Record-setting price at Tokyo tuna auction

A 211-kilogram bluefin tuna that was auctioned for about 16.9 million Japanese yen or around 145,290 dollars and bought jointly by Michelin-starred sushi restaurant operator Onodera Group and wholesaler Yamayuk is carried into a sushi restaurant after the first tuna auction of the New Year in Tokyo, Japan on Wednesday. 

-reuters-

300 Pizza Huts, mostly dine-in locations, to close

Up to 300 Pizza Hut restaurants will be closed, most of them dine-in locations not well suited for carryout and delivery at a time when millions of people are sheltering and eating at home.

Pizza sales have exploded during the pandemic. Domino’s last month reported a 30% spike in quarterly profits. On Monday it said that it was hiring more than 20,000 people to handle surging orders.

Franchisee NPC International said Monday in documents filed in bankruptcy court that it had come to an agreement with Pizza Hut to close hundreds of locations. The Leawood, Kansas, company filed for bankruptcy protection last month.

NPC owns 1,225 Pizza Huts and 385 Wendy’s restaurants in 27 states. There are 6,700 Pizza Hut restaurants in the U.S.

In its filing, NPC said that closing stores not designed for pick-up or delivery will allow it to invest in smaller stores that can better handle online orders.

In May, Pizza Hut’s U.S. carryout and delivery sales reached an eight-year high, according to Yum Brands Inc., the Louisville, Kentucky, company that also owns KFC and Taco Bell.

But Pizza Hut’s U.S. sales grew just 1% in the April-June period; rival Domino’s Pizza, which has smaller, carryout-focused stores, posted a 20% jump in U.S. sales.

Yum Brands in a prepared statement said the stores being closed had underperformed others owned by NPC, and that shedding them would strengthen NPC’s remaining portfolio.

Associated Press

This popular QC restaurant that once served the Pope is set to close after 37 years

MANILA -- Another popular restaurant has become a casualty of the novel coronavirus pandemic as it ends its 37-year run.

Shangri-La Finest Chinese Cuisine announced on Wednesday that it will cease operations on August 1 "due for the most part to the challenges brought about by the ongoing pandemic."

"Our last day for dine-in and take-out services will be on July 31, 2020," the restaurant said in a Facebook post as it thanked all their patrons and supporters.

It added that the restaurant's management and its employees "will be praying for everyone's safety in this current situation."

In its 37 years of operations, Shangri-La Finest Cuisine has served the likes of Pope John Paul II and the late President Corazon Aquino.

Watch the restaurant's farewell video here.

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Dong Juan's Mother Ignacia branch closes due to COVID-19

MANILA -- Another restaurant has become a casualty of the COVID-19 crisis.

DZMM host Ahwel Paz announced Monday that the branch of Dong Juan restaurant at Mother Ignacia in Quezon City has permanently closed due to the pandemic. 

"Ikinalulungkot po naming ibahagi sa inyo na dahil po sa pandemic, sa COVID-19, ay magsasara na po ang Dong Juan Mother Ignacia," said Paz, who is one of the restaurant's managing partners.

He went on to assure the public that Dong Juan's other branches across the country remain open: "May mga ibang branches pa po sa ibang panig ng Pilipinas na puwede niyong bisitahin."

Paz also took the opportunity to thank all those who have supported Dong Juan's Mother Ignacia branch over the past six years.

"Maraming, maraming salamat po sa inyong suporta at pagmamahal. Sana po pagkatapos ng pandemic na ito ay muli po tayong magkita at magkasalo-salo," he said. 


Dong Juan's Mother Ignacia branch reposted Paz's video on its Facebook page, saying that the restaurant has ceased operations effective June 15. 

"Thank you for your patronage!" it said. 

Dong Juan is known for serving comfort food items such as pizza, pasta, burgers, and sizzling dishes, among others.

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M Bakery is back for pick-up, delivery with Mother's Day specials

MANILA -- M Bakery, Manila’s own branch of New York’s famous cupcakery, has special offerings to celebrate Mother’s Day.

