Your Neighbourhood Cafe is Now Open
Rojo Coffee is your newest go-to cafe with everything you need throughout the day for dine-in or take-away. It is located in Victoria Sports Tower, a newly constructed residential building by New San Jose Builders Inc.. along Edsa Avenue.
Founders Jovy Acuzar and Khaled Ostwani started the concept for Rojo in the beginning of 2018. Acuzar grew up in a Filipino family, while Ostwani grew up in a Spanish-Filipino family. Together, they combined generations of old recipes from their mothers and grandmothers who loved to cook. The results are classic, Spanish-Filipino comfort food dishes. These are Filipino dishes that have been influenced by Spanish Cuisine.
Acuzar studied culinary in the International Centre for Culinary Arts in New York City. She then worked as a baker in Brooklyn-based bakery, Ovenly. During which, she also worked as intern for Martha and Marley Spoon, a meal kit company that has partnered with Martha Stewart to deliver more affordable, fresh and home cooked meals to Americans.
Ostwani graduated from the De La Salle University. During his time at university, he opened a chain of food stalls catering to university students. His food stalls focused on delivering quick , healthier and more affordable meals for students, as he felt there were not enough healthier options available for university students.
Rojo means red in the Spanish language. Both Acuzar and Ostwani wanted the colour red because apart from its intensity, they wanted this to represent their brand as red symbolises love, passion and joy, and they believed that their brand stood for these values. Its symbol is an Arabica Plant, this is because Rojo believes in serving only 100% homegrown Arabica. It is their mission to be able to help better the businesses of local coffee farmers through working with them in fair and responsible ways.
Rojo makes everything in-house. That’s right – they mix their own sauces, bake their own breads, cure their own meats and bake all their pastries in house. According to Acuzar, they wanted to have full control of production, the reason being that they have more control over quality and are able to deliver the gourmet experience they feel their customers deserve.
Rojo’s menu is divided into categories: Rice Bowls, Pastas, Sandwiches, Merienda and Sweet Treats. Their rice bowls are customisable, you can choose your main protein, type of rice: garlic, tinapa or plain, type of egg: sunny-side-up, soft-boiled or scrambled and two side dishes to choose from, atsara or a tomato cucumber salad. Their pastas are a unique mix of comfort food and Spanish – Filipino flavours, their most popular pasta dish is their Taba ng Talangka which is a crab fat sauce mixed in with spices and tossed in spaghetti. They have classic sandwiches such as cheeseburgers that fail to disappoint. Apart from their menu offerings, you can also order their cakes and pastries for special orders.
Acuzar and Ostwani were heavily inspired by their travels. “We always travel together in different cities to experience the F&B scene, we’ve always wanted to bring these experiences with us back to the Philippines and create something special that is truly and uniquely Filipino.” Acuzar adds.
The atmosphere and energy in the cafe is truly a delight. The interiors display and showcase the artistry and craftsmanship of local craftsmen in Bataan. There are colourful patterns of red, blue and hints of orange, giving the cafe a unique and vibrant atmosphere. The staff or as the owners call them “Rojo Partners” are always friendly, accommodating and knowledgeable about their menu.
Rojo Coffee is located at the ground floor of Victoria Sports Tower, Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, Quezon City.
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