Foodies will rejoice that our favorite Filipino Restaurant is now at the Fort. Cafe Juanita at the Fort is the official “extension” of the original Cafe Juanita in Pasig. It still has its kitschy ambiance (more things are being added), signature Filipino warm service and Filipino food that we can showcase to Tourists, Foreigners, and Balikbayans. As an added charm, it is managed by one of the most lovely restaurant managers in town — Verna Chiongbian, who will make sure that you’ll have an awesome experience.
For me, Cafe Juanita at the Fort is the best Filipino Restaurant in town. (What’s your favorite Filipino restaurant?)
The first floor is quite small and a bit crowded. During typhoon Ondoy, this part of the Fort around Burgos Circle, was flooded up to the knee but it immediately subsided in the afternoon.
This table would have been a perfect place to sit since it’s a bit secluded, but it has poor acoustics — you can listen in clearly to the conversations if you are on the upper floor.
I prefer to dine on the second floor, which you can reserve for a private function. Some of the items here were transferred from Pasig, like the chandeliers and some of the decorations. It is still evolving to become the kitschiest place to be at the Fort.
If I were to open a restaurant, it would revolve around the concept of “social kitschiness”. All the restaurant-goers would be encouraged to contribute their own pieces of decor or things that they don’t need anymore at home because they are considered “baduy”. Over time, the place would reflect the collective personalities of all the people going to the restaurant.
For a one-on-one date, you can reserve this table for two on the second floor. It has a great view of Burgos Circle.
This circular table for 5 is also good because it is in the middle of the second floor and is well lit because of the overhanging lamp. All of the lamps have a hanging bell, which you can ring to catch the attention of the waiters.
Cafe Juanita at the Fort Menu
Appetizers, Soups, Salads, Pasta, Filipino Favorites | Drinks & Wine
Asian Favorites, Mediterranean Entrees, Steaks, Sidings, Desserts
The menu is a bit limited right now and focused on the best sellers of Cafe Juanita in Pasig.
Even the toys for kids are well thought out. They offer interesting blocks to keep the toddlers entertained for some time.
Maya-Maya sa Miso (P328 +10%sc)
First, they will serve you a tasting portion of the Sinigang soup so that you can fine-tune its saltiness and sourness to your preference. The fish and vegetables are fresh, and the broth is cooked like how it is done at home. This bowl is good for 3-4 servings.
Kare Kare (P495 +10%sc) Ox tail and tripe stewed in peanuts and toasted rice with tropical vegetables.
I love Cafe Juanita’s Kare Kare — the sauce is consistently smooth with a swabe taste of peanuts and with less oil. It has generous servings of ox tail meat and vegetables. The only thing is that the bagoong is too strong and too salty. It complements the Kare Kare because the sauce is a bit bland. Maybe they can offer a sweeter kind of bagoong.
Lengua Estofado (P385 +10%sc) Tender Ox tongue gently stewed in tomato sauce.
We love lengua, and this one is cooked to perfection. The Ox tongue is soft and tasty all throughout. The tomato sauce can be used as a meal in itself and the olives give it a satisfying finish.
We noticed that the serving sizes are a bit small (good for one only) versus Pasig’s, but the waiters told us that they use the same bowls.
Aidan and Joshua love to play with the hanging curtains…
A simple dessert with 3 hot turons and ice cream for the kids.
I love their cassava cake, especially when it is served hot and literally melts in your mouse with the creamy sauce.
Sticky Toffee Pudding (P89 +10%sc)
We were not able to appreciate their signature dessert anymore, maybe because we were too full already. The kids loved the bread and ice cream with the sweet sauce though.
No doubt, Cafe Juanita at the Burgos Circle will be the hottest place to be this coming holiday season. I can’t wait for them to offer a Sunday Brunch buffet…
Cafe Juanita at the Fort
Unit WS-2 Burgos Circle, Forbestown Center,
Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, 1634
Telephone: +632 403-1952
Email: cafejuanita@yahoo.com
Mobile: +63 929-8794442 (Charvy)
Burgos Circle is around the corner from Basilio’s in the Fort. There is basement parking in the Forbestown center, but right now, they allow people to park their cars around the rotunda itself. You’ll see a lot of restaurants opening here on this side of the Fort because of the relatively cheaper rent. However, this is the only place in the Fort that got flooded, which would give you an idea on the quality of the developer. 🙂
Anton Diaz
Founder, OurAwesomePlanet.com
Mobile: +63917-LOVEOAP (5683627)
Email: anton@diaz.ph
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hmmm….i think i still like the ambiance in kapitolyo better 🙂 much cosier
Woweee! YAY! although parang mas gusto ko pa rin yung itsura ng kapitolyo branch.. hehe!
the miso soup looks so delicious! i’m thinking of heading over there right now! by the way, would you know what time they open and if they serve breakfast? i’m usually around that area pretty early.
i think they have ample parking space now at their d fort branch.