On top of the list are special vanilla and chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream decorated with kid-like drawings and writing, bringing back a sense of whimsy and nostalgia.

Customers can send their own personalized designs and messages, too. M Bakery’s 6-inch and 9-inch cakes are also available for orders.

This follows the recent reopening of M Bakery’s Bonifacio Global City branch where the shop’s trademark banana pudding, classic and select specialty cakes and cupcakes, cheesecakes, icebox desserts, and cookies by the dozen are available for takeout and delivery.

“Since the implementation of the ECQ, our fans have been asking us for ways to get their hands on their favorite M Bakery desserts to help cope with the cabin fever and still find some semblance of normalcy in celebrating birthdays or other occasions despite being stuck at home,” said Stewart Ong, managing partner and franchise owner of M Bakery in Manila.

“We have decided to open shop and start baking again to brighten up our customers’ days and make celebrations more special with delicious treats that they can enjoy at home with their families,” added managing partner and head chef Candy Lu.

To prioritize the health and safety of its staff and customers and the freshness of its products, M Bakery is offering a limited menu and is only accepting advance orders for pick-up or delivery during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) period.

Pricing and special flavors will be announced on a weekly basis through M Bakery’s Facebook and Instagram channels.

The ordered products, which are safely prepared and carefully packaged inside the store, can be picked up on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays at the shop between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to observe proper social distancing.

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Shakey's PH now offering frozen mojos in supermarkets

MANILA -- You may want to add Shakey's frozen mojos to your cart in your next grocery run.

This as Shakey's Philippines announced Monday that its best-selling potatoes are now available in ready-to-cook packs at select Robinsons Supermarkets at P375 each. 

In a Facebook post, the restaurant chain also suggested a "mojos hack" that involves rinsing the potato slices before coating with your preferred breading mix and frying.

The frozen mojo packs only include sliced potatoes, but Shakey's Philippines suggested a homemade breading mix recipe that includes garlic powder, all-purpose flour, black pepper, salt, paprika, and thyme.

"Want it crisp and tasty? Follow these 3 easy steps!" it said.


Shakey's Philippines made the announcement more than a month after its Japan counterpart released a recipe for mojos which involved microwaving the spuds first before frying.

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Craving for Manam? You can buy microwaveable packs at select 7-Eleven stores

MANILA -- Here's good news for those who are craving Manam at home: the Filipino restaurant chain has partnered with 7-Eleven to offer microwaveable versions of two of its dishes in select branches.

Manam announced on Facebook that a number of 7-Eleven branches in Metro Manila are now selling microwaveable packs of the restaurant's sisig and kare-kare.

"Hopefully mabusog kayo at mabusog din ang mga puso niyo. Malayo man tayo ngayon sa isa't isa, nandito lang kami para sa inyo. To our super paboritos, ingat lagi!" the restaurant chain said.


Select Manam branches, as well as restaurants under the Moment Group, are also accepting orders for pickup and delivery.

The post below is regularly updated for restaurant schedules:

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Japanese chef wins first ever three-star rating in France

PARIS -- The French edition of the Michelin Guide, the bible of gastronomy, for the first time in its history awarded the highest rating of three stars to a Japanese-born chef.

The accolade, unveiled at a ceremony in Paris on Monday evening, went to chef Kei Kobayashi who, according to the guide, "is a virtuoso at marrying flavours and always spot-on with his conception of the dish."

Japan has several dozen restaurants with Michelin stars, but Kobayashi is the first chef from Japan to be awarded the recognition for a restaurant in France, a country seen by some as the touchstone of fine dining.

Kobayashi was born in Japan's Nagano province where his father was a chef in a traditional Japanese restaurant.

After being inspired, according to the Michelin guide's biography of the chef, by watching a documentary on French cooking, he moved to France and trained under three-star chefs Gilles Goujon and Alain Ducasse.

He set up his Kei restaurant in the French capital nine years ago, and in the years since accumulated first one and then two Michelin stars, before achieving the highest accolade.


