Here, at Cucina Migrante, we’re always searching for meaningful ways to support local businesses, which includes highlighting local San Diego-based restaurants that align with our ethos. Whether that’s creating an intimate farm-to-fork dining experience, sourcing produce sustainably, or fueling local economy with impactful job opportunities, these are the types of altruistic practices we want to feature. Which is why today, we’re spotlighting Make Cafe --- an outdoor cafe in North Park run by Make Projects. In a nutshell, Make Cafe provides jobs and soft skill training to women refugees and immigrants. They learn to cook decadent global-inspired dishes while incorporating fresh seasonal produce grown in the community urban garden, adjacent to the cafe.
According to the San Diego Union Tribune, around 50 refugees from Somalia, South Sudan, Cambodia, Mexico, Vietnam and Syria participate. The jobs provided ignite inspiration to work in the food industry, while also promoting eating clean and fresh ingredients, straight from mother earth. As you know, this is a principle that the Cucina Migrante team lives and breathes by.
On Saturday Oct 2, 2021, we were able to experience Make Cafe’s vibrancy and indulge in their brunch offerings which highlights the seasonal veggies and herbs on rotation in the garden.
The wooden tables were enticingly situated on the covered patio, while a DJ played eclectic global beats, alongside a few local merchants sharing traditional Ethiopian trinkets and clothing. Meanwhile, Make Cafe hosted garden tours, educating guests on their sustainable gardening techniques. All of this was such a beautiful sight to take in.
Make Cafe always releases a weekly menu and in this case, we wanted to taste test a variety of their dishes on the Saturday brunch menu, served from 10am-2pm. Our dining experience started with delicious refreshments, including Vietnamese tea and a piping hot cafe au lait (freshly roasted coffee with steamed milk).
Next, we tried “East African Coconut Mandazi,” essentially African-style beignets made with rich coconut milk and fried till golden brown -- also dusted with a cloud of powdered sugar. They were warm, fluffy and heartwarming. The homemade white peach jam for dipping purposes was the cherry on top. We devoured these within seconds.
After delighting in this heavenly appetizer, we feasted our eyes on the grilled pandan cake, a verdant colored, spongy chiffon cake that is most prevalent in Southeast Asia. It exudes a mild vanilla flavor, which is quite scrumptious. As the title suggests, this cake was slightly grilled and topped with juicy white nectarines and plump raspberries from the garden -- the table voted this as a number one favorite.
Another flavorful shared plate we ordered was “Syrian Fatteh,” a vegetarian dish of crumbled, toasted pita topped with feta cheese, garden herbs and a creamy yogurt tahini sauce. This was a flavor explosion and the juxtaposition of textures was intentionally brilliant. Also fun fact - the word fatteh is Arabic for “crushed” or “crumbs” and is the name for all manner of riffs on a crumbled, toasted pita casserole. This was a perfect dish to enjoy alongside the sweeter options we selected.
Last but not least, we enjoyed Make Cafe’s locally grown Honeyloupe melon sprinkled with fresh mint. The melon’s intrinsic sweetness was underscored by the natural sweetness of the mint -- essentially a match made in foodie heaven. The staff also mentioned that we scored the last of the melon as it’s a summer/early Fall seasonal item. According to SpecialtyProduce.com Honeyloupe melons were developed for warm, dry climates and grow well in the San Joaquin and Sacramento Valley regions of California. They were conceptualized in the late 20th century by Frank W. Zink at the Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of California, Berkeley. A healthy Honeyloupe is pale to bright orange, embodying faint floral undertones. It’s a naturally sweeter treat that ended our dining experience on a very high note.
Overall, we were beyond pleased with our Make Cafe experience, from beginning to end. Not only did we consume four delectable dishes, but we were able to witness firsthand the profound impact Make Cafe is imprinting throughout our local community. If you live in San Diego, please give them a visit and support their heartfelt mission!
Visit/Contact Make Cafe:
Physical Address: 3745 30th Street, San Diego, CA 92104
Contact: 858-633-6852 / hello@sdmake.org
Grazie Mille,
Adisa & Francesco
