BALAI PALMA'S SEQUEL KASA PALMA IS A TROPICAL OASIS IN POBLACION

Kasa Palma

6042 Palma Street, Poblacion, Makati City

Contact: 0917-155-9669

Open from 5:30 to 1 a.m. for the bar and 7 p.m. onwards for dinner, Tuesday to Saturday

(SPOT.ph) They say endings pave the way for new opportunities—but in the case of Chef Aaron Isip's Balai Palma, its closure is less an ending and more a turning-of-page to the next piece in their anthology: Kasa Palma. Oh, the tales that await. Isip and his team present new characters to get to know and adventures to explore as the rebirthed dining spot carries much of the chic-meets-bohemian personality of its predecessor, but is bigger and better, with a new tasting menu to partake in at a new space, as well as ala-carte specials prepared in their rustic woodfire kitchen.

Also read: Balai Palma's Chef Aaron Isip on Local + Global Inspiration, and His Soon-to-Open Restaurant

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Take a look at Kasa Palma in Poblacion, Makati:

In a previous interview with SPOT.ph, Isip describes Kasa Palma as a "reincarnation" of its Balai counterpart—a 2.0-ification, if you will. Likewise, Kasa Palma closely resembles Balai Palma in many ways, beginning with the fact that it’s in the same address in a quiet (and seemingly, residential) area of Poblacion. The resulting dining establishment is one Isip describes to be a "little oasis in the middle of Poblacion." "We try to bring the islands to the city... and [in the process], island cooking."

Nondescript entrance aside, enter and you’re immediately taken to their lounge and outdoor bar, where straw cloche lamps, white stone gravel, and foliage make for a stylish yet laid-back feel, reminiscent of that of a house by the beach in Mexico or Bali. (The disco ball makes for a surprising, but fitting, touch.) You’re more than welcome to unwind here, with cocktails like the mezcal-based signature Kasa Grande (P500) and the one-of-a-kind Journey to the Sea (P500) with gin and popping boba to keep you company.

Exploring Kasa Palma

The outdoor bar leads to the other parts, beginning with the Kasa proper—that is, their two-story indoor dining space that similarly evokes a low-lit tropical oasis as did Balai Palma, albeit bigger. On the first floor is an eight-seater dining space from which Balai Palma serves their degustation, right next to their regular open kitchen where you can watch the chefs in action.

Upstairs are three private rooms, named after the looks they go by: Sand, the largest of the three flaunting beige tones; Charcoal, a decidedly darker room that accommodates up to eight; and Coral, which seats six.

At the back of the Kasa is another one of its highlights: the so-called "jungle kitchen," or Kasa Palma’s firewood kitchen counter where the team serves ala-carte plates cooked only using fire—yup, with no gas or electricity involved. (More on that shortly.)

Chef Aaron Isip's Cuisine d’Auteur, and the Tasting Menu at Kasa Palma

Isip turns to different sources for inspiration. Being an avid jetsetter, the Gault et Millau Chef Espoir 2015 award recipient looks back at his extensive travels through different continents around the world; in particular, he has a special place for the Yucatan Peninsula given its "aesthetic, vibe, spirituality, music, and rich Mayan history."

Cooking-wise, French and Filipino cuisines best influence him, having spent his early years in the Philippines and soon working top kitchens (including that of Apicius, Senderens, and Restaurant Dix-Huit) in Paris. "Cooking there [in France] taught me how to respect the seasons and work with only the very best locally available produce that I can find," says the chef. "My Cuisine d’Auteur [Author’s Cuisine—essentially personal cooking style] is rooted in French technique, with Filipino, Latin, and Southeast Asian flavor influences." You'll find him using high-quality ingredients sourced both locally and globally—think fresh produce from Pangasinan's Teraoka Organic Farm, meat from Esguerra Farms in Batangas, Okan Wagyu from Australia, and so on.

Isip considers fish and seafood his favorite ingredients to work with: "as the Philippines sits at the center of the Coral Triangle where marine biodiversity is at its peak, it’s an obvious choice that I highlight Filipino seafood on my menu." Highlights from their current 10-course tasting menu (P7,500) include the Ube in Three Textures, which has the purple yam in three forms (as an ube crisp, ube espuma, and ube puree) along with halaan clams and Oscietra caviar; the Pacific Halibut, delicately topped with thin red radish slivers arranged to resemble fish scales; and the decidedly rich French-Filipino union on a spoon that is the Foiesilog.

Stepping Into the Jungle Kitchen

As mentioned, Isip goes the back-to-basics approach at the firewood kitchen counter, which is powered not by gas or electricity, but by fire, with help from wood from fruit trees that include santol, apple, maple, hickory, and oak.

Even with the aforementioned limitation, the selection here is surprisingly diverse. Start things on a bright note with the Smoked Seabream (P725), a decidedly zingy starter with the fish served crudo style, dressed with dragonfruit aguachile and served with ube tapioca crisps. You can’t miss their grilled seafood; Kasa Palma’s use of woodfire gives the proteins (octopus in the case of the Pulpo Skewers, P680, listed under small plates) a smoky charred exterior, tender interior, and distinct aroma that’s hard to beat.

Those looking to go past grazing can always turn to their mains. The Grilled Amadai (P1,395), for one, is a standout that pairs the seabream’s grilled flesh with crackly-crisp skin given the matsukasa-yaki treatment; it’s then rounded out with blistered shishito peppers, cherry tomatoes, and a creamy shishito bell pepper sauce. Beyond seafood, the meat, too, well deserves your attention; the Tomahawk Okan Wagyu (P11,300/good for four) is as glorious on paper as it is in practice, especially taken with its accompaniments of fries (smoked and fried in Wagyu fat, what have you) and entrecôte sauce.

Isip’s creativity crosses over to the dessert realm, particularly with the Ispahan (P410)—his Filipinized take on the Pierre Hermé flavor combo of the same name, with sampinit (in place of raspberries), longgan (in place of lychee), and sampagita (just a touch, in place of rose). More whimsical is the Corn Madeleine with Corn Ice Cream (P250), which lives up to its name with its intense dose of corn.

While Kasa Palma shows definite maturation compared to the Balai Palma days, what it doesn't lose is the personality we've come to know as distinctly Isip's. Presented, still, are bright and vivacious plates with surprising flavor combos, lent restraint where applicable—and the elevated yet easygoing atmosphere that evokes paradise in the city.

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2024-04-28T04:06:37Z dg43tfdfdgfd