"How do you achieve it?," he said after being presented at Monday's ceremony with a chef's white tunic with three stars embroidered onto the left breast.

"You need to progress, you need to reach new levels, that's what it is. You need to look for great products and so on," he said. "So you need emotion, you need to share the pleasure with the team."

The guide said its reviewers were bowled over in particular by one of the dishes Kobayashi serves at his restaurant: a garden of crunchy vegetables, Scottish smoked salmon, a rocket foam and a lemon emulsion.

Kobayashi was one of three first-time recipients of three stars in the French 2020 edition of the guide, while there were 11 new holders of two stars and 49 newly-minted one-star restaurants.

The guide, which was first published in 1900, has been seeking to embrace innovative chefs, with a particular emphasis on sustainable cooking.

But that has irked some in the old guard of French cuisine, who accuse the guide of putting novelty before quality.

French celebrity chef Marc Veyrat sued the guide after it removed one of his restaurant's stars, saying the downgrade was unfounded and tipped him into depression. He lost the court case. 

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Lengthy pizza delivers funds for embattled Australian firefighters

SYDNEY—An Italian restaurant in Australia has made a 103-meter (338 foot) Margherita pizza to raise funds for firefighters battling bushfires.

The pizza was rolled out in rectangular, meter-long pieces of dough, pieced together and covered with tomato sauce and mozzarella, before being baked using a conveyor oven.

It was then liberally seasoned with basil leaves, oregano and olive oil.


The effort took about 4 hours, according to Pellegrini's restaurant, and yielded 4,000 slices.

The proceeds went to the New South Wales Rural Fire service.

A video of the pizza being made has gone viral on social media with lots of users marveling at its size.

The restaurant is now holding a contest to guess how many kilograms of flour went into making the pizza.

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Palawan eats: Italian food meets beach culture at this Coron pizzeria

CORON, Palawan – If you’re in Coron town, Palawan looking for a fancy dinner but wish to keep the beach vibe alive, here is a food destination to consider. 

At Al Trove Trattoria, you get to have fresh Italian food complete with wine and dim lights. But you are more than welcome to dine in super casual attire, even in your bikini. In fact, shoes are strictly not allowed.

And while chairs and tables are available, you can also opt to use the low tables and sit on the floor for extra comfort. 

Al Trove is situated along a small street beside a sari-sari store and across a barbecue stand. For newcomers, the first thing you’ll notice is the pizzeria theater on the ground floor. 

There, crowds who are waiting to be called to their table, get to have an intimate look at how food is being prepared. Pizza dough are rolled and tossed in the air, and then set with toppings before they are baked in a brick oven. 

Upstairs, where the restaurant is, you are to leave your footwear by the lockers. 

The barefoot only dress code, I find, is a relaxing feature that blends well with the chill ocean vibe -- a great complement to the beautiful wooden floors and airy high ceiling interiors. I can imagine foreigners who are not used to this idea very much enjoying this as part of the dining experience. 

But it’s not an empty novelty. Al Trove is a proper Italian Trattoria with impressively memorable food. 

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Jollibee eyes China, US as next 'pillars of growth'

MANILA - Jollibee Foods Corp on Monday said it planned to have 3 strong pillars of growth, namely the Philippines, China, and the US. 

Jollibee intended to grow its foreign business faster than its local units, the country's largest fastfood chain operator said in a disclosure to the stock exchange. 

"The long-term goals of JFC are to have 3 strong pillars of growth – Philippines, China and USA. However, it does not mean that the Philippine business will slow down, the intention is to have its foreign business grow faster than its Philippine business," JFC said.

JFC aims to fulfill this goal in "10 years or more," the statement said. 

The group has been growing its footprint in the US, with its most recent acquisition of Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf in a deal worth a total $350 million (P18 billion).

Last year, Jollibee took a 47-percent stake in Mexican chain Tortas Frontera. It also took full ownership of US-based burger chain Smashburger.

