Laoag’s got a new chill place! My congratulations to Pastor Brian Shah and Our Saviour’s Foundation on the opening of City Cup Cafe. Pastor Brian is looking cool and dandy. I like the new sparkle in his eyes. I always bump into him at restaurants around town, so I jokingly told him he now has a very convenient place to eat. The friendly pastor and his wife May love food, as in they cook good food! I remember, they once held a Singaporean food festival event at the old Villa Lydia, when they were starting to establish the ministry. The pastor says, they are slowly introducing more Asian dishes, like Thai, into the current menu. Right now, what City Cup offers are salads, pho, steaks, sandwiches, pastas, a few cakes and hot and iced coffee concoctions. If you loved Front Row before, well, the good news is that Precy Llanes manages City Cup!
I asked Pastor Brian if he sees himself getting old here. “Oh, yes.” We will be all old by then, I told him. Laughs.
The whole block where it is located is quite close to my heart. My mom used to own a dress shoppe right below the Ranada Hospital which is only a couple of meters away from the coffee shop (the space used to be part of a movie house). We didn’t have to go farther for medical attention when I accidentally ran a finger through the sewing machine. My ninang Nancy owned the hotel at the other corner and I would go “ballog” to see her adorable dogs and say hello to the fishes in her pond, hahah. Too many fond memories to mention.
Martine, LA and I had an eclectic merienda — a cray cray fusion of pho, lamb chop in mint sauce, waffle, mocha frost. In the end, I also had to try Pastor Brian’s favorite — the bangus slider sandwich which is a nice ciabatta packed with marinated bangus, greens and black olives. Very delish! The ciabattas and cakes are ordered from a friend in Manila.
I promised Eugene to take him next time, so I can also try the malunggay pasta and perhaps the ribeye steak and more pho. Prices are moderate, pretty affordable for students and office workers
Check out the cute baby. He has grown bigger, so cute!
Vietnamese coffee that many have already discovered and love.
City Cup Cafe, Ranada Building, Rizal St., Laoag City 77 670 6820 Open Daily 10 am-12 midnight
Photographed by Blauearth © Blauearth™ All Rights Reserved 2009-2014
