New eats: Kiwami adds yakitori, grilled plates to lineup of Japanese concepts

There’s a new reason to visit Kiwami, the Japanese multi-kitchen concept of The Standard Group. 

Roen, which combines the Japanese words for hearth and feast, is exactly that: built around charcoal, it specializes in modern yakitori and large grilled plates. 

The new “master kitchen” fills a gap in Kiwami’s lineup, according to Standard’s group brand manager, Nicole Concepcion-Salud. They already have Yabu for tonkatsu, Ippudo for ramen, Hannosuke for tempura rice bowls, Koyo for hand rolls, and Hokkaido for soft-serve ice cream — what they lacked was food made for celebration.  

“We wanted people to share food in a celebratory fashion,” Concepcion-Salud told ABS-CBN News during a recent media preview, saying they have already made strides with the launch of Koyo back in 2024. 

“You’re still having Yabu but there’s a steak over there, there’s yakitori, and a couple of fish dishes. So it kind of elevates the experience and you can enjoy the meal together as a bigger group.”

Roen was developed in collaboration with Chef Yuta Saito, who is trained both in Japanese and French techniques. The dishes are designed to cater to Filipinos’ love for anything sauce-forward, and are best enjoyed with rice.

Flavor-wise, Roen’s offerings stand on their own. But as Concepcion-Salud stressed, these are meant as festive additions shared on the table. Our favorites include the Pompano with Miso Lemon Butter, with the whole fish grilled over Ogatan charcoal; and the Hanger Steak topped with a Japanese-style chimichurri made with green onion and sesame oil.

For its yakitori and pork skewers, Roen lets you choose between modern (with add-ons like onion and beet jam, leek oil, and garlic lime sauce) and classic (with salt or the sweet-savory tare glaze). Don’t sleep on the Tomato Buta Bara, or cherry tomatoes wrapped in thinly sliced pork belly — biting into it causes the sweet tomato to burst, nicely cutting through the richness of the meat. 

Meanwhile, carbs here are extra tasty and come in the form of yakisoba (stir-fried noodles) and okonomiyaki (a savory pancake loaded with seafood). Like the rest of Roen’s menu, both are also meant for sharing.

“I don’t expect people to come here and just eat Roen, that’s the opposite of what I want for Kiwami. You’re meant to have a couple of dishes from every menu so you can share,” Concepcion-Salud said.