Jollibee may also open its first store in China in the near future, its CEO Ernesto Tanmantiong said in an earlier interview with CNBC. The group operates the Dunkin Donuts franchise in China. 

In the Philippines, Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwhich, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal, and Burger King stores are part of the JFC portfolio.

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French restaurant run by Argentine chef crowned world's best

SINGAPORE—France's Mirazur restaurant—whose Argentine chef Mauro Colagreco draws inspiration from the sea, the mountains, and his own garden—was crowned Tuesday the world's best by an influential trade list, beating contenders from Denmark and Spain.

The accolade came just months after Colagreco was handed a third Michelin star, and was the first time a French establishment has triumphed in the World's 50 Best Restaurant list.

"I'm in the sky and I'm waiting to come back here," Colagreco said as he collected his award for his restaurant in the French Riviera town of Menton. "I don't have words to explain," he said.

In second spot in the awards—which took place in Singapore, their first time in Asia—was Noma in Copenhagen and third was Asador Etxebarri in Spain.

Gaggan in Bangkok was fourth, the highest ranked Asian restaurant. Fifth was Geranium in Copenhagen, and sixth was Central in Lima, tagged as Best in South America.

The top restaurant award has gone to Spain 7 times, the most of any country. Last year Italy's Osteria Francescana took the number 1 spot.

Mirazur took the third spot in the awards last year.

'FEET ON THE GROUND'

After his victory was announced, Colagreco took to the stage joined by his Brazilian wife carrying a banner representing 4 flags—those of Argentina, Brazil, France and Italy. 

"Thank you my team. You deserve it, all these years. Thank you friends for supporting us during these last 13 years," he said.

Colagreco is the only foreign chef to have been awarded 3 Michelin stars. He opened the restaurant in 2006 and was awarded his first star the following year, before getting his second in 2012.

The Argentine-born chef moved to France in 2001 and worked with Bernard Loiseau, Alain Passard and Alain Ducasse before spending a year at Le Grand Vefour.

He said that he ended up in Menton by chance. 

"The owner of the place was the perfect stereotype of an Englishman on the Cote d'Azur, a white linen outfit and a Panama hat," he told AFP in a recent interview.

"He saw that I had no money but he wanted to know what an Argentine was doing in Menton... He rented me his restaurant for a ridiculous sum."

This "gave me a lot of freedom" to experiment, he said.

The early days were tough but since being awarded the second star the restaurant has seen its popularity grow.

Menton, located in southeast France near the Italian border, offers dishes made with ingredients from Colagreco's own backyard farm, including fresh vegetables and seafood.

Despite his growing fame, Colagreco said that he wants to "keep his feet firmly on the ground."

FIRST TIME IN ASIA

For their first foray into Asia, award organizers picked Singapore, which is well-known for its buzzing culinary scene. 

But Europe continued to dominate with 25 restaurants named in the best 50, including 7 in the top 10. Asia won 7, the United States 6, and Latin America 6. 

The awards are organized by British magazine Restaurant, owned by William Reed Media. 

They were launched in 2002 and are now as coveted as Michelin stars, although the methodology used to select the best restaurants has faced criticism, especially from several French chefs who say it remains unclear.

There are no criteria for putting a restaurant on the list, which is based on an anonymous poll of more than 1,000 chefs, restaurant owners, food critics and other industry insiders from around the world.

Each member gets 10 votes and at least 4 of those votes have to go to restaurants outside their region.

The event has been held before in Spain, London, New York and Melbourne.

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Summer eats: Giant ice scramble to beat the heat

MANILA – Summer is officially here! And with the ongoing El Niño phenomenon affecting the islands, this year’s dry season may get quite hot even for Filipinos. Just a few days into the official start of summer, temperatures in Metro Manila has hit over 35 degrees Celsius, according to weather bureau PAGASA. 

Luckily, a dessert shop located at the boundary of Quezon City and Manila City has a cool offering: ice scramble. And it’s not just something to eat to beat the heat. 

