KAEN is easy to walk past. The entrance on Albert Street in Poblacion is plain, and the pink strip lights next door are the better landmark. Inside, the place is spacious, elevated, and warm. The fire kitchen is the center of the room, and the tables face it, so you eat with the flames in view.
This used to be Kondwi, the art bar and gallery. Marvin Agustin turned it into a dinner spot built around cooking over wood and charcoal. His team also runs Cochi, a restaurant recognized by the Michelin Bib Gourmand.
The name mixes the Filipino word kain (to eat) with the Japanese word kaen (flame). Chefs Miguel Veluz and Mikel Arregi lead the kitchen, with produce from Filipino farmers and fishermen, plus meats from Japan and Australia.
The first question is usually price. It is not as expensive as you would think. The team wants fine dining to feel more reachable, and the menu is à la carte and made for sharing, so you build your own order.
We came as invited guests with other content creators, and we ordered most of the menu.
Starters
The chicken liver mousse is heavy and smooth. The mulberry jam from Tiaong, Quezon adds a little sweetness so it never feels like too much.
The fish ceviche (raw fish cured in citrus juice) uses lapu-lapu from General Santos, with a mango cream sauce and crunchy sweet potato strips.
The shrimp carpaccio is raw shrimp in an Asian-style marinade, topped with pickled local shallots and served with crackers made from shrimp shells and rice. Think of it as an upgraded pica pica (small bites shared over drinks).
Soup and Salad
The roasted kalabasa is a creamy pumpkin soup with crunchy seeds and croutons on top.
The Hisyashi is a chilled, Spanish-style soup served with tuna tartare (finely chopped raw tuna). It is an odd pairing that works.
The rojak is a Southeast Asian-style fruit salad. This version has asparagus, Parmesan from Bacolod, and a tamarind dressing, so it hits sweet, savory, and tangy.
The charred beans come in a bagoong vinaigrette (a dressing made with fermented shrimp paste) with cashews.
Mains
The wild-caught shrimp comes finished in melted wagyu fat with a squeeze of calamansi. It is priced per piece, so plan one each.
The F1 wagyu striploin is cooked over the fire. F1 means a first-generation cross between two breeds, which is why this cut is so rich.
Pair it with the grilled Japanese rice, cooked paella-style with a crispy layer at the bottom and wagyu fat through the grains.
Sides
The charred ginataang langka is young jackfruit grilled until it picks up a char, then covered in coconut milk. It is Marvin’s mother’s recipe.
The grilled leeks come with bagoong romesco. Romesco is a Spanish sauce made from roasted peppers and nuts, and here it gets a Filipino twist from the shrimp paste.
Desserts
The Basque burnt cheesecake uses Bacolod cheese and comes with mulberry jam. The center is soft, and the jam cuts the richness.
The grilled tropical fruits arrive with coconut foam and pili nuts for crunch.
The Shokupan Brulee takes Japanese milk bread, tops it with a torched sugar crust like a crème brûlée, and adds slices of banana cue.
KAEN cooks with real fire, uses local produce well, and keeps the experience relaxed. Book a table, bring a group, and order wide.
KAEN MANILA
6109 Albert, Poblacion, Makati City
Wednesday to Sunday, 5:30 PM to 10:30 PM
Instagram: @kaen.manila
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