Filipino restaurant Kasa and Kin opened in Soho in September, serving an exciting array of patisseries, tapas-style dishes, desserts and cocktails.
‘Kasa’ means home and ‘kin’ means family – two things which mean a lot to co-founders Rowena Romulo and Chris Joseph, also the names behind Kensington’s multi-award-winning Romulo Café & Restaurant.
Bringing a new twist to a range of meats and fish, the Kasa and Kin menu prides itself on the ‘best Filipino BBQ sticks you’ll find outside of Manilla’.
Co-founder Chris Joseph told SWL: “We opened Kasa and Kin as a separate brand to broaden the offering of our cuisine in London.
“Romulo Restaurant offers more tradition and heritage dishes, while Kasa and Kin serves more contemporary flavours.”
There are also plenty of vegan and vegetarian options, including a fresh-tasting avocado and jackfruit spring roll, a warming vegetable broth, succulent grilled vegetables served on BBQ sticks, and more.
Kasa and Kin infuse Filipino ingredients with a long list of spirits, syrups and juices to offer unique takes on classic cocktails.
Perhaps the most unusual flavour is ube, a purple yam used for desserts and cocktails, mixed with vodka, Malibu, coconut cream, and cranberry juice.
The ube martini is sweet, creamy and earthy to taste.
Joseph’s favourite items on the menu are the three broths, including chicken, beef, and jackfruit and vegetables.
He said: “Our broths remind me of home in the tropics. They are so comforting to the belly on cold London days along with a warm pandesal (Filipino bread rolls).
“That goes a long way and reminds me of my grandma’s hugs!”
An explosion of flavours is accompanied by a colourful interior. An interactive art mural by Filipino artist Kulay Labitigan depicts a tropical rainforest inspired by an epic poem about the most legendary of Filipino mythical birds.
IBONG ADARNA: The mural inspired by a Filipino epic poem. Credit: South West Londoner
Filipino food is a fiesta of different world cuisines. Traditional dishes from the various ethnolinguistic groups of the Philippines have been historically influenced by Spanish, Japanese, Indian and Chinese culture, resulting in varied food taking the best elements from all corners of the globe.
With seating for 70 people inside and 20 al fresco, Kasa and Kin is open daily from 10am (noon on Saturdays and Sundays) until 10:30pm.
Bookings can be made at the Kasa and Kin Filipino restaurant by emailing [email protected].
Featured image credit: South West Londoner
