Latest find: Cafe Juanita

As is the S.O.P. for most life-altering decisions in my life, I take a poll. Whether it be model of laptop, color of car, design of website, type of font, to digiperm or not to digiperm… I take a poll. (NOT to digiperm won.) There is strength in numbers--- more to blame.

In searching for a place to dine in the Mandaluyong area, I rang up the usual short list of foodies, friends and foody-friends of friends. The common denominator was CAFÉ JUANITA. A bit of googling affirmed the recommendations—consistent good quality and value for money, the magic words. And so, this was it. Or so I thought.

Trying to make reservations at 6pm on a Tuesday night isn’t usually necessary, so I was floored to be denied. FULL? At 6pm?!!! What do they know that I don’t?! The kalesa pulled up without space for me on it-- all the more I wanted to be where they were going!!! At that point, my stubborn heart was already salivating so I shoved pride aside. A bit of groveling and begging was in order. Basta, Café Juanita!

The place truly was full. Full of people and full of… STUFF. Promptly at 8:30pm, smug little me finally sat my not-so-little tush down amongst the tens of thousands of chabby-chic brick-a-bracks that held up this quaint hole-in-the-wall and gave it personality. Parties of at least 6 happily gathered around mismatched tables surrounded by trinkets, boas on art deco lamps and beads on crystal chandeliers, plates, bowls, more trinkets, tapestries, mirrors, figurines, collectibles and, yes, even more trinkets-- all of which happen to be for sale. They all have price tags.

The menu is just as eclectic. It covers everything from Filipino to Asian, Mediterranean, to Continental. They even serve a Laotian soup! After much debate, we decided on Fabada, Pochero, Ratatoy (a pinoy ratatouille), sugpo in aligue, some fish in gata, lots of garlic rice and more dalandan shakes. Everything tasted good, presented well and came in healthy sharing portion sizes. But the night’s winner was the Bagnet Salad-- an ensalada of crispy bagnet tossed with fresh tomatoes and red onions, made flavorful by a bam-bamm of cilantro and a bagoong balayan-based dressing. Two servings of that was quickly wiped out! The last orders before we closed the place down for the night were Mango Pinsek (fried mango jam lumpia pillows over vanilla ice cream, P89) and the popular Sticky Toffee Pudding (P89).

Persistence pays off.

(Café Juanita- No.2 United corner West Capitol, Barangay Kapitolyo in Pasig City. 632-0357, 710-1562, 0922-8779894, 0916-5548107. They do accept catering.)