Cover B Boi's ikura don with a side of negitoro
B Boi's ikura don with a side of negitoro
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Chef Raul Forés bursts back into the F&B scene with B Boi, his new Asian comfort food brand
“My wife and I wanted to start a business that served food we love to eat—comfort food from all over Asia. In the future, we will also be launching premium merchandise ranging from everyday garments to athleisure,” chef Raul Forés shares with excitement.
The birth of B Boi is a meaningful comeback for the young chef, who had taken a break from his lead roles at both Mamou and Made Nice. B Boi is a fresh project that he’s cooked up with care, in tandem with his wife Audrey Brandenberger. “It took a while to hone in on what we wanted to do and what to call it. Sometimes I feel like even today it continues to evolve. If I had to put a date to it, the idea was born one late drunken night with my wife and I just talking about what we might want to do sometime in July of 2024,” Forés recalls.
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B Boi debuts its Asian comfort food to the public via a pop-up secret menu at Made Nice. Diners will need to follow them on Instagram to view their menu in order to tell servers what dishes they’d like to order, as no menu will be handed out at the restaurant. Currently, there are 4 items on the menu that all feature rice. In fact, Forés has spent months toiling away in order to perfect his sushi rice. The menu features an ikura don with salt-cured ikura; a negitori don with otoro and chutoro; a tuna mayo don with yellowfin and bluefin tuna; plus a sinful garlic chahan with tuna, oxtail, egg and oxtail gravy.
“I like to describe our food as Asian comfort food. Although our initial offering is completely Japanese inspired, the remainder of our menu (to be announced at a later date) includes dishes with Korean, Filipino, Thai and Chinese influence,” he notes. “Although it’s not a completely Japanese concept, my affinity towards Japanese cuisine probably started when my parents would take me to Tsumura (while still in a stroller), now located in Ayala Triangle. Tsumura San nicknamed me ‘ikura boy’, which was actually our first working name for the concept. But when we decided to include influences from other countries and cultures, we felt B Boi would be more all-encompassing (plus, our logo is a bear, and everything comes in bowls),” Forés reveals.
See also: The top 30 Japanese restaurants in the Philippines 2025
Above B Boi's negitoro don with a side of ikura
Above B Boi's garlic chahan with egg, tuna, oxtail and oxtail gravy
B Boi's negitoro don with a side of ikura
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They have not revealed an end date to the pop-up yet, so be sure to swing by and give B Boi a try! While there, ask about Squizz, and you might just get a taste. Squizz is the couple’s soon-to-launch project that will serve up tasty fizzy and fruity sodas. Their funky coffee or tea-based creations will be artisanal sodas that can be enjoyed at any time of day. “Once we launch our food and beverage concepts, we hope to launch a second location for the secret menu in one of the Mamou locations,” Forés teases.
With regards to a brick-and-mortar restaurant for B Boi, Forés is using this pop-up to test the waters. After having a taste of the wonderfully seasoned sushi rice, carefully prepared premium fish, and decadent chahan, we think all should go swimmingly, and hopefully, we see their first location take form (most likely North of Pasig).
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About
Isabel loves to learn, and see things from different perspectives. Connecting with people and engaging in new experiences to broaden her horizons is what inspires this storyteller, keeping her constantly curious, and excited for what's to come. An absolute love for all things F&B ignited a hunger to devour content from this world and keeps her jumping into tasty adventures around the globe. From the beauty of simple bites, to nuanced fine dining tasting menus, street food, and the art of entertaining, the multi-faceted nature of the dining experience is something she can't get enough of. A good cup of coffee or a glass of wine paired with a dash of witty conversation is a quick way to win her over. This editor loves travelling, food, music, skincare, fitness, and is only friends with people who love dogs. Guilty pleasure?: Binge-watching TV shows and movies she has already seen.
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Concept creation is the name of the game and branding takes centre stage in Isabel's day-to-day schedule. From producing shoots, conceptualising bespoke projects for our partners, relationship management, to cooking up features and events for Tatler Dining, this editor is a tried and tested foodie at heart. She mainly writes content for Tatler Dining, engaging in captivating discussions with restaurateurs, chefs, producers, and food enthusiasts to tell must-know stories. Aside from that Isabel manages Tatler Dining's flagship events like Off Menu, or Cocktail Festival and puts together the Tatler Dining Guide, our annual listing of the best eats around town.
Follow her on Instagram @isabelvmf.
