What to expect at Kiwami's flagship branch at SM Mall of Asia

You can select dishes from menus from Yabu, which specializes in Katsu; Ippudo, which serves ramen with its signature tonkotsu broth; Hachibei with its hakata-style yakitori grilled over traditional Binchotan charcoal; Hannosuke, which is known for its tendon bowls; Koyo, which features modern sushi dishes; and Hokkaido, which is known for its milky soft serve.

PhilSTAR L!fe got to visit Kiwami MoA ahead of its opening. Here's what you can expect at this food hall.

Relaxed vibes

Stepping into Kiwami was like entering a different place—it's more laid back than the busy and bright SM Mall of Asia. The food hall is spacious, as it's 700 sqm big and can host 250 diners.

When you enter, you're greeted by a small tree with yellow leaves in the middle of a "moment" space where you can relax before you move into the food hall.

Its interiors are lined with wood which is complemented with mood lighting, giving it a warm and sleek vibe.

At the sides, you will see the different Master Kitchens, where you can also watch the chefs prepare your food.

Spoilt for choice

With six Japanese food concepts, diners are spoilt for choice. Each kitchen has their own menus featuring their specialties. For instance, at Koyo, there are 10 handrolls to choose from.

Kiwami is a casual dining restaurant, so the wait staff will come to take your order. The staff are accommodating and friendly, and we were surprised that our food spread from the different kitchens came out in about 15 to 20 minutes. 

We got to try the best-selling Goma-e salmon roll and salmon soy ginger, which tasted fresh and melted in the mouth. There's no need to dip these sashimi in soy sauce as they packed a lot of flavor with their glazed sauces.

At Hachibei, we had the Hibachi hanger steak, a Binchotan grilled slab of meat served with miso sauce and dressed in ginger vinaigrette. The tender meat is best eaten when you dip it in the savory and sweet sauce.

Our table also got Hannosuke's crispy ebi tempura, Ippudo's spicy Akamaru ramen with torched chashu slices, seafood fried rice (because you can't miss out on rice), and Hokkaido's soft cream served with a Lengua de Gato cone. We wanted to get a dish from every kitchen, but were filled from the sharing plates from Hachibei and Koyo.

Starting June 25, Kiwami MoA will be open every day from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. It's located at Level 1, North Entertainment Mall of SM Mall of Asia.

Currently, Kiwami has two other branches in BGC and Alabang Town Center.