Cover Lumpia, or spring rolls, at Hayop
Lumpia, or spring rolls, at Hayop
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Hayop is the sister restaurant of Filipino restaurant Manam in the Philippines, and it serves local diners a taste of home with classic Filipino dishes and reinvented favourites anchored in familiar flavours
“Where do you bring friends for good Filipino food in Singapore” is a question that I get asked all the time, being a Filipina who’s been based in the island city for over a decade. Truth be told, this question always stumped me, because apart from Filipino fast-food chain Jollibee which is famed for its Chickenjoy crispy chicken and rice noodle dish pancit palabok (my two must-orders!), there are not many decent choices where one can have a mouth-watering feast of Filipino classics such as sinigang (sweet and savoury pork or seafood stew), sisig (minced pork jowl, ears, belly cooked with chilli, onions and served on a sizzling hot plate), and adobo (meat dish cooked in soya sauce, vinegar and garlic).
But it seems like the tides are slowly turning with the opening of fine-casual Filipino restaurant Hayop on Amoy Street; this is in partnership between F&B companies The Moment Group from the Philippines and Iki Concepts from Singapore. Hayop, loosely means ‘beast’ in Tagalog, and is the first overseas sister outlet of Manam in Manila. The latter is famed for serving Filipino comfort foods.
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Above Crispy palabok
Crispy palabok
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The decision to open Hayop, shares The Moment Group co-founder and creative director Abba Napa, comes from the “growing interest in our cuisine, both in Asia and in other parts of the world”. In fact, she tells us that over the last half-decade, they have been receiving inquiries from other markets to bring the Manam brand to other countries. Why did they choose Singapore? Aside from the big Filipino community on the island (according to the Philippine Embassy, there are 200,000 Filipinos currently living in Singapore), Napa and co-founders Eliza Antonino and Jon Syjuco are impressed by its amazingly diverse dining scene that welcomes various cuisines from all over the world.
Above Kinilaw
Kinilaw
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BEGINNINGS OF HAYOP
Hayop was conceptualised with Filipinos living abroad in mind. “Think of it as a love letter to Filipino comfort food, the kind that resonates deeply with Filipinos who grew up in the Philippines,” says Napa. Thus, it is a place where families and friends can reconnect with familiar flavours through a concise menu of Manam classics and reinvented Filipino favourites anchored in tradition. And, in a typical Filipino feast, these dishes are made for sharing in order to explore the “cornucopia of Filipino flavours”.
Perhaps no dish is more quintessentially Filipino than adobo, which sees pork or chicken chunks cooked in a classic combination of soya sauce, white vinegar and tons of garlic. Here, the national dish gets a makeover with the Wagyu short rib slow-cooked in a mixture of Philippine soya sauce, coconut sap vinegar, red wine and garlic confit, until they are fork-tender.
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Above Manam’s Wagyu and watermelon sinigang
Above Hayop’s version of adobo, which consists of Wagyu short ribs cooked in soya sauce, coconut sap vinegar, red wine and garlic confit
Manam’s Wagyu and watermelon sinigang
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Sinigang—my favourite dish from home, and a Manam classic—is also presented through a modern lens with Wagyu short ribs bathed in a sweet-and-sour soup base flavoured with tamarind and watermelon. And what better way to complement the flavours of the sinigang than with the saltiness of the sisig, and Hayop’s version stays true to ingredients of pork jowl and cheek chopped into tiny pieces, mixed with onions, garlic and chilli, and served on a sizzling plate with a squeeze of calamansi juice.
Complementing these signatures are exclusive dishes to Hayop—the likes of kinilaw, the Filipino version of ceviche comprising hamachi slices steeped in local vinegar and spiced, and piyanggang manok, charcoal-grilled chicken braised in various spices and coconut milk. And for dessert, halo halo (which translates to mix mix) sweetens the meal with a variety of toppings like leche flan, candied beans and ice cream mixed with shaved ice and evaporated milk.
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Above The interior design features touches of Filipino culture
Above The plateware at Hayop was created by Filipina ceramist Mia Casal
The interior design features touches of Filipino culture
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Of course, the celebration of Filipino culture goes beyond the menu, as the space reflects the country’s heritage. The result is a cosy space that mirrors intricate weaves of native baskets, with wooden screens reminiscent of kubos or homes of yesteryear, and netted lamps that represent fishing nets used by Filipino fishermen. Even the plateware, which serves as the vessels for dishes, is crafted by Filipino ceramist Mia Casal. The restaurant was designed to welcome convivial gatherings—as if the culinary team was welcoming dear family and friends at their homes—and that is what is really at the heart of Filipino cuisine.
Hayop
Address: 104 Amoy St, S(069924); +65 8028 9012
Credits
Images: Hayop
Dudi Aureus is the senior dining and travel editor at Tatler Singapore, covering the city’s most exciting restaurants, global travel trends, and the personalities shaping the culinary and lifestyle scenes. She also serves as co-jury chair for the Tatler Best awards in Singapore, celebrating the very best in hospitality. When she’s off duty, she can often be found at a favourite hole-in-the-wall Thai spot, savouring a perfectly balanced pad thai.
