Cafe Tribu has gained popularity as your budget-friendly answer to those expensive international coffee chains. Nevertheless, its products are of high quality. Cafe Tribu is known for its kiosk-type coffee shops and stalls dotting several parts of the country.
If I were not mistaken, Cafe Tribu opened its first branch in Angono in 2018, at its kiosk inside SM Center Angono. It soon moved to its next location across Meralco Angono, which is not too far away from SM. It has been operating there ever since.
Aside from its main offering, which is coffee-based hot and cold beverages, Cafe Tribu also offers non-coffee drinks, milk teas, and fruit tea beverages. I have been buying their drinks whenever I have the chance.
When Covid-19 pandemic struck, businesses and industries were affected. For entrepreneurs, the pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges and considerations. From big corporations filing bankruptcies to cottage industries closing their doors, to say that businesses are reeling from the effects of this pandemic is an understatement.
But despite the fact that Covid-19 cases in the Philippines see no signs of letting up as there is still no vaccine, many businesses are slowly coming back. Not because it's safe now, but because they want to recoup their losses. Yes, opening (and re-opening) businesses in this uncertain climate is daunting at best, not to mention foolish. But it's understandable that they have to take a risk, even though they should expect no more than 30% of customer capacity in the months to come. They have to survive, like the rest of us.
When big business openings (or re-openings) seem unthinkable nowadays, Cafe Tribu otherwise boldly went against the trend by re-launching itself last Saturday, July 18. It opened a new small dine-in area in addition to its original take-out store.
And aside from its line of new beverages, Cafe Tribu also introduces a couple of new dishes to go with them.
When I went there late in the afternoon, many people lined up outside the take-out store, but there was no one inside the dine-in area. Maybe there had been dine-in customers earlier in the day, but most people opted for the take-out, which was quite reasonable.
I was hesitant to go inside again, as I haven't been eating out in about five months since the pandemic struck.
However, I was happy to try all of their new dishes and some of their new drinks. I had to take off my face mask so that I could eat and drink, but I was still wearing my face shield.
Well, the dine-in was small but had a lot of character. It had lots of wood furnishings and decor which gave a warm atmosphere. In fact, look at the couple of tables here below:
This one is shaped like a turntable. This is great for an artful food flatlay shoot!
While this table is shaped like a cassette tape. Really neat. These are the reminders of my past, long before the CD era came.
Without further ado, I tried Cafe Tribu's new eats and I enjoyed them a lot:
Baked Mac (Php120) -- this is more than just "somewhat sweet". It is undeniably sweet! Its combination of sweet and cheesy will be a hit especially among kids... and to those with a sweet tooth.
Carbonara (Php130) -- This Pinoy-style carbonara has generous
bits of corn. I've never had carbonara with corn before, so the addition of corn bits has a nice twist, at least for me. I may call it as "corny
carbonara." Hahaha.
Chicken Cordon Bleu (Php150) -- I liked this one the most. It's a classic Chicken Cordon Bleu with ham and cheese. This is the perfect partner for their Baked Mac or Carbonara. Or you can partner it with rice (after taking it out, that is). Each tub has six large sliced pieces of the Chicken Cordon Bleu plus side veggies for Php150.
I tried three of their newest drinks:
Blueberry Cheesecake - Cafe Tribu is not fooling on this one. This is creamy, indulgent, and there are real blueberry bits in addition to pearls.
Ferrero Frappe - Hazelnut goodness of this frappe. My taste buds could even detect some hazelnut bits.
Lemonade Fruit Tea - I would have wanted Wintermelon Lemonade (it was a curious combination) but it wasn't available at the time. Anyway, it has a balance of sweetness and tartness that make this drink refreshing.
Praises for their staff not just for being helpful to customers, but also for being courteous. Despite the fair deluge of customers inside the dine-in area and lining outside the store, they staff and crew their best to accommodate their orders as quickly as they could. Happily, the customers seemed to be patiently waiting for their food and drinks, and not one raised a word of complaint.
As long as there are people patronizing these small businesses during this pandemic, they will manage to survive until normalcy returns. Customers should only mind the guidelines of restaurants, cafes and other food establishments to ensure safety.
Cafe Tribu is located at M.L. Quezon Avenue, Angono, Rizal (right across Meralco Angono and beside Angono Medics). Check out their Facebook page!
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