All-day cafe with modern Filipino food coming to St. Paul this spring

When Leah Raymundo was growing up, parents would shoo the kids out of the house to play.

"All the kids in my neighborhood, we would play outside. In the street was a good place to play," she said. That's why she chose the name Kalsada, which means "street" in Filipino, for her newest restaurant adventure with her partner, chef John Occhiato. The duo, who also own Cafe Astoria and Stella Belle on St. Paul's W. 7th Street, are taking over the former Augustine's (1668 Selby Av.) to bring their take on Filipino food to the city.

It's an idea that has long been in the making, and they've have been looking at various St. Paul restaurant sites. When Augustine's decided to close, the landlord suggested the restaurant owners reach out to Raymundo and Occhiato. They just closed on the building on Friday, and are ready to get in and begin work right away.

The interior will get a light refresh, with a new vibrant-colored interior.

"I love the inside," said Raymundo. "The owner did really well, but we're going to add some Southeast Asian colors and decor."

The food will be modern Filipino, using ingredients they can track down in the states. "There are a couple of authentic and traditional Filipino restaurants in St. Paul already, like Manila Sizzling — we were just there today. We don't want to cut into what they do and do very well. We're going to bring another take on traditional Filipino cuisine," said Occhiato.

From 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., the restaurant will resemble a Cafe Astoria West, with the lattes and crêpes their first restaurant is known for. Then, it will be closed for an hour before reopening with table service, a full dinner menu stacked with shareable dishes, and a full bar serving some tropical cocktails.

They said they can't wait to open up the patio — which will be dog friendly — and if all goes according to plan, Kalsada will open later this spring.