Hàin opened in late 2023, and when they did, the hotel was still in its finishing stage. “We really had to rely on word-of-mouth for the first few months,” Comsti recalls, “since the captured audience we were hoping to get from the hotel just was not there yet. I think that also worked out for us since it forced us to really reach out to the locals, and had them try what we were offering which I think nobody else on the island is doing. It’s great because a lot of them were really curious about regional Filipino cuisine, and those who enjoyed the food told their friends about us.” Now, Hàin has made a name for itself as a reliable go-to for a singular Filipino dining experience, offering well-executed and authentic dishes. That evening at dinner, the dining room was full of excited tourists, mostly Europeans, eager to try the different regional dishes. 

The ensaladang pakwan is the perfect starter for a meal in the tropics, as is the cereal-crusted calamares, a seaside staple. Some noodles would be nice after a long trek along White Beach, and Comsti proves that he can do both Isabela’s batil patung and Batangas’s lomi well wherever he may be. These are great for sharing, perfect for a hungry gang of sun worshipers.

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While hot soup might be unthinkable in the heat, The Henry’s wooded property provides just the right amount of shade and a cool breeze, which is perhaps why kansi—that slow-cooked beef soup soured with batwan from Bacolod—is their surprising bestseller. The tuway (an assortment of seafood cooked in a gingery broth and chilli leaves), too, is a comforting and flavourful soup that is an effective elixir after a night out.

And because Hàin is all about regional dishes, Comsti has always encouraged his chefs (all Aklan locals) to share their versions of Aklanon recipes. I have been to the island many times, but it was a first for me to try binakol na manok—chicken cooked in a broth of lemongrass, coconut, ginger, and batwan. The star lately is their linapay, which is shrimp and coconut meat wrapped in taro leaves and cooked in ginger and coconut milk. “It really makes me happy to know that the regional Aklanon dishes are not only popular with tourists but with the locals as well,” Comsti confesses. “That means we are doing it right.”

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The restaurant also has an in-house pastry chef who not only prepares local desserts and pastries to go with the coffee but also some snacks for the hotel. For their turn-down service, guests are treated to an alfajores-like shortbread cookie sandwich with calamansi curd that is a wink at the island’s iconic calamansi muffins.

And when guests awaken to the bright Boracay sunrise, they can enjoy breakfast practically anywhere on the property with a plate of Hàin’s Filipino-style nasi lemak. They can choose from a selection of proteins, which include grilled pork belly, chicken adobo confit, and their bestselling arroz ala Cubana, which features, among the usual nasi lemak accoutrements, panko-crusted plantain fritters, pinakbet, and perfectly-fried egg over steamed rice.

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Comsti admits that a perk of having a restaurant in Boracay is that he has a good reason to regularly visit the island. I see how his calm demeanour fits right in with his all-Aklanon team, while imparting efficiency and professionalism to his staff that is often lacking in this laidback island setup. Vacationing urbanites will be pleased to know the kitchen of Hàin runs on city time, and that dishes are usually served in ten minutes or less. And the food, Comsti promises, will always be tip-top even when he is not there. “I always tell my chefs that this is their food since most of the time I am not here, and they are running the kitchen themselves,” he says. “I think this empowered them because so far, I have not gotten any complaints with the food and the service.”

Even when dressed in a t-shirt, khaki shorts, and flip-flops, Comsti is never completely on beach mode. He is mostly on his phone, replying to emails or on his laptop, finishing off another article. Just when I thought he was getting used to life on the island, he hinted at the possibility of expansion when he randomly asked during dinner, “Do you think this concept will work in the city?” With a restaurant like Hàin, it is an easy “yes” wherein the dishes are executed properly and mindfully, and it is not fully reliant on the vibe and ambience. Even when removed from the beautiful confines of its boutique hotel and its close proximity to Boracay’s powdery white sands and crystalline waters, the regional Filipino cuisine created by its most ardent advocate will carry it through. For Comsti, the plan has always been onwards and upwards, and there is definitely no slowing down.

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