Inside the new Cinema '76 Cafe. Handout
MANILA -- Cinema '76 Cafe has been relaunched in its new home in Quezon City.
The movie-themed cafe started welcoming customers in Tomas Morato last March 18, after first opening in Anonas in June 2021. It features options for both indoor and outdoor dining, and a menu designed by the chefs of Center for Asian Culinary Studies led by Gene and Gino Gonzalez.
In a statement, Chef Gene said they kept in mind "the cinema and theater attitude," particularly the viewers of the adjacent Cinema '76 Film Society, in crafting the menu.
They made sure that many of the dishes at the cafe can be taken inside and enjoyed in the theater. Among these are the Truffle Fries, Mozzarella Sticks, Chorizo Chisu Croquettes, Nachos, and Popcorn with flavors like Truffle Caramel, Smoked Ribs, and Cheddar.
Cafe customers can bring food inside the microcinema. Handout
For something more filling, Chef Gene recommends Cinema '76 Cafe's sandwiches inspired by some of TBA Studios' historical films: Luna (chicken tocino with salted egg relish and tomatoes), Del Pilar (adobo flakes and cream cheese with pickled onion), and Quezon (chicken inasal and tomatoes with bechamel sauce).
Chef Gino, for his part, described the menu of Cinema '76 Cafe as having "a good mix of new and familiar flavors." Some of these are the Margherita Soup, Steak and Fries, and Seared Salmon served with thick-cut fries.
The exterior of Cinema '76 Cafe. Handout
"We have favorite bistro dishes that are not necessarily Filipino but are very agreeable to the Filipino taste. We have American, Italian, and a bit of Asian, too, so everyone will have more reasons to go here," he said.
TBA Studios president and COO Daphne Chiu, meanwhile, said they want the cafe to "reflect the needs of our growing customer base."
"We made sure to incorporate dining options for them, which we couldn't implement in our former branch. With our spacious dining area and a customizable menu, we can do so much more and be an ideal venue for different types of events," she said.
Cinema ‘76 Cafe is located at 2/F Terraces Building, Tomas Morato Avenue cor. Scout Borromeo, Quezon City. It is open from Sunday to Thursday (9 a.m. to 12 a.m.) and Friday to Saturday (9 a.m. to 2:30 a.m.)