Marvin Agustin’s newest restaurant in Poblacion brings together open-flame cooking, thoughtfully sourced local ingredients, and contemporary Filipino dishes designed for sharing.
“My neighbor across has pink strip lights. You won’t miss it.” That’s how chef-restaurateur Marvin Agustin directs us to KAEN, his newest restaurant tucked along Albert Street in Poblacion, Makati. Behind an almost unmarked door, the dining room opens in warm, low lighting, with an open-fire kitchen glowing at the back. It’s an image that recalls the hearth, a place where meals are prepared, stories are shared, and people naturally gather.
KAEN takes its name from two words: the Filipino kain, an invitation to share a meal, and the Japanese kaen (火炎), meaning flame. Together, they express a philosophy rooted in cooking over fire and bringing people together around the table. “KAEN is about celebrating what happens when great produce meets great people,” says Marvin.
This is the latest concept from Marvin’s Yummyverse portfolio, which includes Michelin Bib Gourmand-recognized COCHI in Bonifacio Global City. KAEN presents a contemporary take on Filipino dining with an à la carte menu centered on charcoal and open-flame cooking. Premium seafood from across the Philippines, seasonal produce from local farmers, and select meats from Australia and beyond come together in dishes designed for sharing.
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Inside The Fire-Lit Dining Room Of KAEN
KAEN occupies the ground floor of the former Kondwi, the artsy Poblacion venue that once doubled as a bar and gallery. The space has since been transformed into a moodier, more intimate dining experience, where the open-fire kitchen anchors the experience and its steady glow is visible from nearly every table. Like the restaurant’s philosophy, the room is designed for gathering: tables are arranged for sharing, dishes arrive at the center to be passed around, and the atmosphere is lively.
What To Expect From The Menu At KAEN
Cooking over charcoal and flame gives the menu its foundation, but the spotlight remains firmly on the ingredients. Throughout the meal, servers proudly introduce where many of the ingredients come from, reinforcing the restaurant’s close relationships with farmers, fishermen, and producers across the Philippines.
Seafood features prominently in the opening courses, from Sardine Toast (tawilis from Batangas) and Tuna Tiradito (featuring General Santos tuna) to Baby Scallops Glazed with Miso (from Iloilo), while vegetable-forward small plates include Grilled Leeks in Bagoong Romesco, Charred Ginataang Langka, Pickled Puso ng Saging, and Tinumok. Larger plates range from Australian Angus Beef and Wild-Caught Shrimp to Tuna Collar and Rabbit finished with Mulberry Jam and XO Sauce. The mulberries become an underlying thread running through the meal, appearing first with the opening Bread course served alongside Chicken Liver Mousse, then the Rabbit main, and in the Basque Burnt Cheesecake for dessert. Marvin shares that both the mulberries and the rabbits come from the same farm in Tiaong, Quezon, where the animals are raised on the fruit.
Taken together, the menu captures what KAEN sets out to do from the moment guests walk through its nondescript doors: gather people around the table through thoughtfully sourced ingredients, honest cooking, and good food made to be eaten in equally good company.
Explore highlights of KAEN’s menu below.
KAEN is located at 6109 Albert St., Poblacion, Makati. It’s open from Wednesday to Sunday for dinner from 530 PM to 1030 PM. For reservations and more information, visit their Instagram page at @kaen.manila.
Photos courtesy of KAEN
Frequently Asked Questions
KAEN is located on Albert Street in Poblacion, Makati, occupying the ground floor of the former Kondwi space.
KAEN is the newest restaurant by Marvin Agustin and the team behind Michelin Bib Gourmand-recognized COCHI.
KAEN serves contemporary Filipino cuisine centered on open-flame cooking, featuring locally sourced ingredients, premium seafood, Australian meats, and sharing-style dishes.
The name KAEN combines the Filipino word kain (to eat) and the Japanese word kaen (火炎), meaning flame, reflecting the restaurant’s focus on fire, produce, and bringing people together around the table.
Marvin Agustin is a Filipino actor, entrepreneur, and restaurateur behind Yummyverse, a growing hospitality group that includes Michaelin Bib Gourmand-recognized COCHI, Mr. Monk Dimsum & Roast, Fook Hing Fun Noodles & Dim Sum House, and Minna Japanese Restaurant. KAEN is the latest concept under the portfolio.
