DAVAO has been known by its rich heritage and culture. The heavy influence of our history brought us into where we are today. With that being said, time and people in the past will always have a huge effect to our track forward.
Yamashita Diner owner Nexxus Deu Ugay, tracing history through food inspired him in bringing Yamashita Diner to reality. And where else should it be, but in Mintal—once a Japanese settlement for the Japanese.
“Personally, kani nga restaurant pud kay result pud akong experience sa Japan. So kung naa man koy gusto nga maexperience ang taga-Davao kay ang Japan through good food (Personally, this restaurant is a result from my experience in Japan. So if there’s something I want Dabawenyos to experience from Japan, then it would be through good food),” Ugay said.
Ugay added that his stay in Japan after college opened him with the idea of putting up a restaurant.
“Through my experience sa Japan, nakita nako kung unsa ang mga Japanese restaurant magserve pud sa ilang mga pagkain ug kani pud sana ako gusto for Mintal (Through my experience in Japan, I saw how Japanese restaurants serve their food, and that’s what I would want for Mintal too),” Ugay said.
The thought of putting up Yamashita Diner was really planned by the young entrepreneur Ugay.
“Naghatag jud ko plan for this. Nagprepare ko ug marketing plan for this one para clean ang pagexecute sa business (I planned for this. I prepared a marketing plan for this one so that the execution of the business is clean),” Ugay said.
As for the food, Ugay made sure that the manner as to how Japanese dishes are cooked are authentic.
“Gi sure pud jud nako na katung nakita ug natun-an nako sa Japan kay matudlo pud nako sa akong workers. Ako pud usually ang gatest kung okay na iyang taste (I also make sure that what I see and learned in Japan is also something I can teach to my workers. I am also the one testing if the taste is already good),” Ugay said.