Popular Filipino dessert concept opens at the District at Tustin Legacy

The District at Tustin Legacy is already home to a few Asian and South East Asian inspired eateries, like Rakkan Ramen, Prime Hot Pot and Curry Pizza House. Now Filipino flavors are included in the food line up at the Tustin shopping center with the opening of Cafe 86.

“Cafe 86 is built around ube, the Filipino purple yam indigenous to the Philippines,” said franchise owner Derrick Gavilan.

Ube, pronounced “ooh beh,” is a root vegetable with a subtle flavor and bold purple color, making it popular with chefs. It has enjoyed a more mainstream presence in the last few years, thanks in part to viral desserts and drinks found at Cafe 86, founded by Ginger and James Dimapasok. Open since March, the shop at the District is the first Orange County location for the cafe which boast nearly 20 stores in Southern California, as well as some in San Diego and Las Vegas. Orange County locations are also planned for Anaheim, Fullerton and Placentia but for now Tustin is the only place in O.C. to get the purple pastries Cafe 86 is known for.

“There are a lot of people that come in and are surprised there is a Cafe 86 in Orange County,” said Gavilan.

Cafe 86 has gained traction in the greater Los Angeles area, particularly in regions with large Filipino American populations like Cerritos and Carson, and Gavilan said he is happy to bring Filipino flavors to O.C.

“A lot of people are happy they don’t have to drive out to another area for Cafe 86,” said Gavilan.

Cafe 86 is now open at the District at Tustin Legacy.

(Sarah Mosqueda)

Among the most popular items are the ube leech flan, a moist ube cupcake topped with custardy leach flan and ube cookie butter bars, a take on a Southern dessert with a buttery crust filled with an indulgent mix of cream cheese, ube and butter. Gavilan said about 90% of the treats on the menu are ube based but there are also other Filipino flavors featured, like drinks made with calamansi, a Filipino citrus about the size of a Kumquat with the sweetness of an orange and the tart taste of lemon and pop-tart style pastries filled with jackfruit and banana inspired by turon, a sweet spring roll that usually contains the same fruit filling. Halo halo, a Filipino shaved ice dessert with different topping mixed in, and the upside down halo halo, an inverted version, are the most popular drinks.

“The regular halo halo has red and green coconut jellies, boba, brown sugar base blended with ice and is topped with frosted flakes, ube ice cream and flan,” said Gavilan. “The upside down version is reversed. The base is ube and vanilla ice cream is on top with flan.”

This isn’t the first time the District has welcomed an ube focused concept. In 2022, the Filipino-owned Baked Dessert Bar opened up shop but since shuttering, Cafe 86 is now serving the areas ube needs. Other new food options include the recently opened District Eatery, a build-your-own bowl concept offering Asian comfort food and the soon-to-open Le Macaron, which will feature authentic, handcrafted macarons, French gelato and more.

Despite the viral sensation surround the purple yam, there are still some who are unfamiliar with the flavor and Gavilan said he and his staff often find themselves answering questions about it, which he said they are happy to do.

“There are two types of people come in. The first type know what they want; they don’t even look at the menu,” said Gavilan. “The second type are the ones that don’t know ube, and our staff is ready to answer that question.”

Gavilan hopes people will taste the purple yam for themselves.

“It’s a dessert, even though it is a root vegetable.” said Gavilan. “It is a culturally themed dessert. Give it a try.”

Cafe 86 is located at the District at Tustin Legacy at 2423 Park Ave. in Tustin.