My Cookie Lab’s take on this classic street food is also a nostalgic trip. 

The solo version at P75 per mug is a bit pricey compared to the ones being sold in the streets but it offers bigger serving and better presentation for the premium. 

It comes in its classic form: pink icy slush topped with powdered skim milk, tiny marshmallows and chocolate syrup. 

But for more adventurous eaters, there are also other flavors like Green Tea Matcha, Red Velvet, Cookies and Cream and more. 

Also on the menu is an extra large portion of the dessert that is best for sharing. 

Meanwhile, those who enjoy the experience of putting the sweet course together can also do so with the do-it-yourself package. 

The best part? They also deliver. 

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Disgraced US chef Mario Batali surrenders restaurants

NEW YORK -- US celebrity chef Mario Batali has sold his stake in all of his restaurants after being accused of sexual assault by several women, the businesses announced Wednesday.

"We wanted to let you all know that Mario is now fully divested from our businesses. This week, we acquired all of his interests in our restaurants," decades-long Batali partners Tanya and Joe Bastianich wrote in a letter to employees seen by AFP.

The siblings confirmed the dissolution of the Batali and Bastianich Hospitality Group, estimated to be worth $250 million, and the subsequent creation of a new company.

Batali, who often refers to his Italian heritage for culinary inspiration, also negotiated the sale of his part in the chain of gargantuan Eataly food stores, which no longer sell his line of sauces or his 11 cookbooks.

New York police closed an investigation into 58-year-old Batali in January without filing charges.

An employee accused him last year of having assaulted her in 2005 at one of his 26 restaurants, The Spotted Pig, a fashionable New York spot favorited by celebrities.

The woman, who chose to remain anonymous, claimed the chef drugged her and assaulted her, adding that when she came to there was semen on her clothing.

She went to hospital and called the police, but ultimately decided against filing a complaint and the physical evidence produced at the hospital wasn't kept.

Batali denies the allegations.

An employee at The Spotted Pig claimed to have witnessed a similar incident in 2008 through the restaurant's security cameras in which employees had to intervene to stop an assault against a woman who was unconscious.

The once-prestigious chef, known for his red ponytail and orange Croc shoes, had already been accused of sexual harassment and inappropriate touching.

Those allegations led him to apologize publicly for making "many mistakes" and to take a sidelined role at his businesses and leave "The Chew" television program, but he initially hung on to the restaurants.

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Japan police investigate cause of blast that hurt 42

TOKYO - Japanese police were investigating Monday the cause of a powerful blast that ripped through a restaurant in the country's north overnight, injuring 42 people and damaging surrounding buildings.

The explosion in the city of Sapporo on Sunday night started fires and caused the partial collapse of some neighboring buildings, forcing dozens of residents into shelters, officials said.

The cause of the blast was still under investigation, police said, but there were reports that it may have been a gas leak.

Some reports said fumes were leaking from spray cans that had been collected for disposal at a real estate company in the building.

But investigators were also looking into at least nine propane tanks installed in the building for the various businesses located inside.

Numerous customers at the restaurant on the building's first floor said they smelled gas at the time of the explosion, Kyodo News agency reported.

The blast produced large flames and sent plumes of smoke rising in the night air, with witnesses describing a terrifying boom.

The two-story wooden building, which also housed a clinic, was seriously damaged, a Sapporo fire department official told AFP.

Police said 42 people had been injured, but there were no fatalities. Among the injured were several children, as well as a man who suffered burns and a woman who jumped from the building to escape, breaking her leg in the process.

"There was an enormous sound, 'bang', then when I looked up at the sky it was filled with plumes of smoke," an elderly woman said in footage on public broadcaster NHK.

"The ceiling fell, then the entire second floor collapsed and we were all stuck. We managed to escape after everyone kicked through the wall," a person who was in the restaurant at the time told Kyodo.

The fire from the blast spread to neighboring buildings, and debris blasted out by the explosion shattered the windows of nearby apartments and restaurants, according to local reports.

"We are investigating details about the damage together with police at the scene," the fire department official said.

