Ca Phe Saigon

Over the years, Marikina has become a surprise in the local food scene, with good restaurants opening up sporadically across the mostly suburban city. One such establishment is Ca Phe Saigon in the San Roque neighborhood, just a stone’s throw away from the R-6 Marikina–Infanta Highway.

- Robby Vaflor

Ca Phe Saigon is not a new restaurant; on the contrary, it’s been around for quite some time, but it has eluded many visitors who are not familiar with the Eastern parts of Metro Manila. And those who try to search for its location on Google Maps or Waze (found there as “Sweet Apple Creations”) will find themselves circling the block a few times because of a patchy GPS and data reception.

Outside, the restaurant is literally a home, save for the well-lit sign in the middle of the otherwise dim Red Cedar Street, and the more-than-usual number of veranda furniture. The decorations are quaint—endearingly kitschy—with trinkets from Vietnam and pictures of notable guests strewn across the walls. Vietnamese groceries are on display, mostly for sale, like instant pho and dried beef.

A few wooden tables and stools line the narrow corridor, while a bar is propped up on the other side for communal seating. The open air options offer more space, as long as one is willing to sit through a meal with people intermittently popping out to smoke a fag. Well, it does add a bit of authenticity to the meal, I think, people smoking. Some time ago, the owners added an extra room for seating on the other end of the house-cum-restaurant. It’s good for large groups.