This Swanky, Hidden San Juan Gem Is Your Gateway to ‘New American’ Cuisine

Seva Dining
2/F LYH Building, 714 Abad Santos Street, Little Baguio, San Juan
Contact: 0999-221-1574
Instagram: www.instagram.com/seva.dining 
Open from 6:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. (Wednesday to Thursday), 6:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. (Friday and Saturday), 6:30 p.m. to 12 a.m. (Sunday)

(SPOT.ph) Ah, the thrill of finding treasures in unassuming spaces. Located in San Juan, for example, is the deceptively nondescript LYH Building—and within it, Seva Dining. At least that’s what you’ll have to keep at the back of your mind while looking for the place. Outside the building, there’s no sign to hint at the restaurant’s presence; ask the guard and they’ll have you go up to the second floor. Even when you get there what greets you are unlabeled doors. But trust that behind one of them doors is the sign with the moniker, Seva. Seva in Hinduism denotes selfless service.

For a place somewhat hidden, Seva is surprisingly spacious, seating up to 50, with a private room that can accommodate eight. Undoubtedly, there’s a polished feel to the establishment, what with the checkered floors, glossy ceiling-high cabinets, a swanky bar area, and a wine chiller. You’d be surprised to learn this is the first project of Kenneth Dy, recently graduated architect and cousin of Seva co-owner Neil Dy, along with fellow designers Alcen Ericka and Gaby Asuncion.

Also read: The SPOT.ph 50 Great Restaurants of 2023: Best of Manila and Beyond

While the look of the place might strike some as intimidating, Seva’s true personality comes out as you meet the friendly members of its team—who, by the way, are all below age 30. Operations manager Jonathan Chantong ushers us to our seats as we ask about the restaurant's story. Leading the pack in the kitchen are Neil and Amanda Hao—real-life partners and self-taught cooks (!) whose love for the kitchen came about while studying the art of making Neapolitan-style pizza using an Ooni oven (they sold the pizzas to friends during the pandemic). In 2022, they opened the private-dining venture 29 Sang where—apart from pizzas—they would cook “straightforward” and “unassuming” dishes like Vongole pasta, ribeye steak, and a winner chicken confit. Through the venture, they got to collaborate with other private-dining businesses like Idalia and Lasa Supperclub, and held a pop-up at Toka Wine in Katipunan.

Toward the latter part of 29 Sang’s lifespan came the dream of opening a physical spot. And though Neil and Amanda initially envisioned just a beverage-focused bar, which could possibly open in a bigger space, they decided to pursue opening a full restaurant and bar where visitors could swing by for a drink or two, then have a proper meal after. With it, too, came a shift—from cooking for the private sphere to cooking in a regularly open, open-to-walk-ins space.

Seva Dining restaurant in San Juan

The current lineup at Seva maintains the couple's approach at 29 Sang’s, but with a more imaginative streak. Inspired by their trips to L.A. and New York, New American cuisine is the name of Seva's game—think classics done well, although they do incorporate flavors and elements from other cultures. The Ahi Tuna Tartare (P420), for one, shows daring with its tobiko and spicy aioli; the fan-favorite Octopus (P700) pits bright grassiness from chermoula and a gazpacho verde with smoky, sultry charcoal-grilled octopus meat.

Even with the twists they incorporate, the team is mindful of where they keep the spotlight, as is evident in the NY Strip (P2,700). By no means just any textbook steak, the New York strip here gets just a tinge of added vigor from a light rub of shao kao (the spice mix used in Chinese BBQ)—just enough to emphasize the charred flavors on the outside without it taking over the taste of the meat. The bold beefiness of the striploin happily shines through, and the mala-imbued jus escorting it rounds out the Chinese-Western marriage of flavors.

In other dishes, they take smaller liberties, but these make for maximum impact nonetheless. As in their Spicy Vodka Rigatoni (P680)—which gets a hedonistic upgrade with a blob of burrata in the middle, its creamy interior bursting as it's prodded open. 

The cocktails, created by Niko Tiutan of Ito Space, are excellent companions to a night out—whether you go for the refreshing Watermelon Sour (P380) with white rum and cucumber mint honey; the fab and feisty Seva (P450) with shishito pepper tequila and an earl grey syrup; the offbeat Parmesan Apple Sour (P450) with butter washed vodka and parmigiano-reggiano; or the burly Bacon Old Fashioned (P450) with chocolate and angostura bitters. Try to make space for dessert: the Crème Brûlée (P290) is a must-experience, with lavender lending old-world charm to the well-loved French treat.

The shift from private dining to cooking regular dine-in fare brought plenty of changes for Neil and Amanda. Regular dine-in entails cooking smaller plates but for bigger parties. It also brought in the elements of spontaneity and juggling multiple orders in one go. And whereas it was just the Dy-Hao duo in their 29 Sang days, at Seva they now have a whole team to work with. Admittedly, Hao says, private dining was much easier in that Dy and herself already had a strong dynamic and understanding of how they each moved in the kitchen. Still, the expansion allows them to “execute more things,” and they’re grateful to now be able to cater to more people. “This is a good platform for us to serve [our] food,” says Hao. “[It’s a place where] people can just come in and enjoy our classics… whenever they want.”

Photos by Majoy Siason

Hey, Spotters! Check us out on Viber to join our Community and subscribe to our Chatbot.