Kiwami changes name, adds new member

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KIWAMI in BGC is dropping its “food hall” branding and adopting the new name Kiwami: Japanese Master Kitchens. In addition to the rebrand and a renovation, they’re also adding in a new member to The Standard Hospitality Group (which brings in Japanese specialties to the Philippines), Koyo.

“We didn’t like calling ourselves a ‘food hall’ anymore, so we dropped that… nothing against the concept, it just didn’t properly explain what we do,” said Michael Concepcion, head of Business Development and Creative Director for the group.

Koyo, a sushi handroll concept, comes from New York-based chef Mark Manaloto. It’s rice and sushi in a handheld roll, with the nori seaweed wrap wrapped again in plastic to ensure crispness and firmness. During a tasting on Oct. 1, prior to the Oct. 7 media preview, we were shown how to eat it. One pulls a corner of the plastic wrapping to release it, slowly pulling the other corners apart afterwards. If one sees the filling slipping out, one pushes it back in while still pulling at the nori. While apologizing for the potential mess, we conclude that it’s part of the experience.

We can say that confidently with their Tuna Edamame wrap, with a crispy nori (that needs not be unwrapped), which tastes perfect eaten by the beach. A California Crunch with kani and mango, is refreshing and crisp, while a salmon aburi wrap has spinach and a mayonnaise sauce and was quite tasty.

Other guests took seconds of the Ebi Furai wrap, and for good reason: aside from the shrimp, it had creamy crab on top and a cured egg yolk. Another favorite was the Mackerel Binchotan, a tangy wrap topped with grilled mackerel.

The Oct. 7 preview also saw a launch of their Hibachi sharing plates, a partnership of Standard Group with Sydney-based chefs Max Smith and Douglas Barker. These included Kampachi (longfin yellowtail) collar, blue marlin, porkchop, and chicken, grilled to perfection with Japanese charcoal and drizzled with their homemade sauces.

The concept of Kiwami, then and now, is to bring Japanese restaurants, experts at a singular family of dishes, under a single roof. There’s The Standard Group’s initial offerings, Yabu: House of Katsu, and Ippudo, serving ramen. Other concepts that have since been included are Hachibei, grilling meats since 1983, and Hannosuke, which has been serving tempura since the 1950s.

Asked about the family’s attachment to Japanese brands, he said, “We happened to travel to Japan 10 years ago, and fell in love with the way of life. The discipline, the way we saw restaurants were operated — that was very new to us.

“We fell in love with how the Japanese do one thing, and they like to be the best at it. It’s a single-dish concept. It’s the idea of mastery, specialization; the idea that you spend your life doing that one thing, and you become the best at it,” said Mr. Concepcion.

Mr. Concepcion’s father, John, was the ice cream man for decades, as managing director and CEO of the Selecta ice cream brand (they’re also members of the Concepcion cooling family), and now CEO of the Standard Hospitality Group.

“My dad’s business philosophy, having built Selecta, was always that. His business mantra, he likes to just focus. Everything’s about focus,” said the younger Mr. Concepcion.

According to him, they have a few new concepts still under wraps, but we’ll hear about them surely in six to eight months.

The Alabang branch of Kiwami is also getting a touch-up and an expansion, having gained the space of the store next door, as well as a new brand specializing in rice bowls and baos (buns).

“We’re opening in Mall of Asia. Really beautiful space as well,” he added.

Kiwami is located in Bonifacio High Street Central in BGC, Taguig, and in the Alabang Town Center. — Joseph L. Garcia