If you’re that resident friend who can never decide where to eat, your indecisiveness is welcome at the Kiwami Food Hall in Bonifacio Global City! High-quality ramen, katsu, yakitori, and tempura by The Standard Group are all available to order in one hip space.

The new Japanese-inspired concept by The Standard Group – the restaurant arm behind Yabu, Ippudo Ramen, and Elephant Grounds – opened its doors on September 23. The large, modern, and minimalistic food hall was designed by Tokyo-based architectural firm Studio MYU, complete with sleek wooden beams, accents of indigo noren, prints, and an al fresco seating area. The warm lighting and wooden interiors help to make the space feel even more inviting and cozy.

The food hall houses four brands highlighting popular Japanese fare – there’s local katsu brand Yabu, headed by Japanese Michelin Bib Gourmand-starred katsu master Kazuya Takeda. Your favorite golden-brown katsu sets, katsu curry, and katsu baos are available here!

You can also get your tonkotsu ramen fix (with slow-cooked torched chashu) from Ippudo, a brand founded by Shigemi Kawahara in 1985. Its Hakata-style ramen broth is imported from Japan to Manila.

The Standard Group also has a new brand called Yakitori Hachibei, a family-founded Japanese business serving authentic yakitori since 1983. On the menu are Chef Katsunori Yashima’s butabara (grilled pork belly skewers), as well as other grilled delights. The kitchen space uses binchotan charcoal, a traditional charcoal made from oak trees used in Japan.

Kiwami Food Hall also houses the new brand Hannosuke, a popular tempura spot in Tokyo, Japan. The stall serves founder Chef Kaneko Hannosuke’s decades-old tempura recipes, which includes the traditional ebi (shrimp) and the Edomae-style tempura tendon, featuring unagi (eel).

The food hall also has a Japanese-inspired cocktail bar for hand-crafted highballs or Sapporo on tap, as well as a Hokkaido milk soft serve bar that serves soft-serve ice cream in a lengua de gato cone, or with kuromitso boba.

All Kiwami Food Hall’s employees have been fully vaccinated. Safety protocols will be implemented in-store. For dine-in customers, proof of full vaccination is required upon entry.

Kiwami Food Hall is located at the Lower Ground of C3 Bonifacio High Street Central, Bonifacio Global City. It is open from 10 am to 10 pm on weekdays, and 10 am to 11 pm on weekends. – Rappler.com