Regina Troy Barrios

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Restaurant Idalia

<p>As of writing, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/restaurantidalia/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Restaurant Idalia</strong></a> is only five weeks old. And at five weeks, it’s already earning a quiet but steady buzz. At its helm is <strong>Chef Kevin David</strong>, a U.S.-trained Filipino chef who left on a whim, returned home unexpectedly, and ended up staying for good.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17511157361651.jpg" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Introducing Idalia: Makati’s bold new freeform dining destination | Photo: Restaurant Idalia</span></span></span></div><p>Before opening Restaurant Idalia, he spent over a decade honing his craft in some of the most respected kitchens in the U.S. After dropping out of culinary school in the Philippines, he moved to New York City and started as a dishwasher for <a href="https://www.instagram.com/themarkrestaurantnyc/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jean-Georges at The Mark</a>. He later worked under Jonathan Waxman in both Barbuto and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/chefjwaxman/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Waxman’s</a> in San Francisco, before relocating to Los Angeles, where he joined <a href="https://www.instagram.com/otiumla/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Otium</a> by Timothy Hollingsworth, a French Laundry alumnus. One of his most formativr experiences was working with Melissa Perello at M. Georgina, a Michelin-starred chef known for her maternal leadership and commitment to sustainability. </p><p>“She taught me a lot about zero-waste cooking,” he recalls. “She was always finding ways to use things that you’re normally going to throw away… Like prosciutto ends, we’d grind them down and make a prosciutto XO sauce.”</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1751115613717Idalia_8205.jpg" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Chef Kevin David returns from NYC to redefine dining in Manila | Photo: Ching Dee</span></span></span></div><p>But then came the pandemic. He lost his job, moved to Austin, Texas for a couple of months, before coming home to the Philippines for his brother’s wedding. </p><p>“My father asked me to stay a little bit, so I said okay, I’ll do a pop-up,” he shared. </p><p>That pop-up in late 2023 sold out and more followed. Eventually, he opened the smash burger joint<a href="https://www.instagram.com/bunrunmnl/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Bun Run</a> in San Juan, and in May 2025, with the help of investors, secured a space for Restaurant Idalia.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17511157485102.jpg" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Idalia means warmth and light—and that’s exactly what you taste | Photo: Restaurant Idalia</span></span></span></div><p>The name ‘Idalia’ in Italian means brightness and warmth, usually given to firstborn daughters. He got it from the Netflix series <a href="https://www.netflix.com/tudum/from-scratch" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>From Scratch</em></a>.</p><p>“I didn’t know I was going to use [the name Idalia] for the pop-up. I didn’t know if I was going to use it for the restaurant. But I knew—this was in 2020, mind you—I said I was going to use this name one day.”</p><p>The food at Idalia doesn’t neatly fit into one type of cuisine. Instead, it draws from Kevin’s background and curiosity: New York kitchens, California’s seasonal produce, and the bold spices of Middle Eastern cuisine.</p><p>“I always describe it as something that is a combination of all… everything that I ate as a kid growing up, as a cook, all my travels and experiences,” he says. “We call this freeform food.”</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1751115825387Idalia_8120-Enhanced-NR.jpg" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Chef Kevin David crafting bold, borderless flavors | Photo: Ching Dee</span></span></span></div><p>True to his training, Idalia continues that zero-waste ethos. Flat red wines become braising liquids, bread trimmings become pangrattato (crispy toasted breadcrumbs), apple cores and skins turn into jam for a pork chop dish.</p><p>“Whatever we have, we can make good with technique,” Kevin says. “If we could put fermented stuff, if we could smoke it, if we could cure it, grill it, everything.”</p><p>The result is a menu that’s hard to define, but maybe that’s the point. Food is not meant to be confined or boxed in certain categories, it’s meant to be savored. </p><p>And savor we did. Here are just some of the must-try dishes at Restaurant Idalia’s five-week old menu.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175111585600601 Hummus.jpg" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Creamy hummus with laffa, zhug, pickles, and crispy chickpeas | Photo: Ching Dee</span></span></span></div><h3><strong>Hummus</strong></h3><p>Creamy, bright, and tangy house-made hummus served with freshly baked laffa bread, zhug (a Yemeni hot sauce), pickled carrots and broccoli, crispy chickpeas, sumac, and za’atar. The house-made laffa has a slight chew and a puffed softness, perfect for scooping. The vegetables still have a nice crisp and the chickpeas add a satisfying crunch. It’s a deceptively simple dish with beautiful contrasts. You should definitely get this dish when you visit Idalia. </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175111596591403 Squid Ink Campanelle.jpg" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Squid ink campanelle with braised octopus, bone marrow butter, and zero-waste flair | Photo: Ching Dee</span></span></span></div><h3><strong>Squid Ink Campanelle</strong></h3><p>This is an homage to a life-changing pasta he first tasted as a young cook in New York. The squid ink campanelle is extruded in-house, still bouncy when served. The octopus is tender and savory, braised in unsold/leftover wine to reduce waste—an homage to Chef Kevin’s zero-waste training. The sauce is intensely savory (thanks to the richness of bone marrow butter) and deeply briny without being too fishy. Adding the much-needed texture is their house-made sourdough pangrattato a.k.a. breadcrumbs on Italian steroids.