When you say "port" – right on the water – outstanding location, with great views. But, this port I'm going to review is just inside a mall of Davao City.
When port cafe opened at the 2nd floor at Gaisano Mall of Davao way back my college years, the place is huge packed with customers: both professionals and students. The Port Cafe that time is a bit dark and noisy, but I super love their food. We always make "tambay" while waiting for our class schedule because it's near to our university. Though sometimes some students, in their view it's not cheap, but, in my view, it is worth it. Consider that the place is just near the heart of the city and that many food stores or restaurants do not have stellar food. What I like with the previous port cafe is that they have excellent food with generous portions and the staff even if they're so busy they still are very hospitable who CARES about their customers.
After rebranding from Port Cafe to Port Food Cafe last August 2016, we visited the place again during pandemic 2021. Now, together with my children, we have our lunch and it was a very pleasant experience. I'm amazed with the changes they made, the atmosphere sets the stage. It's very instagrammable, warm and cool. Factors such as music, lighting, artwork and spacing combine to create comfort, intimacy and even romance are perfect!
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| Photo credit to Port Food Cafe FB Page |
Artwork also plays a part. The color use to project the restaurant in to a port:
Walls Color Palette is BLUE -sea, ocean, water
The HANGING PADDLE - representing a partner for a boat.
Chairs & Tables - as if you are typically eating by the beach.
Though the port cafe is inside a mall, incorporating the idea of a beach really takes advantage of its location in Davao. Just to make it more appealing to their customers who loves to go to the beach, but has no time, why not visit Port Food Cafe and enjoy the beach atmosphere (though there's no sea!) 😆😉👍
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| Photo credit to Port Food Cafe FB Page |
The spacious layout and the Instagrammable look of the restaurant allows a relaxed ambiance to customers to dine in. You got a lot of space on the table and between each table. And customers will really enjoy their own intimacy.
The menu is pretty similar to most cafes I've visited. Serving like carbonara, corned beef, sandwiches, drinks, pasta, cakes, and the like. They have a NEW MENU added, so we order:
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| Port Chao Fan with glass of ice tea |
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| Port Food Cafe Cornsilog Meal - corner beef, sunny side-up egg and garlic fried rice with chips and free glass of ice tea |
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| Port Carbonara with bread and a glass of ice tea |
Though their food menu have changed (comparing to the old menu of the Port Cafe), but turned out to be great! Dishes were quite tasty including the local bread. 😆😊🙂
The service was also very average.
PORT FOOD CAFE has a steady clientele, old customers still visited this place (I guess) plus new customers the Gen Z, as it well located inside a mall and now it has two branches, one in Tagum and Digos.
So, I recommend this cafe for simple, average and "good enough" meals. I can say that this establishment is winner primarily for ambiance! All in all, reasonable value for money, average food and drink. The next time you visit Gaisano Mall of Davao, don't forget to hangout in this place called Port Food Cafe which is located at the 2nd Floor.
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