The glistening, golden brown duck, chicken, suckling pig and char siu (roast pork) on display at the entrance of the newly opened Kam’s Roast at SM Mega Fashion Hall is enough to entice passersby to join the queue. The Michelin-star, Hong Kong-based restaurant opened its first branch on May 15 at the third level of SM Megamall to much fanfare.
Days before the official opening, several lunches and dinners had given guests of the owners a taste of what to expect. The menu was identical: seasoned cucumbers and gooey century egg to start, followed in quick succession by the roasts (duck, chicken and two types of scrumptious pork) with a choice of steamed rice or noodles.
Roast goose is not available due to strict importation laws, but Eric Dee, chief operating officer of FooDee Global Concepts, said it shouldn’t pose a problem since he expects only a few diners to hanker for it, since “more Filipinos are partial to pork.”
Dee would know, as FooDee Global is credited for bringing in brands such as Tim Ho Wan, Tsuta Japanese Soba Noodle, Foo’d by David Oldani and Todd English. It is also behind local restaurants Mesa Filipino Moderne, Sunnies Café and Bench Café.
Preparation
“At Kam’s Roast, everything is prepared offsite,” Dee said. “It takes two days to properly process the ducks (sourced from Davao and flown in daily) which includes steaming, drying and roasting. It’s important that they’re properly steamed.”
All the oils and sauces are proprietary and flown in from Singapore—that includes the plum sauce, the marinade used on the roasts, as well as the gravy which incorporates peanut butter and sesame oil, Dee said.
At P2,800 for a whole roast duck, it’s definitely not a dish one would order regularly.
“I really think diners will go more for the rice toppings (P330-P400),” said Dee. “I actually like these more, because the drippings from the roasts coat the rice, imparting flavor. If dining as a group, each (person) might get one’s own rice toppings and then, maybe order half a duck for sharing.”
Based on projections, he expects Kam’s Roast to sell 1,800 ducks a month or 60 a day, adding, “That’s on a conservative basis.”
The internationally acclaimed restaurant from the family behind Hong Kong’s Yung Kee Restaurant has a culinary heritage that spans 75 years.
Kam’s Roast is at 3/F Mega Fashion Hall.
regular (left) and special