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175111599595602 Miso Cabbage.jpg" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">The charred miso cabbage with tahini and dukkah is smoky, savory, steakhouse-deep | Photo: Ching Dee</span></span></span></div><h3><strong>Miso Cabbage</strong></h3><p>It features salt-cured and miso-rubbed cabbage grilled over woodfire until beautifully charred. The cabbage becomes pleasantly chewy with a meaty char and it tastes nothing like typical cabbage—more like something grilled in a steakhouse. It’s served with creamy tahini, dukkah, and a delicate cabbage consommé for sipping in between bites. This is a quiet showcase of culinary technique, proving that in the right hands, vegetables can be just as satisfying as meat.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175111602009404 Iberico Bone-In Pork Chop.jpg" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Iberico pork chop with apple jam and chickpea stew | Photo: Ching Dee</span></span></span></div><h3><strong>Iberico Bone-in Pork Chop</strong></h3><p>The Iberico pork is deeply flavorful with a beautiful caramelized crust, while the sweet-savory apple jam is a standout. Fermenting the apples took the flavors to the next level and turned the classic pork-and-apples combo into something unforgettable. The shakshuka-inspired chickpea stew is so good it could stand alone and I hope it can be ordered on its own soon! And While a little on the pricey side, the portions are huge and perfect for sharing, so it all evens out. </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175111605856206 Chai Panna Cotta.jpg" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Chai-spiced vegan panna cotta with oolong apples and crunch | Photo: Ching Dee</span></span></span></div><h3><strong>Panna Cotta</strong></h3><p>This dessert is inspired by Chef Kevin’s tradition of making chai for his father. It’s unlike any panna cotta you’ve had before—gentle, spiced, and quietly moving. A vegan panna cotta made with house-blended chai spices and coconut cream, topped with an almond crumble and compressed apples steeped in fermented oolong tea. It’s light, not too sweet, and rich in flavor.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1751116086461Idalia_8093-Enhanced-NR.jpg" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Sip boldly—try the signature cocktails | Photo: Ching Dee</span></span></span></div><p>And don’t sleep on their signature cocktails! </p><h3><strong>3-Legged-Crow</strong></h3><p>Suntory gin-infused with miyeok (seaweed), miso, yuzu acid, and ssamjang bitters (yes, ssamjang, a blend of Korean spice paste). This is Chef Kevin’s favorite cocktail — unexpectedly savory, layered, and umami-forward. It’s a bold, complex drink that pairs surprisingly well with food, echoing the restaurant’s playfulness and leaning to fermentation.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175111612422608 3-Legged Crow.jpg" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">The 3-Legged Crow cocktail is umami-rich, savory | Photo: Ching Dee</span></span></span></div><h3><strong>Glow Up &amp; Show Up</strong></h3><p>A refreshing mix of Cointreau, tequila, purple sweet potato, aloe acid, and flakes of edible gold. Bright, refreshing, and slightly floral, this cocktail tastes like summer and looks like a celebration. It’s definitely eye-catching and easy to enjoy. </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175111615206507 Glow Up &amp; Show Up.jpg" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">The bright, floral, and golden-hued Glow Up &amp; Show Up | Photo: Ching Dee</span></span></span></div><p>“For me, success is being in a place where I could be happy,” Kevin says. “I’m the guy doing the food. I don’t have to run it by anyone. There’s a lot of freedom.”</p><p>And with that freedom, he’s carving out a space where vegetables get grilled like meat, pastas carry the soul of leftover wine, and every bite feels both unexpected and strangely comforting. And it’s a beautiful new experience worth trying. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong><em><a href="https://www.instagram.com/restaurantidalia/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Restaurant Idalia</a> </em></strong><em> is tucked into the ground floor of Citrine Residences, 112 Valero Street, Salcedo Village, Makati. Call +63 998 864 2525 or check out </em><a href="https://www.instagram.com/restaurantidalia/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>@restaurantidalia</em></a><em> on Instagram. They&#x27;re open Monday to Thursday from 11 AM to 3 PM and 6 PM to 10 PM, Friday and Saturday until 11 PM, and closed on Sundays.</em></div><div><br/></div><div><strong></strong></div>

<p>At Restaurant Idalia, Chef Kevin David serves fearless, freeform cooking rooted in memory, technique, and a quiet defiance of labels—turning scraps into gold and stories into unforgettable dishes.</p>

At Restaurant Idalia, Chef Kevin David serves fearless, freeform cooking rooted in memory, technique, and a quiet defiance of labels—turning scraps into gold and stories into unforgettable dishes.

NEW: Restaurant Idalia Is Freeform, Fearless And Just Five Weeks Old

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NEW: Restaurant Idalia Is Freeform, Fearless And Just Five Weeks Old

Ching Dee

Published June 28, 2025 09:27 PM PHT

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Updated June 29, 2025 11:40 AM PHT

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