Hapag's New Makati Outpost Proves They're Only Growing Bigger and Better

Hapag
7/F The Balmori Suites, Hidalgo Drive, Rockwell Center, Makati City
Contact: 0917-888-5757
Facebook: www.facebook.com/hapag.mnl 
Open from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. for Hapag and 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. for Aya, Monday to Sunday

(SPOT.ph) There's always something endearing about witnessing the once-under the radar player flourish with time and plenty of hard work. Hapag, for one, has roots as a hidden enclave in the heart of Katipunan, where Filipino elements were reimagined into eye-opening tasting menus with contemporary soul. Five(ish) years since opening, it looks like the time has come: the restaurant has packed its bags and made the big move to the more urbane area of Rockwell. They step into this new arc at a sophisticated new space, with a menu and service that still embodies the modern Filipino spirit they’ve come to be known for and loved.

Also read: 
Hapag's New "Greatest Hits" Menu Is a Fitting Finale to Their QC Chapter  
Hapag's Pop-Up in Rockwell Is a Warm Invite Into the Filipino Home

Take a look at Hapag in Rockwell:

Whereas Hapag in Katipunan was a smaller, cozier spot—and, to be clear, charmingly so—Hapag in Rockwell is perhaps its more mature cousin that’s all dressed up and ready to impress. This upgrade only makes sense given the ritzier location, yet Hapag does it in such a way that doesn’t lose sight of its roots. 

Head up to the seventh floor of Balmori Suites and push through the door with the H sign—H marks the spot, in this case—and you’ll find Filipino handcrafted vases and a wall depicting the Philippines rice terraces. Past the second door with the H-knob you’ll find yourself at the dining area proper, where indigenous textiles mingle with gold and brass tones, adobe walls, and wood parquet floors. 

With its high ceilings and floral centerpiece, there’s an elegance to the place that reminds diners they’re about to partake in a truly special meal. Still, it never feels foreign or overdone. Hapag retains their Filipino heart through all of it, as is made more evident when you dive into their food.

Hapag’s Tasting Menu

The tasting menu, dubbed Metodolohiya (P6,000/head), is a beautiful showcase of Hapag’s objective—that is, to honor Filipino hospitality and pay tribute to local culture while making it their own. Chef Thirdy Dolatre describes the lineup as one that’s “progressive, and [that] challenges what we all know about Filipino food… it dives deep into our culture. It is carefully planned and precise.” Chef Kevin Navoa adds, “The inspiration for Hapag’s cuisine knows no bounds. We find it everywhere.”

Each course, for the most part, is named after a traditional cooking method used in the dish itself as well—and notably, the team makes more use of fermentation in this round versus previous menus. The resulting flavors are nevertheless close to the present-day Filipino palate, taking after dishes locals would likely easily relate to, but styled or presented in more current ways, with ingredients you might not have thought to use as they’ve been.

A vessel of Nilaga, inspired by a recent Cavite trip and accompanied by an ensalada of watermelon and tomato buro (going by the Caviteño flavor-balancing philosophy of terno-terno) begins the trip. This is followed by snacks, each inspired by local nibbles: Chicharon with tomato-monggo miso taba ng talangka over parachute and oxalea leaves; Pinalaman, or Hapag’s take on crackers and cheese pimiento spread with a filling of shrimp tagilo (buro) fermented with koji; Lumpia, or paper-thin cylinders with a pork-kutchay mousse filling and sweet chili gel; and Silog, a one-bite wonder of fermented adlai, Alaminos longganisa, and egg mousse over a gamet (seaweed) rice cracker.

The succeeding small plate, Kinilaw, makes for a vibrant transition piece, being bright yet balanced with a mango-vinegar dressing tying together malasugi (blue marlin), watermelon, and cantaloupe. Meanwhile, the Inasal brings smokiness to the lineup as it highlights pitik (slipper lobster) confited in santol wood-smoked butter, finished with an inasal glaze, and topped with a zingy pineapple salsa. The Pinausukan is essentially a showcase of kiniing (a cured pork product using native black pigs) two ways, with kiniing mulberry jam and gamet kiniing butter for you to mix and match spreading over fried bonete; ​​Pinasingaw on the other hand is their take on Kapampangan tamales, with a prawn-corn galapong base smothered with a deeply savory palabok miso sauce. At this point, the Hapag team refreshes us with the Kinaskas—a snowcone-inspired palate cleanser with strawberries, nata de coco scoby, and mulberry vinegar syrup.

After a soothing cup of Binakol with rendered chicken fat, we get to the meal’s big gun: the Inadobo, which has three parts: fried chicken adobo rice served in a palayok, from which it’s mixed right as arrives on the table (we’re happy to report it has ample tutong); beef short ribs, its meatiness brought out by a chicken liver-gizzard topping; and an ensalada of ripe and unripe mangoes, lato, and cherry tomatoes. In true Filipino fashion, this is served family-style for members of the table to dive into communally and eat together. 

We find our sweet ending in the dessert of Kinulta—essentially a quenelle of Blackbirds Farms goat-cheese ice cream named after the curdling process in cheese-making. A four-part sweet nibbler platter concludes the journey: we dig into bites of Turon (inspired by Cornetto cones), Hinurno (durian- and lime-infused kababayan-like cakes), Kakanin (bonbons with a forbidden-rice filling), and Inasinan (pineapple, macopa, and honeydew with a hint of salt, as is a popular way they’re sold and consumed on the streets).

Treasures on the Second Floor

Go up the staircase you’ll also find the Katipunan room—Hapag’s private-dining area that follows the look of, and is adorned with artwork depicting memories from, their Katipunan outpost.

The other highlight is Ayà, Hapag’s chic bar area with glass windows that give you a peek at the Makati skyline—captivating stuff, especially at night. Being named for the Filipino word for “invite,” Ayà is more than happy to welcome people over, aiming to evoke the feeling that guests are. "visiting a friend’s home." "They can sit back, relax, and in true Filipino fashion, enjoy themselves as we feed them endless amounts of food and ply them with even more drinks," says Hapag’s Operations Manager & Sommelier Erin Ganuelas. It’s here that the team serves cocktails highlighting Filipino ingredients, and leveled-up casual bites to match: try the Pares Toast (P650) or Warek-Warek (P550) to go with your Calamansi Bee’s Knees (P550) or Guyabano Bellini (P550).

Hapag has been doing private dinners since 2017 and launched the restaurant proper in 2019, opening Filipino diners’ eyes to the breadth of ways we can understand—and from reinterpret, reimagine—our local cuisine. Much as they already have, hitherto, grown and reached amazing heights, there's even more to come, and it's our great pleasure to see it in action.

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