restaurant.
At first, the idea of opening a restaurant in another mall might seem like a viable opportunity at that time. However, after searching far and wide in Divisoria, they luckily discovered the former space vacated by Mom’s Corner.
The space was perfect because it’s very convenient and accessible to customers. The Divisoria space came as a blessing since the area has already been well-established to the more business-centered clientele due to the many establishments, banks, and the schools and colleges in the area.
Much of the menu lineup for Damaso was created by Chino, with Jonathan and Katrina serving as critical taste testers.
Restaurant Damaso Menu
It is Chino who often comes up with the unique names for the dishes. The whole Mempin clan though loves to cook and each has their own cooking and food idea experience. One advantage in marketing the restaurant is that Chino and Jonathan both have a wide circle of friends which are also one of their regular customers to their businesses.
That Damaso Feeling Like Being in Paris
When you enter the restaurant you feel like you’re immediately transported to one of those typical Paris industrial restaurants even up to the ambiance.
Even the décor paintings seem reminiscent of the Paris arts life. The abstract paintings on the restaurant walls were actually hand painted on canvas by their cousin. The overall design of the restaurant is from the same architect that conceptualized the deli.
Even the bonsai on the counter is appropriate because it once belonged to Sir Damaso Mempin himself.
What to Order – Restaurant Damaso Best-sellers
The salad lineup is actually considered the real bestseller and what their many customers come back to again and again.
Their smoked Fuego To Go Ribs is another bestseller that is slowly cooked for 4 hours. It is cooked in its final stage when someone orders it.
Fuego to go Ribs
The Spaghetti Vongole is a pasta dish bestseller because of the seafoods used in place of traditional ingredients. In truth however, every single dish on the menu lineup is worth trying and savoring and you won’t be sorry for doing so.
Spaghetti Vongole
Penne Sundried Tomato is also a must-try!
Penne Sundried Tomato
Even their Sriracha Chicken Wings is a bestseller since it is an amalgamation of traditional Buffalo wings and Vietnamese ingredients.
Chicken Sriracha Wings
And if you want a different snack or dessert, it’s best to try their Sikwate and Coconut Snow Ice Cream.
Sikwate with Coco Snow Ice Cream
They have a function room that can accommodate up to 30 persons, a great way to celebrate birthdays or other small events or occasions. What’s funny about Damaso is that many of the regulars from Chino’s Deli would sometimes arrive and order sandwiches from memory. Also, some patrons arrived thinking that the new place is a Chinese restaurant with the name ‘Chinoys.’ Well, in reality, Damaso does serve their own sandwiches like the Blue Iron Burger with pickled oyster mushrooms, Sweet Italian Sausage, and the Tangigue Sliders.
The Sibling Owners of Restaurant Damaso
From Left to Right: Jonathan, Katrina and Chino Mempin
Chino Mempin is a Nursing graduate from Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan. Chino is more into creating and cooking, always finding time to create new and unique dishes, or creating different ones from old dishes, as well as in the operations. He is still single and often travels to learn more about the culinary arts.
Jonathan Mempin is a Psychology graduate from De La Salle University in Manila. Jonathan is more into the frozen food production and the go-between for marketing and public relations. He is the walking and talking salesman of the restaurant.
Katrina Mempin is an Accounting graduate from Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan. She helps in the managing and handling of the finances. She is also the dessert specialist for both the deli and the restaurant.
The real accounting, of course, is done by their mother, while the logistics was handled by their dad, Damaso, when he was still around. However, when it comes to heavy decision making, it is a family-centered business that needs the whole family’s decision.
Conclusion
It is a reality that Cagayanons love their food and will always look for either what is new or what is different when it comes to eating experiences. Restaurant Damaso encompasses both and from an eating experience point of view, the food and dishes served in this restaurant is worth coming back again and again. It is one of those restaurants worth wishing for that they can stay around in CDO longer than most.
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