Hapag’s new Western Mindanao menu
Hapag just introduced its new tasting menu — cuisine inspired by Western Mindanao. It is a bold exploration of Southern Philippine cuisine; a culinary dive into the richly layered food cultures of Zamboanga, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi.
The Hapag team discovered not only Tausug, Yakan, and Chavacano with chef and partner of Hapag Kevin “Nav” Navoa saying, “Mindanao has always felt distant, even to us. 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 also experienced Ramadan in Tawi-Tawi, including a visit to Akantai, a local coffeehouse where pastries are shared and paid for on an honesty system. Chef and partner of Hapag Thirdy Dolatre says, “This isn’t just about showcasing dishes. It’s about recognizing how much of the Philippines we’ve yet to explore and giving that food the care and respect it deserves.”
The Western Mindanao menu features wine pairings of fuller Champagne rosés and sweeter Rieslings that balance spice and intensity. Non-alcoholic pairings focus on fermentation, from non-alcoholic wines to ginger bug and probiotic sodas. These offer complex flavors that complement the bold, regional dishes crafted by chefs Nav and Thirdy. Head sommelier Erin Ganueles-Recto says, “Western Mindanao’s flavors are unapologetically bold, so our pairings had to meet that energy. We leaned into spice, smoke, and richness, both in the wines and the fermented beverages, to create harmony with the menu.”
The Western Mindanao menu is part of Hapag’s broader mission to reframe Filipino cuisine as regional, complex, and ever evolving.
The tasting menu features several dishes — I enjoyed all the dishes. Hapag’s interpretation of each dish was very satisfying, such as a Tiyula Itum soup — a signature Tausug dish of black beef soup that derives its dark color from charred coconut and is infused with ginger, lemongrass, and local citrus leaves. Their Satti (Mindanao’s version of satay) Skewers is a a staple breakfast in Zamboanga, served from early morning at local satti houses. It features grilled beef and chicken skewers served over rice, drenched in a spicy, slightly sweet red sauce made from coconut, peanuts and chili. Hapag’s version offers four skewers — beef rump, beef tongue, chicken skin, and chicken isol (chicken tail). Agal-Agal is a type of seaweed abundant in Basilan and Tawi-Tawi, and is typically served as a salad with soy sauce and calamansi, topped with bubuk (toasted spiced coconut). Hapag elevates the refreshing classic with a lighter soy sauce-based dressing and adds yellowfin tuna kinilaw. Mee Goreng is found along Zamboanga’s seaside boulevard night markets and showcases Western Mindanao’s maritime trade connections with Malaysia and Indonesia. Hapag’s version of this typically stir-fry with soy, chili, and vegetables features homemade noodles, wok-fried mushrooms, house-made oyster sauce, sambal, and a quail egg yolk.
Siyagul with Roti Martabak is Hapag’s bread course. It is a Yakan specialty made with seafood — traditionally stingray — cooked in coconut and burnt aromatics. Hapag uses swordfish in a coconut-turmeric mornay (béchamel with grated cheese) sauce, pairing it with a crisp, savory martabak flatbread spread with herb pesto, finished with cheese and caviar.
The main course is called Salu-Salo — a tribute to shared Filipino meals, featuring dishes from Zamboanga, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi that the chefs. encountered during their trip: Junay is a Basilan rice cake cooked in burnt coconut and topped with fried dried tiny shrimp (kalkag) and shallots. Riyandang is a Maranao-style beef short rib stew slow-cooked in coconut and toasted spices similar to rendang, brought in via regional connections to Indonesia and Malaysia. Camaron Alavar is a prawn dish in curry-style sauce inspired by Zamboanga’s Alavar Seafood Restaurant. Pomelo-Pako Salad cuts through the richness with citrus, greens, and herbs.
Pre-dessert was Knickerbocker, which originated from Hacienda de Palmeras in Zamboanga. This regional dessert is made with fruits, jelly, and milk, topped with strawberry ice cream, Zamboanga’s version of halo-halo. Hapag’s version includes a mix of compressed tropical fruit, pineapple jelly, langka (jackfruit) jam, and a lightly sweet amazake-pili nut foam, all finished with strawberry ice cream.
This is followed by the ninth course, Bang-Bang Sug Petit Fours. Bang-Bang Sug refers to a spread of Tausug rice cakes traditionally enjoyed with strong Kahawa Sug coffee. Hapag reinterprets these treats into petit fours: Palikambing: Smoked banana with caramel and cinnamon in milk chocolate; Wadjit: Sticky rice (biko-style) in dark chocolate;
Biyaki: Corn mousse in white chocolate; and Putli Mandi: Bukayo syrup in chewy kakanin (rice cakes), coated with grated coconut and white chocolate.
This tasting menu was an innovative way to get acquainted with Western Mindanao cuisine. Congratulations to the Hapag team! *
(To make a reservation, please visit the Hapag website at www.hapagmnl.com/reserve. Hapag is located on the 7th floor of The Balmori Suites, Hidalgo Drive, Rockwell Center, Makati City.)
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