Hi Anton,
Would you know how many guests can be seated on the entire second floor for a private function? Thanks!
anton, pakibigay mo naman saken yung link nung blog mo before about ordering fresh gulay and mga itlog,lettuce,etc,dinideliver sa bahay nyo,itatawag mo lng yung order mo na mga veggies…ang name nung may-ari ay prang japanese name?!please,thank you again
Hi Anton,
Thank you for blogging about “Cafe Juanita at the Fort”. Indeed, I wanted “Cafe Juanita at the Fort” to be a mirror-image of our main outlet in Kapitolyo, Pasig.. . from the food, to the ambience and the service too. Now there are two places that people can enjoy the Cafe Juanita experience.
Doc
You're Welcome Doc 🙂 Cafe Juanita at the Fort is an awesome addition to The Fort community 🙂
ooooh! pudding! will definitely try that one when i get to go there.. yey!
have you been to Van Gogh Is Bipolar? it’s a small restaurant at qc. i heard the food’s good there..
sana gawa ka ng review non! hehe
Hi Anton! I enjoy reading your blog and I always look forward to your reviews. Keep it coming! 🙂 Just one quick note though, your last comment regarding the developer is a bit unfair and biased. It could have been any developer for that matter. There were some areas in Fort that got flooded as well.
i love this place since I first discovered it in the 90s. i live overseas now, but its on my to-go list whenever im in Manila. in fact, i recommended this to my husband on his recent trip back, and im happy to report he enjoyed the meal and the ambiance. this new location looks quite nice, but i think i still prefer the kapitolyo haunt…
I definitely have to try this. I loved their place near Shaw!
Oh my frickin garsh! I saw you and your lovely wife more or less 20 mins ago when you passed Mamou!!! I’ve been following your blog for more than one or two years now and it’s just amazing to see you guys in person! I was even telling my Dad about your blog and kids (stalker much?) and the places I saw here that I got to share with the family.
Your entries helped me a lot as I, myself, am a foodie. From the food/resto critiques to your promotion of Filipino culture, I really am grateful.
More power to our awesome planet!
after reading your blog , i have been to cafe juanita 3 times : )
I loved <3 their tofu sisig, lapu lapu and their pudding.
The bagnet salad which is my friend Muffin's favorite at Kapiyolyo was overcooked and too hard to digest. We called the attention of the part owner of the place, a pretty young lady, and all she said was she will tell the cook about our complaint. : ( I hope restaurants can try to at least change what has been ordered,or not charge it specially if they see that what we ordered was not swallowed…take note, we tried to chew, but no way we could have swallowed the meat : (
Overall, i prefer this new branch over the old. The place smelled fresher, and everything looked cleaner. Parking may be a problem soon, but then again, i also have that problem when i go to their kapitolyo branch… but I will be back again, and bring more friends to experience juanita… ( i noticed they still don't have a signage )
I also had lunch at nearby Henry's by Good Earth. They served very good food there as well : )
Cheers Anton!
i love the place! nice ambiance, great food! its a place i’ll definitely go back again.
Great food. I like the place.
Hi Anton, I need help. Can you teach me the directions to Cafe Juanita in Fort Bonifacio from C5? I’ll be coming from Libis.
Thank you so much in advance.
The easiest way is from C5 turn right going into the Fort Bonifacio City… go straight pass the Market Market on your left. Go straight until you hit St. Lukes, turn left in the Jollibee road. From there you should turn right when you see Basilio's in the corner. Cafe Juanita is located in the Burgos Rotunda/ Circle.
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Anton Diaz
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I’ve always enjoyed the ambiance and the food of Cafe Juanita (in Pasig). I haven’t tried the one in Burgos Circle, The Fort. Unfortunately, my cousin who went to The Fort branch for lunch two weekends ago eventually walked out of the place when they waited for 45 minutes before getting their appetizer. I think the place needs the touch of Doc.
Thank you so much Anton!
Hi, Anton. we were Cafe Juanita the Fort branch last night. The place is nice and the food is good. But the service leaves so much to be desired. The waiters were inattentive and looked harassed (we surmised from serving far too many guests than they could handle) and needed more training in serving food. To top it all, the comfort room had no tissue paper!! Not quite a pleasant experience for us.
From the number of people I know who have eaten in this Fort branch, the common consensus is that it does not measure up to the Pasig branch. The food is not quite as good.
I love the ambience and the food is good too. I found their corned beef sinigang better than Sentro. The Filipino pasta was good too though I would not recommend this to those counting calories. 😀 Overall, a nice place to dine with family and friends.
