The fire within Marvin Agustin’s Kaen
Does Marvin Agustin have a winner in his new restaurant Kaen? The short answer is a conditional yes—provided he fine-tunes one key aspect that slightly drags down the otherwise elegant space beckoning you inside. Formerly occupied by his previous concept Kondwi—the artsy, colorfully explosive bar—the large room is now scrubbed clean to make room for the glow of an actual fire in the kitchen.
Invitation by fire
Like Burnt Ends in Singapore, which Agustin says he drew inspiration from, and unlike Kondwi, Kaen seems to invite customers in multiple ways.
One is through Kaen’s intentional design. Its interiors are as black as coal, ornamented with stacks of actual wood, and lighting is as dim and sensuous as possible, putting all the spotlight on the smoke rising in the back and the smell of fire kissing whatever is on the grill.
Tables are also arranged to practically face the open kitchen—an invitation to immerse and interact with Agustin and chefs Miguel Veluz and Mikel Arregi’s penchant for using fire as the main heat source.
The duality of Kaen
This is Kaen’s dual identity in a nutshell. In Filipino, it’s a call to share a meal; in Japanese, it means flame. Together, Agustin attempts to merge both. “Kaen is about celebrating what happens when great produce meets great people,” he says. “We’ve spent months traveling, meeting communities, understanding their work, and sourcing ingredients directly from people who care deeply about what they produce.”
And it admirably shows. Arregi, who many might remember previously with Bar Pintxos, burns brightly here. The San Sebastián native rightfully leads research, menu, and creative development.
Many of the dishes explore the restaurant’s ambition of respecting and celebrating Filipino produce. “It’s about the farmers, fishermen, producers, cooks, servers, and everyone who contributes to the experience,” explains Agustin. “We want every guest to feel connected not only to the food on the table, but also to the people and communities behind it.”
Thankfully, Arregi’s execution matches their aspirations. In fact, he does so beautifully, deftly playing with fire’s temperament to come up with excellent à la carte plates.
An ode to the feeling of fire
Beans, kalabasa, and high-moisture leeks from Tiaong, Quezon, among others, are charred, roasted, and grilled; lapu-lapu and tuna from General Santos smolder; and Australian ribeyes and Japanese F1 wagyu striploin are caramelized and seared on grates.
Dishes such as the bright sardine toast made with Batangas tawilis, stunning shrimp carpaccio, and tuna tiradito stand out for their unapologetic freshness. A simple sourdough with roasted chicken liver mousse and mulberry jam is a rewarding opener. Proteins, like the tomahawk and tuna collar, on the big plates section get the most glorious grilling treatments.
There’s even an integration of Agustin and Arregi’s food memories. The Basque chef’s arroz con almejas (rice with clams) is a substantial off-menu bowl whose texture is more risotto than paella, while the charred ginataang langka is a slick yet comforting recipe from the Filipino restaurateur’s mother.
A gem that needs polishing
As it is, Kaen’s menu is a thumping ode to capturing the feeling of fire and the Philippines in your mouth. Where it falters, however, is in front of the house. While servers are warm and enthusiastic, missed standard protocols and inconsistencies emerge.
On my visit during the preview dinner, my glass of water sat empty for a good 30 minutes, even though some of my seatmates had theirs filled. And while the pacing was speedy—plates came out of the kitchen fairly fast, with matching descriptions from the servers—the rhythm was a little too quick that it felt like the dinner was rushed, inundated with as many dishes as possible, which resulted in some hot dishes being overlooked.
Service was functionally satisfying but needs refining. Efficiency goes hand in hand with awareness. Great service is, after all, invisible. It’s smooth yet unnoticed. You know skilled people are orchestrating the performance in the background without realizing they are there.
“There’s a benefit to being sensitive to the needs of people,” experience management consultant Isabel Lozano said to F&B Report in 2021. And that still rings true today.
Anticipating needs, watching the table, and reading body language make a big difference, and once Kaen manages to polish its brand of hospitality even more—which I’m certain they will, knowing Agustin’s experience and success with Bib Gourmand restaurant Cochi and other Yummyverse concepts—then we have a true gem on our hands here.
