At new location, Hapag is in its best form
EHapag 2.0 at Rockwell’s Balmori Suites explores the influences and principles that have influenced Filipino cooking traditions and culture
veryone knew that Hapag Private Dining, once tucked behind a lugawan on Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City, held so much promise and had nowhere to go but up. That finally happened early this month—quite literally—as the new and improved restaurant of Thirdy Dolatre, Kevin Navoa and Erin Ganuelas is now located on the seventh floor of The Balmori Suites in Rockwell, Makati.
“There have been plans to move even before we needed to vacate our QC space. It was just perfect timing that we also needed to leave,” says Navoa.
“It had been our home for the past five years and we’ve created so many memories there ... We knew we needed to move because the space was starting to limit our abilities ... We needed a bigger space to dream even bigger.”
He adds, “We wanted a space where we could rethink everything about the restaurant ... We wanted a space that would become a vessel for local artists to shine, not just to locals but to the world.”
Their new expansive space, covering 400 square meters spread over two floors (the second houses their bar Aya), is partly encased behind a floor-to-ceiling glass wall, allowing guests to enjoy a bird’seye view of the the Rockwell neighborhood.
But that might be the least of their pleasures, as the restaurant itself has a bag of tricks to keep diners entertained—from the lambat art installation hovering over the room and the impressive collection of pieces by local artists, to the open kitchen where a lot of action happens and even the curated music by Leanne and Zsaris piping in.
Of course, the food holds its ground, too.
Fermentation
“What better way to kick off Hapag 2.0’s menu than by focusing on our roots and foundational elements?” says Dolatre. “Our theme for our first menu, Metodolohiya or Methodologies,
explores the influences and essential principles that have influenced Filipino cooking traditions and culture. We honor these cooking methodologies with the goal of balance in mind, whether it be in a single dish or the progression of the entire menu. We explored new culinary horizons while staying true to our heritage, with a highlight on fermentation to showcase deep flavors that are uniquely Hapag.”
The repertoire starts with the nilaga, bone broth seasoned with smoked beef fat and complemented with a watermelon and tomato buro salsa, with the intent of opening the palate.
What follows is a progressive array of seafood numbers, from malasugi kinilaw dressed in mango vinegar to a pitik lobster inasal with pineapple salsa. The savories crescendo with the beef short rib and chicken adobo rice made interesting with a side of ripe and unripe mangoes.
There’s a clever cheese course in the form of goat’s cheese ice cream with citrus honey and an array of bite-sized sweet snacks, including a cornetto with banana cream and jackfruit jam.
Collective effort
Much like the tasting menu, which is worked on by an army of chefs, Hapag is a delightful product of a brigade of creative minds, all working together to celebrate some of the best that the country has to offer. Dolatre and Navoa do a good job by highlighting local processes and produce. The same can be said of Arcadius Rybak, whose straightforward cocktails in Aya put ingredients such as guyabano, kamias and dalandan in the limelight.
“Architect Liza Morales of Ecotecture and Isabel Lozano of Decorum MIL have ensured that our new space is truly our dream come true,” says Ganuelas, operations manager and sommelier. “Every detail, from the Banaue rice terraces that you first see when you enter the reception, to the t’nalak fabric, to the brass solihiya bar and capiz wall in Aya—all of these were chosen to ensure that we can showcase the exceptional craftsmanship of Filipinos.”
She adds, “Finally, we are most grateful to our partners, Ricky and Bubu Andres, for giving us the chance to grow, and trusting us in our creative choices when it comes to running the restaurant.”
The collective effort of this talented family has put Hapag where it rightfully needs and deserves to be—on top.
Hapag is open 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., while Ayà operates 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. Call tel. 0917-8885757; email hello@hapagmnl.com.