ADRIAN CALAQUIAN GARCIA
31 Tabuan Arayat, Pampanga
Contact no. +639182572107
OBJECTIVE:
To be affiliated and eagerly work with your reputable company where there is an acceptable working atmosphere for a more comprehensive training ground and discovering my hidden and untapped potentials.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Production Helper Universal Robina Corporation
Green Tea C2 Beverage
Del Rosario, City of San Fernando Pampanga
Mahogany General Service
San Isidro Villages City of San Fernando Pampanga
Tell no. (860-084-8)
Inclusive Date January 12, 2010 to June 15, 2010
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
Secondary Camba High School
Camba Arayat, Pampanga
2003 – 2007
Elementary Tabuan Elementary School
Tabuan, Arayat Pampanga
1997 – 2003
Specials Skills Hard Working
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Date of Birth November 29, 1989
Birth of Place Tabuan, Arayat Pampanga
Age 20 years of age
Civil Status Single
Religion Roman Catholic
Height 5’7”
Weight 68kg
Citizenship Filipino
CHARACTER REFERENCES
Chito Espino
Municipal Mayor of Arayat
Arayat, Pampanga
Mahogany
San Isidro Villages,
City of San Fernando Pampanga
Tell no. 8600848
Mr. Mark Bamba
Mahogany/Supervisor
San Isidro Villages
City of San Fernando Pampanga
Cell no. +639274139747
I hereby certify that above information are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.
Adrian C. Garcia
^ seriously? a resume posted on comments section????
I was looking for the contact number of this cafe for a reservation, then I saw Mr. Garcia’s resume. Yay!
CAFE JUANITA BURGOS… All I can say is wow. The food is actually pretty good. I only had to try a couple of their dishes and they were pretty tasty with an above average serving.
Service? not bad considering the timing and the way they present their food.
Would I eat at this place again? NO!
What I didn’t like? I asked for a table for 2 and they insisted that all table were full. Me and my date could see clearly that there was an empty table on the left side of the entrance. So I thought, maybe it was reserved. I asked their hostess and waiters, if there will be a table available to please prioritize us as we preferred to eat inside. So right after I ordered from outside, a couple walks in, a DOM Caucasian with his exotic Pinay girlfriend. They were given the empty table and started looking at the menu. I’m pretty sure they couldn’t have reserved that empty table as it was a table that sits 6. They were also offered a bottle of wine. I started to feel discriminated at that point as they served our first dish outside. I thought we should have been priority for that table and any food we ordered should be served inside. The ironic thing was, after browsing through their menu and being offered their limited bottle of wine, the couple suddenly stood and left the restaurant without ordering. So I thought, “Wow, I bet they would offer me that table after they were turned down.” Which they did ask over and over again, but I turned them down. Easily, I’ve decided I would never go in there again and never eat at Cafe Juanita again. Sorry but you just can’t prioritize customers because of race.
Do you need staff at cafe juanita the fort?
i would like to apply to help my study in finacial support thank you 🙂
I ate in Cafe Juanita the Fort when it just opened which was around January 2010, and i have to agree that they needed to improve on the efficiency and speed of the food and waiters. But When my family and i went back there again last week we were very impressed. They had such a big improvement. Their waiters are very efficient and fast. I never had my water glass empty! There was even a girl that greeted us as soon as we arrived in order to seat us. The food also lived up to expectation. It tasted like the pasig branch if not better and the food is faster than in Pasig. I also enjoyed the ambiance. I noticed alot of new decorations and borloloys as compared to my first time. Its not as cluttered or homey as Pasig, but with the size of the place, you wont be able to fit much customers if they made it anymore “homier”. and the reservation of this place is already almost always hard to get. We had to be on the waiting list before we were confirmed for a table.
that’s stupid. I’m sure its just a misunderstanding. you should’ve asked them why they gave that table to a foreigner instead of you and got a clear answer instead of jumping to conclusions and grumbling in the background.
Thank you for your blog.. Most helpful.
May I just add that the bagnet salad is also a strong recommendation. And pasta with aligue is worth the high blood.
can anyone positively give a feedback on a specific food… how it tastes…why its good or bad… all i see are comments on ambience…im not going to eat the ambience but the food…geez…this is a food blog, not an ambience blog…someone please….
i prefer the kapitolyo branch…one of the best filipino resto for me. I love their laing, beef kaldereta & pudding…worth the money.
the new branch in Kapitolyo is much much better. Better ambiance and lighting
i didnt find any difference with the taste of food from Fort compared to pasig. It still taste like the way they always make it. the only difference it seems is Fort has bigger portions than Pasig. I recomend the Tanigue tail and sinanglay. Its our favorite! although i am yet to try something i didnt like in cafe juanita. the food is always surprisingly good.and im confident to try other dishes because they are good. i wish the karekare had more vegetables and meat though, but the flavor is delicious!
i barely notice the ambiance because im there for the food. Pasig does have nicer interior decorations and bigger space, but Fort is not ugly. Just less cluttered.you can see more wall than junk which is fine.
As for service, i was very impressed. The food is fast and they inform you ahead if a certain dish will take long. the waiters are friendlier. they look happy to serve and it doesnt feel dyahe to ask for anything. the manager is very friendly too. like the one in pasig. although the waiters in pasig are good, but the food takes very loooooong! tastewise-its the same.
This is definitely one of my favorite places for a date night! Really nice ambiance and the food is just very comforting.