The Giving Cafe A. Mabini. PHOTOS FROM THE GIVING CAFE/LINUS ESCANDOR
DURING his heyday, the late Juan Bautista Lee, the owner of the grand ancestral home in Mabini St., Mandaluyong City, loved his family, good food, and people in general (not necessarily in that order).
Clan gatherings where Filipino-Chinese cuisine was served were regular occasions that his seven children and numerous grandchildren looked forward to. His grandson, who is now an acclaimed barista, Michael Harris Conlin, remembers braving the traffic almost every week from their Pasay home to spend time with the patriarch.
The master bedroom turned into a dining area. PHOTOS FROM THE GIVING CAFE/LINUS ESCANDOR
He “believed in the power of kindness and resilience,” says Conlin of his “Angkong” who passed away two years ago at the age of 104. “In many ways, this house serves as a bridge between the past and the future.”
That was one of the reasons why Conlin recently restored and repurposed the house, which was built in the 1950s, into a modern full-service restaurant and events venue while preserving its integrity. He made it the second albeit larger branch of his The Giving Café, adding A. Mabini to the name to differentiate it from the first dining place located in Sheridan, also in Mandaluyong.
The two-month renovation left the original neoclassical architecture untouched and restored many of the original furniture pieces. At the same time, spaces were left for the younger generation to indulge in their favorite pastimes, like playing billiards or chilling out online in their own “Me Time” room. A sliding door originally built to keep out post-World War II invaders from the rest of the house has been labeled the lever to a panic room by entertainment buffs who grew up watching zombies and other cinematic monsters.
As a result, the various rooms have become ideal settings not just for mouth-watering treats but picturesque sites for prenups, group portraits, and simple selfies and groupies.
The ‘Me Time’ room.
According to TGC A. Mabini General Manager Agnes Bautista, who supervised the renovation, white was the color of the day. Tangible in the café’s walls, it replaced the old wallpapers and lit up a darkened home that its owner’s passing had shut down. Complementing it are the huge windows in each room, which help bring in the sunshine — and the result is an atmosphere of being “maaliwalas.”
Flexi-rooms
This openness and brightness are evident in Lee’s bedroom, which has been repurposed into a small dining area serving a buffet or a family meal alongside a coffee bar. In this room, the food set would include Crispy Wontons, Spinach Soup, Yang Chow rice, TGC Pancit, Lengua con Champignon, Salt and Pepper Pork, Sweet and Sour Chicken, Crispy Tofu and TGC Ice Cream for dessert.
The space to chill out after a long day’s work.
The rooms on the lower floor have been converted into flexi-chambers that can be used for more contemporary functions. What used to be a guest bedroom where former uncles would temporarily stay can be turned into a fun place for a baby party. Beside it is a workspace and mini-library where busy professionals and business people can hold remote offices while munching on café treats.
The main area, which has several long narra tables and chairs, points to a serene centerpiece where guests can take their tea, cocktails, and favorite comfort foods after a hard day’s work.
Conlin says the spot was inspired by his grandfather’s invitation to his daughters, including the former’s mother, to spend their Friday nights at home instead of the usual bars. Back then, the ladies had made it a pastime to unwind at the end of the week.
Concerned for their safety, Lee asked his daughters to do it at home, where they could be safe and enjoy a sumptuous feast at the same time. Conlin recalls that “… after a long week of studying, they would just hang out in this area and have their wine or coffee. We want to show that and have that legacy go forward.”
A guest room becomes a place for a baby shower party.
For the more than 180 customers who can pack TGC A. Mabini, Conlin sums up the experiences he has inherited and, in turn, wants to re-imagine: “A place where memories are honored, stories are shared, and new moments are created. My hope is that everyone who spends time here feels a connection with something greater than themselves. A sense of belonging and purpose that … carries forward from the legacy my grandfather started.”
The Giving Café A. Mabini is at 858a A. Mabini St., Barangay Addition Hills in Mandaluyong City. Call 09272471490, 09851284751 or 028518 9291.
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