What to expect at Kiwami Food Hall’s new location in Alabang Town Center

MANILA, Philippines – Who doesn’t love a good food court and authentic Japanese food? At Kiwami, customers get the best of both worlds – a diverse selection of Japanese fare helmed by Japanese chefs at your disposal, all within an upscale dining space.

Katsu, ramen, yakitori tempura, you name it – it’s all here. The Standard Hospitality Group (Yabu, Ippudo Ramen, Elephant Grounds) opened Kiwami’s first branch in Bonifacio Global City in 2021, and now the group is opening its second “Masters Kitchen” in Alabang Town Center, Muntinlupa City on Friday, September 1.

All about the ambiance

Similar to its first home in BGC, Kiwami’s second location is a 600-sqm open space with interiors designed by the Tokyo-based architects at MYU Design.

“We steer clear of the conventional food court model and lean more towards a full-service Japanese restaurant experience,” Standard Hospitality Group told Rappler.

New customers can expect just that, from its Japan-sourced ingredients to its open-kitchen layout, where guests can also see their yakitori being grilled on the spot. Payment is also done at the front-of-house cashier, similar to that of food courts in Japan.

All of these unique touches provide an elevated yet authentic way to enjoy the Japanese dining experience in Manila, set within a communal and still casual space.

Kiwami is distinguished for housing the homegrown concepts of “four culinary masters.” Each Japan-born chef runs their own kitchen that specializes in one Japanese item “to ensure expertise and consistency with every dish served.”

What to expect from ‘The Four Masters’

At Kiwami, you can enjoy all the best-sellers of Yabu by Michelin Bib Gourmand Awardee Kazuya Takeda.

You can’t go wrong with the Rosu Katsu Set, a panko-breaded pork loin accompanied by unlimited rice, miso soup, salad, and seasonal fruits. Curry lovers can also try the Menchi Curry Katsu, a deep-fried cutlet of of ground beef and pork stuffed with creamy cheese, and then doused in Yabu’s slow-cooked curry sauce.

Welcome the rainy season with a steaming bowl of ramen at Ippudo Ramen, helmed by 3-time Ramen Master Chef Hall of Famer Shigemi Kawahara.

Must-tries: The Kizami Tantanmen marries creamy pork and chicken broth with a special tantan spicy miso as its base, topped with ground pork, Chinese bean sprouts, and leeks. The modern Hakata-style ramen Torched Akamaru is made from a 15-hour pork bone broth, spicy miso paste, and garlic oil served with a rolled pork belly chashu.

Want something meatier? Don’t miss out on Master Yakitori Chef Katsunori Yashima’s Yakitori Hachibei, serving traditional binchotan charcoal-grilled yakitori that’s moist, smoky, and perfectly charred.

You can get the best of Hachibei through the Chef’s Choice Platters, such as Choice A with an all-meat array comprised of buta bara (pork belly), tsukune (meatball), and chicken skewers. For a more balanced selection, Choice B – which features pork belly skewers with asparagus, Uzura Tamago (soy-marinated quail eggs), enoki, and miso eggplant – is a good option.

For lighter fare, Hannosuke’s has its newest takes on tempura meshi and tendon. The Deluxe Meshi Set includes seafood coated in their light tempura batter like ebi, kisu (white fish), and squid and scallop kakiage, with a side of tentsuyu tempura sauce. The Ebi Tendon Set is served with ebi, eggplant, onsen tamago, and nori, drizzled with Hannosuke’s heirloom tendon sauce.

You better make room for dessert, because Kiwami’s famous Hokkaido Soft Serve is a must-try if you enjoy milky and creamy soft-serve ice cream. It’s available in a cup or in a lengua de gato cone; the recommended latter option adds a crunchy and sweeter dimension to the dessert.

BTW: On its opening day on Friday, Kiwami will be treating the first 150 customers in line to to Free Ebi Meshi sets, a new menu item from Hannosuke!

Kiwami’s second location can be found at the Ground Level of Corte De Las Palmas, Alabang Town Center, Muntinlupa City. – Rappler.com