The blast happened around 8:30 pm (1130 GMT), and the city government opened a shelter to house dozens of people whose homes were damaged.

The explosion also caused a temporary black-out, with 250 buildings losing electricity, but power was later restored, he said.

The three tenants in the building were poorly prepared for possible fires, Sapporo fire department official Takashi Shida told AFP.

"We instructed them to improve these points during an on-site inspection in October but they had not made progress," he said.

Many small and medium-sized older buildings in Japan are built partly or entirely from wood and are vulnerable to fires.

In February, 11 people were killed in Sapporo after a fire broke out at a home for elderly people with financial difficulties.

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Explosion at Japan restaurant injures 42: police

TOKYO - An explosion at a restaurant in northern Japan injured 42 people late Sunday, police said, with the blast reportedly causing surrounding buildings to collapse.

Fires broke out following the incident in the northern city of Sapporo, Kyodo news agency said, and images from the scene showed large flames and plumes of smoke rising in the night air.

A police official for the Hokkaido region told AFP "there are 42 injuries" but no one was killed.

The cause of the blast is being investigated. One witness reportedly said he had smelled gas after the explosion.

The building that housed the restaurant was heavily damaged, as were other nearby businesses, including a real estate company, Jiji news agency said.

Children were injured in the blast, Jiji added, citing police.

National broadcaster NHK said it took firefighters several hours to extinguish the flames.

Police warned earlier of possible secondary explosions, according to Kyodo, which described buildings collapsing following the incident around 8:30 pm.

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Jollibee takes full ownership of Smashburger

MANILA - Jollibee Foods Corp on Friday said it has taken full ownership of US-chain Smashburger, raising its stake from 85 to 100 percent.

In a disclosure to the stock exchange, JFC said its subsidiary Bee Good! Inc has acquired Smashburger Master LLC's 15 percent stake for $10 million.

"JFC is now the sole owner of the Smashburger business," the restaurant operator said.

"We look forward to the development of Smashburger into a very strong brand and business in the United States," JFC Chairman Tony Tan Caktiong said in a statement.

Current Country Head for North America Jose Minana will assume additional responsibility as President of Smashburger, JFC said.

Smashburger has 351 stores, mostly in the United States. Jollibee, meanwhile, operates a total of 3,079 restaurant outlets in the Philippines.

-- with a report by Michelle Ong, ABS-CBN News

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Denny's to open 20 more branches in PH

MANILA – American restaurant chain Denny’s continues its expansion in the Philippines as it plans to open more restaurants in the country.

Denny’s has amended its development agreement with The Bistro Group, which has opened six restaurants since becoming a franchisee in late 2015.

The amendment expands The Bistro Group’s existing development commitment by an additional 20 branches.

“The exciting growth enjoyed by a newer franchisee like The Bistro Group in the Philippines demonstrates the strength of the Denny’s brand beyond North America,” John Miller, president and CEO of Denny’s, said in a statement.

Aside from the Philippines, Denny’s also plans to strengthen its presence in Canada by opening 30 more restaurants.

Denny’s first branch in the Philippines is located at Uptown Parade in Taguig. It opened in late 2016.

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Kuya J to bring Popeyes restaurant to PH

MANILA -- Filipino casual dining chain Kuya J is developing the US fastfood chain Popeyes in the Philippines. 

The 2 firms, in a press statement released through Business Newswire, announced Friday an exclusive master franchise agreement to grow the Popeyes brand locally. 

"We are proud to partner with Popeyes to launch and develop this great brand in the Philippines," said Kuya J Group chairman Lowell Yu as quoted by Business Newswire. 

"The Philippines is a large and growing market, and we are looking forward to serving the high-quality food that Popeyes offers to the country’s more than 100 million people," he added. 

Popeyes, meanwhile, is confident that it will "resonate well with guests in the Philippines," its president Alexandre Santoro said in the same statement. 

"Our partner, Kuya J Group, brings years of local expertise and a keen understanding of consumers in the Philippines," he added. 

