Kazu Café: Fun, Japanese fine dining
At Kazu Café, the décor suggests that everything about it has been inspired and well planned—from the bold colors on the wall, to the geometric patterns on the ceiling, and the upholstered chairs clad in blue denim. Designed by Liza Crespo of Ecotecture Design Studio, its concept is typical of contemporary café culture, with interiors that aren’t bound by rules. Yet it still draws inspiration from Japanese traditions. There’s fun in its ambiguity and playfulness in the unexpected twists and turns.
“We want the spaces to give people energy,” says Ryan Cruz, CEO of Nippon Hasha Inc, which also operates Mendokoro Ramenba, Kazunori Japanese restaurant, Ramen Yushoken and Marudori. At the same time, says Cruz, they also want the place to hark back to hospitality.
Adding to its playfulness are patterns inspired by chopsticks and by the letters of its name (K-A-Z-U), which are repeated in the plates, placemats and even in the takeout bags.
Small tables for groups of four make the place conducive to intimate conversations for youthful groups, while couches leaned against the walls look inviting enough for larger (older) groups.
“This isn’t the senior woman who pulls up the sleeves of her kimono before serving customers,” Cruz jokes. ;Instead it’s more like a young Kusama, he says, referring to the iconic Japanese artist. It is, in other words, like the hip, younger sister of the lady clad in kimono.
Kazu’s menu is consistent with the image it wants to project: fun, contemporary but still mindful of its rich Japanese heritage. For breakfast there’s a platter of grilled salmon served with pork soup, rice and shaved bonito flakes. &Contrasting with that is the CLT croissant, the classic French bread with a filling of lettuce, tomato, and has, instead of bacon, chashu, tender pork belly simmered in soy sauce and mirin.Another choice would be the tonkatsu Atsugiri, deep-fried breaded pork cutlets served with karashi sauce, tonkatsu sauce and a salad made of fine cabbage strips.
But there’s tomato seafood soup, too, as well as Midori chicken curry, just as there’s Wagyu beef hamburger, dripping with melted cheese on a potato bun. The pasta Bolognese coexists with the oyakodon, the pizza with the tamago. The menu does look eclectic, but they’re all rooted in Japanese culture, says Cruz. “We gave our chef, Kuramochi Kazunori, complete freedom to create these dishes.”
Sushi lovers will be delighted to find 10 kinds of temari, intricately designed colorful balls of rice with toppings that include tamago, unagi, salmon and cuttlefish, all tucked in a wooden box and served with miso soup. It’s filling enough to be a complete meal in itself and can also be a first course shared by two.
But truly eye-catching are the kids’ meals. Decorative balls of rice, crisp sweet potato chips, grilled burger steak, slices of tamago and slivers of strawberry are arranged in dainty, partitioned bento boxes. It looks tempting enough for grownups to want to order it, too.
Desserts at Kazu are lavish but also restrained. Decadence seems to be limited to the strawberry banana milkshake (another item kids will love) and the tiramisu, enriched with cream cheese and topped with sprinkles of macha. But for a refreshing meal ender, a marvelous choice would be the musk melon kakigori—chilled balls of the cherished Japanese musk melon cascading onto finely shaved ice sweetened with a milky sugar and peach juice.
You won’t break the bank dining at Kazu Café. Some items may be a little bit more than what you’d pay for in a fast casual restaurant but there are excellent choices that are way below P500. The 10 kinds of tamari, for instance, is P880, the bonito and salmon breakfast platter P650, but the CLT croissant is only P340. A trio of onigiri (tuna, soborro and shake ikura) is just P390, while French toast with soup and salad is P420.
Just like Japanese art, the overall effect of Kazu’s ambiance is refinement, its playfulness notwithstanding. Dining here is like being in a latter-day Zen space that promotes spiritual well-being. Yet hovering somewhere there are surprising culinary delights that are new yet familiar, and they’re just an order away.
