Dining at Casuals feels like a relaxed meal at home, except your cook happens to be Chef Rowen Amurao: a millennial talent who’s trained in kitchens across the globe and now serves Manila an inventive “borderless” menu that showcases his spontaneous culinary style.
The commercial hub of Paseo de Magallanes, just outside the upscale subdivision in Makati, has long been a pocket of hidden culinary gems. Years ago, it even housed one of the first branches of Brother’s Burger, which grew into the popular chain it is today. These days, the area still welcomes small, inventive eateries, each offering something distinct and exciting. Among these is Casuals Dining, a cozy spot at the Oakridge Building led by 30-something chef Rowen Amurao, whose passion for unpretentious yet flavorful food shines through in every plate that leaves his kitchen.
Randomness At Casuals
As the name suggests, Casuals Dining is, in fact, a casual dining joint—so casual that while its official name includes the word “Dining,” people simply drop it and call it “Casuals.” And why not? That’s exactly the vibe the place gives off. Located on the second floor of the building, the homey eatery is furnished with just a handful of wooden chairs and tables, plus industrial-style finishes adorned with an eclectic mix of artwork, prints, and photographs. These pieces were sourced from all over and bought simply because Chef Rowen liked them. He never planned it out thematically, yet somehow it all comes together to create a warm, inviting space that feels…uhm, for lack of a better word, extremely casual.
“I’m very random, the things I like aren’t too specific,” shared Chef Rowen with a chuckle when asked about the decorations in his restaurant. “But I think this reflects my personality well. I’m random, I’m happy-go-lucky. I always laugh. I don’t like being in a stressful environment, even when I work in the kitchen. I try to make it fun for everyone.”
This carefree attitude extends to the dishes at Casuals—seemingly random on paper, but surprisingly cohesive once on the plate. For Chef Rowen, his mix of influences, interests, and kitchen experiences coalesce into what he calls “personal cuisine.” Naturally, a chef’s food always reflects who they are. Though for him, this playful unpredictability also happens to fuel his creativity, setting him apart from the next young chef chasing something overly specific. Luckily, his talent and the magical way it ties all his dishes together never fail him.
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Borderless Cuisine With A Filipino Familiarity
Such confidence in the kitchen, however, needs to be backed by education or experience—and Chef Rowen has both. He studied culinary at CSB and completed two internships in the United States: first at Canyons Resort in Park City, Utah, and later at the Grand Hotel in Michigan. Returning to Manila, he worked in the kitchen of a popular pizza spot, then at a high-end steakhouse, eventually becoming head chef at a restaurant in BGC before launching his own catering business.
His personal journey then took him to Melbourne, Australia, where he says he truly found his culinary voice. There, he honed his skills in the kitchens of acclaimed establishments such as the celebrated Rockpool Bar & Grill, the luxurious InterContinental Melbourne, and the trendsetting Asian-inspired restaurant Supernormal. These experiences not only sharpened his technique and artistry but also opened his eyes to the creative possibilities of blending flavors from diverse culinary traditions, a lesson he attributes to the many immigrant cooks he worked with.
“Australia is such a melting pot of cultures, and it has a great effect on the food,” he shared. “For example, Japanese food would taste really good with kimchi or something from Greek cuisine. All these things are so different, but as long as you find the perfect balance between them, it’ll work. I think that’s what we try to do at Casuals. It’s hard to define, but what I like to do is just serve really good, borderless food, but always make sure there’s something familiar and Filipino about it.”
This marriage of multiple cultures is evident in many of the dishes served at Casuals. Take, for example, a simple menu item called Eggplant Fries. It won’t only surprise you with how delicious and crispy it is (considering it’s made from chunks of eggplant), but also with how it uses an edible thickening agent that gives its fries a texture similar to tempura. They’re then coated in Szechuan sweet chili, adding yet another layer of nuance.
Then there’s the Miso Cabbage, a deceptively simple yet utterly scrumptious dish that reflects Chef Rowen’s Australian influence, particularly the emphasis on letting fresh produce shine—a practice still often overlooked in many Filipino restaurants when it comes to gulay. The flavor is bright and tangy, the cabbage marinated in miso sourced straight from the local palengke, then elevated with chives and kimchi powder. The leafy vegetable is so tender you can cut through it with ease, and eating it feels almost like biting into a perfectly seasoned piece of meat. Australian-style cooking? Check. Filipino ingredients? Check. Asian influences? Check. Global flavors? Triple check.
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No Boxes For Chef Rowen
“I don’t like being put in a box,” said Chef Rowen as he sat across the dining table, serving me a slice of salmon gravlax (a new addition to their menu) that he had cured himself, and set atop a soft, cloud-like pillow of house-made ricotta. Hearing him say that, I believed him. The food he serves feels so left field that only an inventive millennial would dare put it on a restaurant menu. Take their Roasted Bone Marrow Steak Tartare. You read that right—it’s not just raw beef. He folds in rich bone marrow and crowns it with the yolk of a quail egg, turning what’s traditionally a classic, buttoned-up dish into something reimagined for a younger crowd, one hungry for adventurous flavors in a laid-back, casual setting.
“There are a lot of young chefs like myself who experienced and learned things overseas and then came back to the Philippines,” he continued as he prepped another plate. “I guess I just wanted to share what I learned.” He said it with such humility, but honestly, I was impressed. Imagine being this young and diving headfirst into running a restaurant. It’s not easy work, especially when you’re delivering good food across the board.
He then handed me a small plate of their signature scallops: a dish I instantly recognized from Instagram stories of friends who dined here before me. It’s easily one of their most popular offerings. I slurped the scallop straight from its shell, and my taste buds erupted with pure gastronomical joy as they were hit with a smoky chili butter and a bright, tangy cilantro sauce. What came next? So much more, and I was a willing guinea pig for discovery.
The Zucchini dish (served with that house-made ricotta I mentioned earlier) once again put Filipino gulay in the spotlight. It was so fresh that I felt as though I were on a farm in New Zealand. Chef Rowen is extremely proud of his veggie dishes, because they’re good enough to be the ulam or star of the table. The Braised Lamb Shank arrived next, rich with deep, meaty flavors, balanced by a hearty tomato stew. Then came the Hamachi—its collar marinated, cooked to flaky perfection, and paired with chunks of kimchi. Mouthwatering and bold.
I may be gushing, but it was the kind of meal worth dressing up and going out for, except you don’t really have to. The atmosphere is so relaxed, it’s as though you’re eating in your own dining room. And that’s the magic of Casuals: global flavors served without pretense, in a space that makes fine dining feel wonderfully, disarmingly…well, casual.
Casuals Dining is located at 2F Oakridge Bldg, Paseo de Magallanes, Makati City. For reservations, DM them on Instagram @casuals.dining or contact +639543352795
Photography by Kieran Punay of KLIQ Inc.
