Hikiniku to Come opens its biggest international branch in Manila
It wasn’t an easy sell for Michael Concepcion. It took some work for the creative director of The Standard Hospitality Group (SHG) to convince his father John, founder of the company, that there was something special about his recent Japanese discovery.
"I first tried Hikiniku to Come (HTC) on a trip to Japan with my family. I took my wife on a date there. We both loved it. It felt like a completely different experience—something so new, original, and just really well done. Hikiniku is theater. When you dine, you understand what I mean by that,” he said.
As soon as he got back, he wasted no time in telling his dad that they should look into it. But he wasn’t convinced. “He said it felt too niche, that the market might not take to a premium Hamburg given how common it can be. But I knew there was something there.”
Still, Michael followed his instinct and held on to the hope of bringing it in. The following year, he found out that the Hikiniku team was connected to some people he knew in the industry. “I set up a meeting and told my dad and sister to come just to see it for themselves and keep an open mind. We went to their first branch in Kichijoji, about 30 minutes outside Tokyo. It was a cold January morning, and there was already a long line outside. You could feel the energy. We sat down, they served us our first patties, my dad took one bite, looked at me, and just said, ‘Go get it.’”
His sister Nicole, who sits as SHG’s marketing manager, was also swayed easily. “Hikiniku was my first experience with the on-the-rice concept, and honestly, it may have ruined all other Hamburgs for me,” she claims. “The Hamburg alone is already delicious, but what truly sets HTC apart is their obsession with perfection. The dining experience feels like a carefully choreographed exchange between the diner and the grill master.”
On-the-rice
Founded in Tokyo in 2020, Hikiniku to Come is a concept built around a singular belief: that the best food is enjoyed in the moment it’s made. And that’s why it hinges heavily on freshness: the Hamburg is composed of 100-percent beef—imported choice-cut beef, including Wagyu—that’s ground every morning on-site and under strict temperature and timing controls to preserve flavor and texture; the patties are shaped to order, seared over binchotan charcoal, and served within seconds of coming off the grill; and finally, the rice is prepared in staggered batches, cooked in hagama pots throughout the day, guaranteeing that every bowl is hot, fragrant, and fluffy, whether it’s your first or third serving.
To make the guest’s dining experience even more special, each customer is given their own personal grill to let them keep their patty warm or to cook it more to their preferred doneness.
Also, there is an array of condiments, all made in-house, that the diners can choose from and enjoy in unlimited quantities. There’s lemon salt (a fan favorite), marinated green chili, Mou’s Xinjiang spice mix, Japanese pepper sauce, and garlic flakes.
Hikiniku to Come is the first to introduce the global trend that has come to be recognized as “on-the-rice,” where you place freshly grilled Hamburg directly over freshly cooked rice. Many other brands have since followed suit, witnessing how the practice has gained worldwide acclaim, thanks to the brand’s expansion to 11 spots spread across Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, and mainland China.
The Philippine branch is the largest Hikiniku to Come in the world, with four counter grills that seat 50 people at a time. This is the most seats the restaurant has ever had, requiring a cross-counter layout that’s unique to and specially designed for the Philippines.
Even the Hamburg patty itself was customized. “Hikiniku to Come has only one main dish, but the recipe for our Hamburg patty was made specifically for the Philippine branch. It took over a year of importing and testing different cuts of premium beef to perfect the version we serve today. The recipe was developed for the country to stay as true as possible to Japan’s original formula,” says the marketing manager.
Making a mark
It was initially the food and the experience that convinced Michael to import the brand to the country. But he fell in love with Hikiniku to Come even more as their relationship progressed. “What stood out to me was how much they cared about brand and culture. It wasn’t just about serving a great Hamburg. It was about the whole experience—how it looks, how it feels, how it moves. It reminded me a lot of what I appreciated in working with Aesop.”
He adds, “The team behind Hikiniku is really special. Shohei Yamamoto comes from ORES Company and has deep experience in food entrepreneurship. Toshiyuki Konishi runs Pool, one of Japan’s top creative studios, and brings this really sharp design point of view. And Toshiyuki Kiyomiya ties it all together with his background in restaurant operations. That mix of food, design, and hospitality is what makes Hikiniku so distinct."
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Hikiniku to Come is located on the Upper G/F of Uptown Mall, Bonifacio Global City, directly beside Ippudo Ramen Bar. Walk-ins and reservations (via www.tablecheck.com) are available.
