Change is brewing in Kodawari QC
Creative director Toni Potenciano knows a good plot when she sees one. Once she and her partners, Jake Aycardo and Ryan Serrano, saw this old edifice, she knew it was time to bring Kodawari’s new concept to life.
“We were looking around Quezon City (QC), and we realized that this was the perfect place to do it,” ponders Potenciano. “We observed that people in QC have a different energy. There are more people during the morning and in the afternoon who just want to hang out.”
Best known for their gyudon and chilimansi noodles, as well as their memorable Studio Ghibli-esque spaces, Potenciano brings the same whimsical elegance to Kodawari’s new home in Tomas Morato. But rather than rehashing the formula that led them to a massive loyal following and a Michelin Selected nod, Potenciano sees the QC outpost as an introduction of something new for the brand: an all-day brunch and cafe concept.
“But you can still order the classics,” she clarifies.
Sensory and sultry space
After discovering the building on random drives around Tomas Morato, the team, together with C+Y Design Studio, overhauled the former live music venue and outfitted the multilevel, broken-plan “home” with the distinct Kodawari touch.
From the entryway decorated with en plein air art (the same wallpaper in their Salcedo branch’s restroom), guests can either browse the konbini for merchandise on the left or go directly to the main hall on the right that opens up into the main multi-tiered space. Unlike standard layouts and designs, Potenciano eschews uniformity in favor of a zonal visual experience that intends to resonate with a diverse range of customers.
“Because the location is so residential, we’re testing the hypothesis of [Kodawari as a] cafe here,” says Potenciano, who is keen on understanding the QC customer’s behavior. But the decision to find a homey setting that can translate Kodawari in a new environment isn’t just a good move; it’s also a testament to the team’s connections with the city.
“When we were deciding between going south (which I think we will do) and north, we felt strongly about here kasi dito kami galing,” shares Potenciano. “In a way, we were a little more confident that we knew the market a bit just because we were the market.”
The result is a sensory, at times sultry, third place atmosphere, part creative time capsule and part artsy fun house. There are references to the Kodawari identity without resorting to replication or rigidity. Raxenne Maniquiz’s morning and night stained glass Gyudog art lurks on the mezzanine level, while Addi Panadero’s illustrations embrace the local context as flowers found in QC and UP’s Sunken Garden unfurl and droop on the menu.
Up another level is a private karaoke room that can accommodate up to 16 people.
Kodawari’s cafe-centric offerings
But the new branch reveals something important, too. It positions them closer to north-based customers who want to try Kodawari or visit the restaurant frequently without trekking to their Makati and BGC locations. Non-QC patrons also have good reasons to deliberately go out of their way: the Kodawari cafe menu.
Featuring brunch options, sandwiches, dessert, and coffee (especially the cashew dirty) and matcha, the refresh brings a whole new dimension to the Kodawari experience. Among the new items, Aycardo’s take on the hefty French toast of golden brioche with mixed berry compote is crisp and creamy yet doesn’t collapse on itself.
“We were trying to decide if we would feed into the pancake trend, but we decided on making a really, really good French toast,” explains Potenciano.
Other hearty choices include a comforting grilled cheese using emmental, mozzarella, provolone, and gouda on sourdough as well as a tapsilog that is the perfect homage to the city where “silog” culture is believed to have originated.
“The conversation we were having was: ‘Would the tapsilog be redundant to the gyudon’… pero naisip namin na having a tapsilog is an essential QC breakfast… and it’s exciting. It’s served differently from the gyudon; it’s served on a flat plate, naka-mold ’yong rice.”
Drink pairings, desserts, and third space ambiance
Elsewhere, Moonbug Matcha supplies Uji matcha for their beverages while they partnered with Bondy Aportadera’s Hatch Coffee for their coffee lineup. Desserts such as the sesame oil hazelnut tres leches and strawberry pistachio tartelette are created in collaboration with a pastry consultant “to pair well with coffee.”
Beyond the signature products, Kodawari QC is also banking on its third place atmosphere to serve customers craving more opportunities to find a community.
But judging by the absence of 15-minute chairs and instead opting for plush booths and comfortable banquettes, dwell time isn’t a problem here. Potenciano is intentional in letting Kodawari QC provide the platform with which guests can transition from solo dining and bouts of productivity to casual connections.
Kodawari is located at 120 Scout Lazcano Street, Diliman, Quezon City, and is open daily from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
