Kafe Batwan is the new restaurant of Chef JP Anglo serving a wider variety of Filipino food but with his own twists to it. People looking for Sarsa fare will find the menu very different with only the inasal the same from what I remember. The restaurant sits at a beautiful corner space on the ground floor of Joya Towers that used to house Bistecca. Park in the Power Plant mall and cross the street to get to Joya.
Batwan is a souring agent used extensively in the Visayas, I first encountered this in Patricios Cevicheria.
There’s a high ceiling ground floor seating area as well as a mezzanine area, accessible by stairs behind the wall to ceiling display cabinet.
We decided to have lunch at Kafe Batwan last week with Jane and her girls, Jana and Jena, in between shopping runs at Digital Walker Madness. They arrived before us and had already ordered some dishes for themselves.
Granola (P330), served with mixed fruits and caramilk. From the looks, nothing special except for the use of carabao milk.
Inasal Burrito (P250). Negrenese meets Mexican in this wrap up. Pumpkin salsa and fresh green chili sauce on the side.
Kansi Panada (P250), served with batwan gravy. Pulled kansi ( a cross between bulalo and sinigang) is used as filling inside a flaky empanada. Jana and I enjoyed this one especially with more tartness from the gravy.
Madrid Fusion Super Batchoy (P450). 12 hour soup stock, kurobota charsiu, boiled egg and tuna skin. Jane ordered this one and we got jealous so ordered our own and did not really look at the price on the menu, a shocker when we got the bill. The soup is really tasty, noodles firm with a perfectly cooked egg. All in all it was a good bowl of noodle soup but it was a small serving.
Sinigang Fried Chicken (P295), served with cassava fries and bell pepper gata. Grease free with flavor that permeates to the bone, bold but not overpowering. Eat the cassava fries as soon as this arrives on your table else you’ll have cardboard like sticks to contend with.
Sauteed Prawns (P495) with assorted bean sauce and sambal beans on the side. This will make you eat lots and lots of rice with the hearty sauce. I’m not too sure of all the beans Chef JP used in this but it’s delicious. I just wished the prawns were a little more firm.
Garlic Coconut Rice (P60/bowl). Garlic fried rice with toasted garlic and coconut flakes on top. Very good with slight sweetness from the coconut flakes.
Kafe Batwan was a good meal but the food did not blow me away. Prices are on the high side especially the batchoy, much more so considering it’s size. I applaud Chef JP for creating more forward thinking interpretations of Filipino food set amidst clean and bright surroundings.
Kafe Batwan
122 Joya Lofts and TowersAmorosolo Drive, RockwellMakati City, Philippines
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As always, enjoyed a fun lunch & discovering a new resto with you & Irene! :-* Stay safe & dry, see you next week here in the south mwah! :-*
That was a fast reply. Cheers to more eating.