Kayu Kitchen + Bar
For a night of cocktails and gastronomical feats, Cebu’s newest hub for inventive cuisine Kayu Kitchen + Bar comes to life with the opening of two homegrown restaurants from a family passionate about sharing their love for food, the Alvarez-Sy family.
From the Cebuano word kalayo, which translates to fire or passion, Kayu truly gives everyone a new dining experience. It is owned and managed by Marisse Alvarez-Sy together with her husband Francis and their 26-year-old son and chef Izzy Sy, who is responsible for the restaurant’s savory offerings. Izzy pursued his passion for food at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, California and also spent two years at Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto’s restaurant, Morimoto. For Kayu, Chef Izzy’s personal picks happen to be the glazed salmon with teriyaki sauce, sushi rice cake, togarashi as well as the Kayu skillet of short ribs, which takes three days to cook!
The restaurant stands proud of its 1950s architectural design and accents with custom-made furniture and striking lighting fixtures, the interiors were designed by Marisse herself with additional structural designs by Ed and Mirella Gallego.
Kayu Kitchen + Bar is located at 32 Sanson by Rockwell at 32 Sanson Road, Lahug, Cebu City. Opening hours are Tuesdays to Sundays for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and dinner from 5:30 to 10 p.m. The tapas bar is open from 10 p.m. through to 12 midnight.