Hapag finally offers lunch; Here’s what it’s like
This October, award-winning home-grown restaurant Hapag launched a six-course lunch tasting menu inspired by the food traditions of Zamboanga, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi.
I could not contain my excitement! While I’ve dined at their lounge Ayà multiple times, this is my first tasting menu experience at Hapag.
The Western Mindanao lunch tasting menu felt like a tale told in six mouthwatering chapters. Each dish came with a story, and the team did a great job of presenting details behind the dishes — complete with photos and behind-the-scenes stories from their visit to Mindanao. Here’s how it went:
We started with Tiyula Itum, a Tausug black beef soup that’s usually reserved for special occasions. The dark broth comes from charred coconut — with ginger, lemongrass, and citrus leaves rounding out the flavors. Hapag’s version, introduced to them by Restaurant Antien in Zamboanga, felt both grounding and welcoming. It was bold, aromatic, and smoky; a great way to open up our palates for the upcoming meal. And with Typhoon ‘Paolo’ pummeling the windows, each sip of this hearty soup warmed us from the inside.
Next came Agal-agal, a seaweed salad that instantly became my sister’s favorite. In Basilan and Tawi-Tawi, this seaweed is usually dressed simply with soy sauce, calamansi, and topped with bubuk (toasted spiced coconut).
For lunch, Hapag tossed it in a shoyu-based dressing and served it with yellowfin tuna kinilaw. It’s crowne with a generous sprinkle of bubuk, toasted and powdered coconut. The seaweed’s natural brininess and bounce paired with the subtle crunch of bubuk gave the salad a unique flavor and texture; almost reminiscent kinilaw with coconut milk but looks absolutely nothing like it. This is definitely my first time tasting something like this.
I’ve never been to Western Mindanao, so I only know the Mee Goreng of the instant noodle variety. But of course Hapag’s take took it to the next level. They used house-made components like noodles, sambal, and even the oyster sauce. Beneath the bouncy shiny noodles are pieces of wok-fried mushrooms; on top of the noodles, a silky quail egg yolk that adds a kind of savory creaminess to the dish.
Umami-rich, gently spicy, and texturally satisfying — it struck the perfect balance between familiar and new. It had that comforting street-food soul, but with the polish and depth of a Michelin-worthy restaurant. While it’s nearly impossible to choose the best part of the lunch menu, this dish is my personal favorite.
Then came a surprise: Leche Flan — but not as dessert. In Western Mindanao, it’s often served as a palate cleanser to balance the spice-heavy dishes. This version was rich with dark muscovado syrup, topped with a tart calamansi and tanglad (lemongrass) granita, and even a little pickled scoby for a bit of funk. Sweet, tart, creamy, and cleansing all at once — it hit reset on my palate and got me ready for the main event.
The heart of the meal was Salu-Salo, a spread that served the best from the lands and waters of Western Mindanao.
First off, there’s Riyandang, a Maranao-style rendang (short rib stew slow-cooked in coconut and spices) that’s crazy tender and bursting with bold flavors.
Then there’s Camaron Alavar, huge prawns — coated and deep-fried until golden and crisp — served with a bright curry sauce inspired by Zamboanga’s famous Alavar Seafood Restaurant.
Both proteins were paired with Junay, a rice cake from Basilan cooked in burnt coconut; which they topper with crispy shallots and puffed black rice for added texture and flavor. There’s also tangy Pomelo-Pako Salad to cut through the richness. The main course was abundant and varied, yet everything tied together seamlessly.
The meal concluded with Knickerbocker, Zamboanga’s playful answer to halo-halo. Traditionally, it’s fruit, jelly, and milk topped with strawberry ice cream. Hapag gave it their own spin with compressed tropical fruits (watermelon during our visit), pineapple jelly, langka jam, and an amazake-pili nut foam, finished with house-madestrawberry ice cream and edible flowers. Light, creamy, and colorful, it was a nostalgic yet modern finish to the journey.
Priced at ₱4,500+ per person (with optional pairings), the menu is available every Thursday to Sunday, the lunch tasting menu offers a lighter but still immersive way to explore the rich culinary heritage of Western Mindanao.
Hapag’s Journey to Western Mindanao
The menu (launched around mid-2025) grew out of a research trip where the Hapag team immersed themselves in Tausug, Yakan, and Chavacano cuisines — dishes shaped by geography, faith, and centuries of cultural exchange.
“Mindanao has always felt distant, even to us,” shares Chef Kevin ‘Nav’ Navoa. “But once we were there, the food, the people, and the stories opened up a part of the Philippines we hadn’t seen. This menu is our way of saying: there’s more to Filipino food than what we think we know.”
The team encountered Tiyula Itum, a smoky beef stew with charred coconut; seaweed salad with toasted coconut; and variations of Pianggang and Mi Goreng influenced by Malaysia.
“The markets were deeply localized,” recalls Chef Thirdy Dolatre. “In Lamitan, Basilan, most goods came directly from the area or nearby Malaysia — no big brands or outside products, aside from maybe candy from Zamboanga. Tawi-Tawi’s markets were especially eye-opening during Ramadan. There were stalls selling unexpected dishes like Mi Goreng with hotdogs and Murtabak with Milo. Very Malaysian-inspired. It felt like a different world.”
Beyond food, the journey also revealed the region’s sense of trust and community. Erin Ganuelas-Recto, Hapag’s front-of-house director, recalls Akantai, a Tawi-Tawi coffeehouse: “It’s like a local coffee shop where they serve a bilao of pastries and you pay only for what you eat. One snack, pastil, is eaten like cereal with vinegar. It gave us insight into the community’s trust and culture.”
“For us, hospitality isn’t only about food — it’s about context and connection,” Erin adds. “Western Mindanao’s cuisine reflects centuries of trade, resilience, and faith. We want guests to feel that sense of history and humanity in every course.”
The lunch menu complements Hapag’s more elaborate ten-course dinner (₱7,500+), distilling the same narrative into a more intimate daytime experience. “The menu will feature dishes that reflect Tausug, Chavacano, and Yakan influences,” Thirdy explains. “We’re focusing on honest storytelling, showing how our understanding evolved.”
For Hapag, this is part of a broader mission to expand how people see Filipino cuisine. “Filipino food isn’t just adobo, sisig, or lumpia,” Erin emphasizes. “It’s diverse and deeply regional. People in Metro Manila — and abroad — often only know one version. We want to help change that. If diners walk away understanding that Filipino food includes Tiyula Itum and Pianggang, then we’ve done our job.”
By the end, I realized this menu wasn’t just about flavors — it was about perspective. Each course revealed something about Western Mindanao’s history, trade, and community, all told through food. And in true Hapag fashion, it managed to feel both deeply Filipino and refreshingly unexpected at the same time.
Reserve your table at hapagmnl.com
