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.

Posted By Marikeño3:31:00 PM

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Thai Foon

Sawadeeka from Thai Foon, the first modern Thai restaurant in Marikina.  Our team was invited by their management and it took us a month to find our way to this cool resto. I would describe our experience to be a little unfamiliar, however pleasant.  Thai cuisine has five major flavors and tastes: sweet, salty, sour, spicy and a little bitter. We experienced all that, in just one seating.  So without further ado, let us all present to you their food:

Pla Sam Rot or Deep-Fried Fish with Tamarind Sauce (photo above) is fried crispy tilapia covered in sweet, sour and spicy tamarind sauce.  The fish is quite crisp on the outside but soft and moist on the inside.  The fishy oily taste was brilliantly covered by its sour green mango salad. Did not try it with rice, but I guess it can taste better without it.

Thai Iced Tea (photo above, right) is a very refreshing beverage. It is not too sweet and not too thick.  Just the right consistency. What a perfect way to start a good meal.

Thai Foon Pad Siew or Thai Flat Noodles in Thick Sauce (photo above, top left).  The noodles are soft and not that chewy. Taste is slightly sweet with a crunchy texture because of the bits of peanuts sprinkled on top of it.  Broccoli is a little soggy.

Spicy Seafood Fried Rice (photo above, bottom left) is a tasty, flavorful, steaming hot, and moist stir-fried rice mixed with real shrimps and vegetables. Be sure to try this when visiting them.  This is highly recommended.

Thai Foon  Pad Thai is another noodle dish mixed with lots and lots of fresh crunchy vegetables. The freshly squeezed lime fruit gave that clean tangy taste.  I like its taste better than the other noodle dish and it's not messy to eat.

Yam Pla Duk Fu or Crispy Catfish with Green Mango Salad (photo above, rightmost) seems to be an easy dish to prepare but tastes really good.  It looked more like a super crispy fish in a shape of a cookie with sour mango salad on top to balance the bland taste of the fish.

Pineapple Fried Rice (photo above, second from the right) is your typical fried rice but sweetened with caramelized pineapple chunks. If you are okay with your rice to be a little too sweet, then this is your rice.  Kids might like this more than the adults because of its sweet, salty taste and its soft fluffy rice with a little nutty crunch.

Tom Yum Goong or Hot and Sour Soup with Prawns (photo above, second from the left) is my number one dish at Thai Foon.  It has that really hot, spicy and sour taste that we all Marikeños would love. It is a festivity of seafood goodness put into one big bowl. It is not as salty as I thought it would be but can be easily fixed with a few dash of salt and maybe some crushed pepper. Not oily, too. Never leave Thai Foon without ordering this.

Coconut Delight is a fresh young coconut fruit topped with two scoops of macapuno ice cream.  It's new to their menu and will soon be introduced to their dear guests.  If you both love coconut and ice cream, this creamy frozen dessert is just enough to bring you here.

Our visit to Thai Foon will never be so pleasant without the warm welcome and accommodation of the entire staffs and its management. Our food were hot and well-prepared because of their courteous kitchen and dining staffs.  Visit them along Gil Fernando Avenue, Sta. Elena.  They are open from Mondays to Fridays, 10:30am to 2:30pm ; 5:00pm to 10:00pm and on Saturdays to Sundays, 10:00am to 3:00pm ; 5:00pm to 10:00pm.  Click here to see their map for their exact location.

Posted By Marikeño1:09:00 AM

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Butcher's Kitchen by Chef Carlo

If there is that one place that knows tons about meat, then that would be the Butcher's Kitchen by Chef Carlo. They are currently running their own steak restaurant in Parang, Marikina. It is a great place to start a food business because (1) the competition is not that stiff, (2) not that many restaurants nearby and (3) the rent is a lot cheaper. They are located at General Ordonez corner F. Balagtas, Parang Marikina. You can click here to see their map.  Enough with the long intro.  Here are just some of the excellent food we've had.

Angus Beef Rib Eye Steak (topmost image) is so juicy, tender and very well-seasoned.  I could literally taste the love the chef had put on his food and it was a lot.  The portion was big and has clean presentation.  Every slice was heaven.  One bit of advice: be sure to ask for a medium steak and not well done.  You do not want to eat a hard steak, do you?

Carbonara (image above, top left) is really creamy.  Portion is a little small but ooh I love their presentation.  The plate looked so clean and neat.  Nice color and the pasta has a nice firm texture. Just how I like my pasta.

Chicken Wings (image above, top right) is deep fried chicken sided with their sweet and spicy Thai sauce.   It is crispy and the chicken is well-seasoned. Not oily so you have enjoy it without the greasy fingers. Definitely worth mentioning.

Pande-Burger with Fries (image above, bottom left) is probably one of my most favorite items in their menu.  Buns are so soft and the fries are crispy.  Vegetables are fresh and crisp and patties are tasty. Not salty. Patties are made from pure beef with no MSG. Naturally delish.

Pesto Pasta (image above, bottom right) is my preferred choice of pasta, at least on their menu. I am not really a pesto fan but surprisingly, I loved it. Pasta is cooked just right and the pesto flavor is not over powering.

Australian Lamb Chops is our favorite dish in their entire menu.  I could tell that the lamb meat they've used was young because it was very tasty and so tender.  It does not have that distinct strong lamb smell and our meal was pleasant. We did not expect it to be that good: smoky and flavorful.

