Industriya Marikina

Industriya Marikina is probably the grandest and most elaborate restaurant to date in the City of Shoes.  From its architectural design and intricate details, to its wide food choices and very long menu.  Simply just by looking at it, one might think that it took them a really long time to come up with something like this; yes and it took them nearly two and a half years to finish it and it was definitely worth the wait.

Dr. Alfredo Senga Cheng, owner of Industriya Marikina, is a retired doctor, specializing in internal medicine and also a pulmonary disease specialist.  He retired 15 years ago when his mother became ill and bedridden.  He gave up his profession, his busy life and became his mother's personal caregiver.  His parents were once exporters of ladies shoes and sandals. They owned this huge lot in Tayug, Calumpang which was first used as a shoe factory for AGS, also popularly known as the American Golden Shoes back in the 70's. In fact, it was so popular that they had shops at the Marikina Shoe Expo in Bayan. They eventually transformed their building into what we now know today as Industriya Marikina. It is a living witness and testimony of how big the shoe industry was in Marikina.

When we asked Dr. Cheng why he chose to name his restaurant, Industriya Marikina, which we first thought was a really strong brand name and might draw great expectations from their guests, he said : "Industriya - to bring back the legacy of the shoe industry. Marikina is well-known for its quality shoes and was in fact, Asia's Shoe Capital."  Hearing him answer my first question made me picture the glory days of Marikina and asked myself if that will ever happen again.

"Do you still make shoes?" we asked Dr. Cheng. "We've stopped manufacturing shoes but we still do retailing" he said. "However, my sister owns Rusty Lopez" he added.

Industriya Marikina was first opened to the public on November 28, 2014.  Tayug was chosen as the location for the restaurant for two obvious reasons: sayang ang lupa and there was no income. So to get the people's attention, he thought that building a grandeur restaurant like Industriya Marikina would be his key to success. He also decided to add long menu with diverse set of tasty mouthwatering food: American, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Filipino. You will also notice that they put too many details in the restaurant: from their couches, the ceiling, the dining area, the lighting, the broad window panes, the al fresco, the doors and even their bathrooms.  Yes, their bathrooms. So to those who believe that if you want to find true love, you have to let it find you first.  Well, not on my case, because I came looking for it and I found love especially with their food.

Moria Wase Deluxe (image above, top left) is a collection of different sashimi. It has over 10 kinds of fresh gifts from the seas and placed neatly on a single plate.  The portion might be a little too sparing for a heavy eater like me, but I have to tell you this, our dear readers, this is pure gratification.  The color is vibrant and it creates an overwhelming explosions of flavors in my mouth.  If you love sashimi, you have to try it. A little too pricey though, so definitely not for everyone.

Sake Roll (image above, top right) is fresh pink salmon on a roll. Add some gari or young ginger for a tender flesh texture and natural sweetness taste then a generous portion of wasabi for that little extra kick. Once again, it truly melted my heart away.

Special Sarada (image above, bottom left) is a yummy Japanese salad with kani (crab meat), ebi (shrimp), maguro (tuna) and sake (rice wine). Mixed with fresh lettuce, cucumber strips and Japanese mayonnaise. It is the freshest salad you will find in the city.

Japanese Seafood Ramen (image above, bottom right) is a steamy hot bowl of seafood freshness: seafood stock, squid, shrimp, fish balls, Narutomaki, seaweeds and vegetables. It has that clean aftertaste and it was not that oily at all.

Pan Seared Tenderloin (image above, main article photo) is a New Zealand beef tenderloin served with a purée of mashed potato, buttered vegetables and red wine sauce. The meat was well-done so it was a little chewy but still flavorful and so juicy. Comes with tasty and crunchy sautéed vegetables.

Gamberetti Pasta or Shrimp Pasta (image above, top) is a firm pasta dish with tomato sauce and sautéed shrimps. Perfectly paired with a slice of crunchy garlic bread. If you like it light and you like it pasta, then Gamberetti Pasta it is.

Veggie Delight Pasta (image above, bottom) has red and green peppers, olives, mushrooms, onions with generous mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce. Best to eat it when it is fresh and steaming hot. Highly recommended to friends and families.

We concluded our meal with a good set of their oh-so-yummy desserts: Mango Crunch, Mixed Berries Cheesecake and Moist Chocolate Cake. A slice of each of these were like slices of heaven sent from above.  Thank you God for these blessings.

A visit to Industriya Marikina is not just a food experience but a blast from the past. It will show you both old and new about Marikina, where it came from and where it's heading.  It was a nostalgic experience.  We enjoyed our visit to this place, most especially our chat with our new dear friend, Dr. Cheng.  Thanks to the entire staffs and management of Industriya Marikina.  Visit them at 23 M.A. Roxas Street, Calumpang. You may also check their map by clicking here.