Homely at Cafe Juanita

Many locals in Manila would prefer eating out in restaurants serving international cuisine, partly because a mindset has been formed that Filipino food can already be had at home, and there are too few restaurants with a concept that justifies the need for a dining scene serving Filipino cuisine. 

But one restaurant is definitely making a difference and the fennel bulbs would love to recommend the
place to anyone wishing to experience the dynamic flavours of Filipino food. Cafe Juanita is located at  
the corner of United Street and West Capitol Street in a quiet neighborhood in Pasig City's Kapitolyo 
district. 

The restaurant's interior is a rather eccentric trip back in time. A lot of antiquities adorn its walls, and a lot of interesting vintage accents add up to the place's overall quirkiness. These are memorabilia from the 1940's and the 1950's, from a time where cigarette packs were collected because their covers were too beautiful to be thrown away, and when magazine advertisements of products like Coca Cola were illustrated by artists. They simply had to be kept. 

The dish above is Cafe Juanita's version of Binagoongan (~Php385, Pork in Shrimp Paste Sauce). Crunchy bagnet (pork belly) was used. The bagoong (shrimp paste) has a sweet hint to it, resembling the flavour of hoisin sauce. The bagoong is not too salty to begin with. 

Next is the Laing (~Php270, pork and taro leaves stewed in coconut milk), which is a speciality from the Bicol region. Usually the dish is made with minced taro leaves (dahon ng gabi in Tagalog), and a considerable amount of pork fat is added to give the dish more zest. Also, chillies which are often used in dishes from the Bicol region, are added. Cafe Juanita's version is not very different, but the minced pork and taro leaves are wrapped in whole taro leaves, which is more aesthetically pleasing. This also seals the flavours inside the filling. 

Another inventive dish is the Ratatoy (~Php220), which is Cafe Juanita's comic take on the French dish, Ratatouille. The French version makes use of eggplants, courgettes, bell peppers, tomatoes, and herbs. This Filipinized version uses the same ingredients but makes use of local herbs like cilantro. The taste is reminiscent of Ensaladang Talong (Eggplant Salad) which is usually dressed in vinegar, fish sauce, tomatoes, and onions. 

Lastly is the heavenly Sansrival (~Php120 per slice). Sansrival is a rich multi-layered cake with nuts and creamy vanilla-based icing. This cake is quite popular among Filipinos because of its sweet, if not comforting, richness. This Sansrival in particular, is definitely sans rival.

If the fennel bulbs would be hosts to guests from a foreign land, they would definitely take them to Cafe Juanita for a memorable sampling of soulful Filipino food.