Angus Porterhouse Steak tastes really good. I just made a mistake of not asking for a medium rare steak so mine was a little well done. Meat was still tender, just not so juicy anymore.  Nevertheless, we still enjoyed our steak and loved it.

Yes, of course.  A good restaurant will never be complete without a good set of sweet desserts and refreshing beverages.  I am a big root beer float fan so we've ordered their Monster Root Beer (image above, leftmost) which is perfect for sharing.  So big in size that it is really meant for sharing.  Also tried their best thirst quencher, Fresh Lemonade (image above, bottom rightmost) with a dash of fresh bits of mint leaves. If you like dairy products, be sure to have a slice of each of their sinful yet heavenly Ice Cream Cakes: Frozen Banana, Peanut Butter and Oreo Coffee.

Some might think that their prices are a little too steep.  I would say that they are reasonable.  You get what you pay for, thus you only get good service,  good food and good quality of meat.  That is 100% certified pure grade angus meat and we are not joking. They take their meats seriously.  Not to mention their satisfactory service with a heart. So head out of your homes and visit the Butcher's Kitchen by Chef Carlo.

Posted By Marikeño6:22:00 AM

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Cà Phê Saigon Marikina

Tired of eating meat? Want something fresh and healthy?  Then Cà Phê Saigon is the place to be.  They opened their restaurant on March 15, 2014 and now, they are on their second year. Their menu is loaded with healthy colorful yet delicious food that you will surely like to try. We were so fortunate to have finally met the young and beautiful store manager, Apple Bonifacio.  Their restaurant was originally named Sweet Apple Creations when our Vice Mayor Cadiz suggested to the owners that they change their name to Ca Phe Saigon that we know today so people can easily remember them.  After all, Saigon (old name for Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam) is known for its fine tasty cuisine. They describe their food to be Filipino-Vietnamese fusion to fit the taste buds of their Filipino customers.  Fresh Vietnamese ingredients were mostly used in their dishes to satisfy the elderly and healthy buffs. Phở broth, which is like the Vietnamese version of bulalo, is used to almost all their food to give that special Asian flavor.

Vietnamese cuisine mostly have vegetables in them.  Vietnamese eat meat sparingly and use less salt thus their food is healthy.  Their common ingredients include soy sauce, fish sauce, shrimp paste, herbs, rice then fruits and vegetables which results to a clean balance taste.

Apple's mother, Rose, a native Vietnamese first met her husband in the 60's when he was still working in Vietnam as a TV technician.  They soon became friends and eventually got married. They first lived in Quezon City then bought a house in Marikina and moved soon after. But enough of that.  Now let us talk about their food.

Bánh Cuốn (topmost image) or Steamed Rolls is the best way to start the meal: pork, shrimp, mushroom and carrots wrapped in soft moist steamed rice wrapper then sided with shredded lettuce and sweet fish sauce. Surely won our hearts.

Bắp cải Đà Lạt (image above, leftmost) or Lettuce Salad is a light salad with fresh shredded lettuce, carrots, cucumber and basil.  Soft fried meat were put on top sided with crackers and Vietnamese fish sauce.  Ironically to the fish sauce, the taste is fresh and not too salty and not too sweet. Fresh crunchy vegetables and peanuts were used so the experience was truly delightful.  How to eat: You sprinkle the peanuts on the salad and pour some fish sauce then mix.  Using a spoon, you add the salad on top of the crackers and eat it.

Phở Khô Hải Sản (image above, second from the left) or Dried Seafood Noodle is literally a festive meal.  Loaded with tastes from the seas: Shrimps, squid, lobster and crab meat. Mixed with flat rice noodles and special sweet sauce.  If you love noodles and seafood, you must never miss this. Also try their Seafood Noodle Soup.

Gà Rán Me (image above, second from the right) is Crispy Fried Chicken Wings with sweet tamarind sauce, shredded lettuce and sided with a cup of rice.  It was not really a favorite because I thought that the chicken was too crispy and a little oily.  Maybe I did not eat it right because I never spilled the tamarind sauce on it and I skipped eating the rice. My mom liked it though.

Bánh Mì (image above, rightmost) is a Vietnamese Baguette stuffed with light veggies: lettuce, cucumber and pickles.  You can choose from any add-ons:  roasted pork, chicken or beef, Vietnamese meatloaf or chicken liver pate. Their chicken liver pate is so definitely a good choice; very tasty.

Gỏi Cuốn (Fresh Rolls) is the Vietnamese equivalent of lumpiang ubod.  Truly perfect for the summer: delicious, fresh and has a clean aftertaste.  It has lettuce, mint leaves, pork and shrimp.  Served with their special peanut sauce.  This is surely my most favorite item in their menu. Highly recommended. 

Vietnamese coffee and tea are also becoming a trend right now.  Vietnamese coffee are so delicious I want to take some home with me. You can choose from these flavors: peppermint, hazelnut and caramel.  They are made out of coarsely ground Vietnamese ground dark roasted coffee.  Their teas are also good and they have many variants: tamarind, strawberry, lemon wintermelon, orange.  I find their Elder Flower Detox Juice a little weird. It has a strong flowery scent. Not my type of taste. I will try their other detox juices next time as see if I will like them.

We would like to thank the entire management and staffs of Cà Phê Saigon.  We had an awesome meal and we made new nice friends.  What a wonderful way to spend our weekend.  We will surely come back and try their other dishes as well.  Cà Phê Saigon is located along Red Cedar Street, New Marikina, San Roque. Click here to see their map.

Posted By Marikeño10:58:00 AM

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