Photography

ALAN BERNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Leila Rosas serves up a heaping bowl of Filipino food made fresh every day at the small cafe owned and run by her family in the Pike Place Market. It's been in the market more than four decades.

If you want to work at the Oriental Mart Kitchenette, you have to be family.

And you have to be ready for long hours.

There are only four scheduled days off: Christmas, New Years, Thanksgiving and Easter. Otherwise, pray for snow. The kitchen is closed on snow days.

Three generations work here, mainly women, with Leila Rosas in the center of the action.

Known as "Ate Lei," she is the daughter of Mila Apostol, who, with her late husband, opened the Oriental Mart more than four decades ago at Pike Place Market. Mila is at the cash register.

ALAN BERNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES

As a Filipino soap opera plays endlessly on a small screen, regulars dine at the counter on traditional Filipino fare.

A recorded Filipino soap opera in Tagalog plays endlessly on the counter.

"This whole place is a big Filipino soap opera," says Leila, joking with customers, many regulars.

Filipino crew members from a ship that just docked at Pier 66 longing for a taste of home take four seats and order. "Masarap, masarap," is repeated. It's Tagalog for delicious.

There are only 15 fifteen chairs, so when you come, Leila advises, "only bring 14 friends."