Marikina City – Page 2 – Viajero Kultura Pilipinas

If the K-Pop phenomenon hasn’t caught up to you yet, this special spot in Marikina might convince you to take on that challenge. Located on the 2nd Floor of the GCN Building, 240 NW Narra St., Marikina Heights, Purple Café Marikina will give you just that: an appreciation for BTS and K-Pop, and what it’s like being there and experiencing its special charm.

The concept is the brainchild of Jansen and Felice Chua, a husband-and-wife team who are evidently appreciative admirers of the K-pop group BTS. This youthful couple resolved to put up something that they love most to do. Jansen handles the business side, while Felice, who enjoys cooking and is a fan of BTS, manages the menus and all BTS-related elements. Purple Café Marikina had its soft opening just last year, in April 2024.

Furthermore, the café’s menu food selections are virtually always named after BTS song titles and anything BTS-related.

Ambiance/Art Inspiration of Resto Interior:

Purely BTS; A BTS fan club haven! The café also features a cozy al fresco spot located on the café’s side, overlooking the balcony of the GCN Building and Narra Street.

Resto Format:

Dine-in, Delivery, Online Availability. The majority of their food offerings are served in generous portions, a plus worth our buck! Open from 7am-11pm daily!

Price Range:

Php 80-Php 300. Surprisingly affordable for its hefty and generous food serving options.

Quirk:

The café itself is like a clubhouse that serves as a meetup venue for fangirls and fanboys of BTS. The establishment’s charm lies in its adornment of BTS standees and carefully chosen photographs of each member and the group. It’s like being with BTS in real time; It’s simply a photo-op haven for BTS fans!

Purple Cafe Marikina also prides itself on being a venue for any BTS milestone here in Marikina. Fangirls and fanboys can rent the place for just a minimal amount to celebrate and view new landmark event updates on BTS, and what-have-you. A pay-per-view kind of thing.

Additionally, Purple Café Marikina invests significantly in obtaining viewing rights for BTS events, which are mostly held abroad but can be viewed live at the café! Tickets are sold every time for fans and non-fans. For announcements, you can visit Viajero Kultura Pilipinas, or their FB page website.

Moreover, you can also do karaoke stuff here if you so wish.

Specialties:

Beef Bulgogi, Lachimolala (Carbonara), Nachos, Tres Leches Cupcakes, Ube Halaya Cupcake, Mocha Crunch, Suganish Lattè (Spanish Latte), and Run (Grapes, Blueberry, Strawberry).

Also try their Sweet-Style Spaghetti, Lechon Kawali Silog, Oreo Frappe, and Strawberry Frappe.

PCM also looks to the future, and plans to diversify their menu selections as needed.

Something new at Purple Café, try their new Arroz Caldo for merienda.

Check other options from their Resto Menu…

Where:

2^nd Floor of GCN Building, 240 NW Narra Street, Marikina. At the back of St. Scholastica Marikina.

To get from Gateway Mall on Aurora Boulevard to Purple Cafe Marikina in Marikina, take the LRT-2 from Cubao Station to Santolan Station, then find a jeepney heading to SSS Village (or similar Marikina destinations like Parang or Concepcion), and alight preferably near Meralco or Jollibee Molave, and take a tricycle ride straight. Fare goes around P30. Alternatively, you can take a jeepney or bus directly on Aurora Boulevard that goes to Marikina City, and get off at the nearest stop to Purple Cafe. Exact instructions as the previous apply here.

For your convenience, go straight out back upon entering the GCN Building, and locate the elevator. Purple Cafe Marikina is on the 2nd floor, near the balcony.

Bonus:

Chami, the friendly Shih Tzu, will be there to greet you at the entrance, i.e., if he feels like it. If you see him, be sure to give him a friendly pat.

VIAJERO KULTURA PILIPINAS: FOOD TOURISM—MARIKINA

Once a dental clinic, the location became a restaurant called Casaño. Rumor has it that Marcelo’s was once used as a fictional establishment name for it on TV, leading to confusion on Google Maps. However, the venture didn’t last long either, as the Reyes family later bought it for its vintage charm, which caught the eye of the eldest, Ms. Celeste Reyes, who has a fondness for vintage-style houses and furniture.

A little tidbit: A local from Marikina said that it was really “Casaño”. The name “Marcelo’s” was only used for a TV program at ABS-CBN before.

The family then considered renovating it without significantly changing its core design and maintaining its vintage appeal, mainly to serve as the Reyeses’ family home at first. But fate had other plans, as the youngest member of the family thought of turning the al fresco area of the house into a coffee shop. And so, it began. With the help of social media platforms, Baliktanaw Cafe grew and started offering indoor dining with something new—the pastas. Eventually, the owners decided to add an all-day breakfast, which began this May of 2025.

What’s in a name?

Baliktanaw, as a name, tells a meaningful story of history and family, reflecting on its past. The establishment is a place for reconnection and nostalgia for family. The owners are a family of four siblings; its name is inspired by the timeless act of family members enjoying each other’s company while eating at a dining table, reminiscing about their good old memories together, hence, “Baliktanaw.”

The people behind this are a family living in Marikina: Reynaldo De Guzman Reyes, father; Vivian Natividad Reyes, mother; and their children: Celeste Natividad Reyes, the eldest; Ronald Allan Natividad Reyes, the second; Ray Angelo Natividad Reyes, the third; and Camille Natividad Reyes, the youngest.

Ambiance/Art Inspiration of Resto Interior:

Inspired by the owner’s old-soul appreciation for vintage aesthetics, the cafe was carefully designed to feel like a cozy, nostalgic home where customers can gather and enjoy a meal as if it were their dining table, sharing company. Additionally, the owner selected all furnitures, from the lighting to the tables; even the most minor details are thoughtfully planned.