Cafe SEMPRE, Lapu-Lapu: When Local Food Makes More Sense
Published: 24-Dec-2025 (04:25); Viewed: 31; Difficulty: 1 out of 10Rating: N/A
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That wide menu is exactly where things start to feel a bit uneven. The breakfast section, for example, labels some options as “continental,” yet includes rice and sausages — not wrong, but confusing. It feels less like a clear concept and more like a compromise meant to please everyone.
I decided to focus on a simple lunch: squid and a salad, plus coffee. The food arrived nicely presented. The salad, however, was disappointing for the price. It was mostly greens with very little on top — a few sun-dried tomatoes, candied walnuts, and a small amount of parmesan. At around 400 pesos, it felt unfinished and hard to justify.
The squid told a very different story. It was properly cooked, smelled good, and worked well with local ingredients like green onion, tomato, papaya, and a bit of sili sauce. This dish made sense in the Filipino context and showed that the kitchen is far more confident when it stays close to local flavors rather than trying to imitate European ones.
Overall, Cafe SEMPRE isn’t a bad place — but it’s a place where ordering matters. If you stick to local-style dishes, you’re likely to enjoy the food much more. The international dishes feel premature, sometimes confused, and often overpriced for what they deliver.
If you’re staying at the hotel or nearby, it’s worth a visit — just keep your expectations realistic and let the local food do the talking.
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