Kuya J Group offers popular Filipino dishes like crispy pata, grilled scallops, bulalo, sisig and roast chicken. It has grown to 100 branches in just 2 years after its launch. 

The group also owns and operates concept stores Isla Sugbu Seafood City, Tsay Cheng Chinese Cuisine, Majestic, and the heritage Grand Convention Center of Cebu among others, said Businesswire. 

Popeyes, meanwhile, was founded in New Orleans in 1972. Its menu features spicy chicken, chicken tenders, fried shrimp, and other regional items. 

With some 2,900 restaurants in the US and around the world, Popeyes is among the world’s largest chicken quick service chains. 

The fastfood chain of poultry firm Vitarich group was previously granted a franchise to develop and operate the Popeyes Chicken restaurants in the Philippines. 

American franchiser AFC Enterprises Inc., however, allegedly terminated the development agreement for unspecified reasons, prompting the local company to sue the franchiser for damages in 2001, a Philippine Star report said. 

Last year, Popeyes was acquired by Restaurant Brands International Inc., which also owns Burger King and Tim Hortons.

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Filipino food showcased in Asian food hall in London

LONDON - An Asian food hall in northwest London features Filipino flavors.

Manila Kitchen joins 25 other businesses at the Bang Bang Oriental food hall, situated in Colindale.

The restaurant, which opened in October 2017, offers traditional Filipino classics like kare-kare, chicken inasal, ginataang gulay, bangsilog, and halo-halo, as well as several other dishes with a modern twist.

It is owned and managed by Marc Malata – a chef whose passion for food came from his parents, Mario and Cathy of the restaurant Lutong Pinoy in Earls Court, west London.

The 28-year-old Malata told ABS-CBN Europe that he wanted to branch out. He saw Bang Bang Oriental, which opened last July, as a good opportunity to promote Filipino food to other communities.

“We thought it would be nice to try and make Filipino food more mainstream, and we felt there was no better place than an Oriental food court,” Malata said.

“Different people from other backgrounds try our cuisine to see what Filipino cuisine is all about. The fact that people are trying our food and we’re getting a good response is really good,” he added.

Manila Kitchen’s most popular dishes are the Filipino Brunch, which is a mix of lechon kawali, pork tocino, and a fried egg; and Boy Baboy, a mixed pork dish with grilled pork belly and spring rolls.

“We also have our modern dishes which we wanted to aim at the younger generations of Filipinos, like tocino and egg burger, tocino cheese fries, Filipino pork burger, ube cake, and custard,” Malata said.

The Bang Bang Oriental complex is the largest Asian food hall in London and seats up to 450 people. It houses shops specializing in cuisines from countries like China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

Despite the fact that Filipino food is not as well-known or popular as other cuisines, Manila Kitchen’s assistant manager Dawn Dayrit is encouraged by the response they have already received.

“We do get a lot of people who haven’t even tried Filipino food who say, ‘We haven’t had anything, what do you recommend?’”

“After they finish their meals, they come back and say, ‘The meal was amazing, thank you,’ and that they will be coming back another time,” Dayrit said.

“We’ve also had customers who have been to the Philippines but have never had Filipino food back here in London. So when they see us, they’re like, ‘Oh, my God, I had this in the Philippines!’ They get quite excited when they see they can order it here, so that is quite good,” she added.

In an e-mail, Bang Bang Oriental’s marketing manager Ying-Chu Chen revealed that prior to Manila Kitchen’s arrival, they received online feedback from customers saying that a Filipino option was missing at the food court.

“We particularly liked Manila Kitchen's menu proposal because their brand is current and modern, which we believed is a good combination with our Bang Bang brand,” explained Chen.

“Manila Kitchen also has a successful restaurant in west London which gives us confidence in their capabilities. It brings a great variety to our food hall which has been well received by our Filipino customers as well as all other nationalities,” she added.

Manila Kitchen recently launched its delivery service for the local area through the British online food ordering company Deliveroo.

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