Kas & Poly, BGC’s latest F&B newcomer, is coming in hot with some serious serving of cosmically good food
Just when you think the dining scene in the metro has been filled to the brim with a plethora of concepts, a new novelty restaurant comes in with the unexpected: a curated experience through the lens of astrological signs—particularly your horoscopes.
Situated along 9th Avenue a few steps across the iconic Nike store in Bonifacio High Street, Kas & Poly stands unassuming, with its interiors marked by shades of Aegean blue.
Being mostly a purist for food, I have to admit that I’m generally skeptical of gimmicky concepts. But curiosity always finds its way to make you try something at least once.
We reserved for “the Big 3,” Kas & Poly’s five-course set menu that represents the Sun, Moon, and Rising signs.
Prior to the scheduled dinner, they ask for your birth date and time of birth. Upon entry, the staff hands over a sticker of your horoscope, which I instinctively placed on my top, a nice touch to signal the start of the Kas & Poly experience. We were led to The Gemini Lounge on the mezzanine, a quaint space set with dim lighting to set the tone of the 1.5-hour course.
We were immediately served a welcome drink: a tropical, fruity beverage with bright, whimsical hues.
A black envelope nestled on our table contained my respective Sun, Moon, and Rising, my horoscope for the coming week, and a fun personality reading based on my signs.
From the basic astrology knowledge I’ve picked up years back from checking my daily horoscope in the newspaper and thanks to a few friends here and there immersed in the cosmos, I know that the Sun follows our date of birth, reflecting our core personality and archetype. The Moon represents our inner, emotional self; and the Rising reflects our time of birth, representing our outward persona or the “mask” we present of ourselves to others,
A separate pamphlet listed the course offerings paired with a description per item, with each course wittily labeled after a horoscope: Libra for soup, Cancer for appetizer, Gemini for entree #1, Scorpio for entree #2, and oddly the dessert was unlabeled and simply placed as is.
A little disclaimer before we dive in: You have to know that I’m not exactly the most horoscope-savvy person. At most, I have an inkling or two about my Sun sign but I rarely catch myself using astrology as a basis for behavior or personality.
Looking back, this made the experience a whole lot more exciting and paved the way for this much-needed Friday surprise coming in with zero expectations.
And I owe it all to the food of Kas & Poly marked with character, flavor, and innovation.
Each course was plated on a beautiful ceramic, adding to the novelty of the theme and comfort of the ambiance:
The Libra-inspired soup was the quintessential starter, giving the proper balance of temperature and flavor in the form of a hot, creamed spinach purée vis-a-vis a cool, romesco gazpacho. Imagery of this air sign’s symbolism of scale and balance entered my mind, prominent in the dish that achieved harmony between warm and cool.
The Cancer appetizer was a subtle yet powerful play of flavor and texture, reminiscent of the loyal and nurturing crab. Grilled squid florets served on a socarrat tuile paired with a refreshing combination of avocado pate and salsa fresca—the only missing thing was my clamor for more as I chowed this down in two bites
The Gemini entree was the surprise of the night. I usually steer away from eating more than a single type of meat in one dish but this dish proved exactly that two weren’t made to just dance: They tango. I immediately recalled that Gemini’s sign symbolized figures of twins, prevalent in the showcase of texture in the form of seared Ibérico pork complimented with grilled octopus on a bed of creamy Parmesan polenta.
It’s a no-brainer that Scorpio is considered the most intense of all signs, which explains why this water sign was served as the final savory course. Duck jus poured over pasta served on a squid ink sandbed topped with leeks was simply delectable at best, reminding me of the unmatched joy called carbs.
The course was capped off with a light and refreshing cucumber, basil, and mint sorbet topped with shaved orange. As a sweet tooth, I did wish the dessert was more than what mimics a palate cleanser.
Throughout the course, we were compelled to try their drink of the month, a Gemini-themed cocktail that had the perfect kick of tequila to remind us that, alas, the work week was over.
Just a few tables from us were two lovely amigas fully immersed in the Zodiac Dining, a 12-course set menu, a roundabout of all the astrological signs rounded up in a three-hour cosmic experience.
Come to think of it, Kas & Poly might just be the novelty dining concept enthusiasts and curious foodies need on their radar. The concept might seem unnecessary for some, intimidating for others, but at the end of the day, good food is good food.
Curiosity once again led us to the third floor to check out the whole place, an ideal location for more casual get-togethers and nightcaps with their cosmic drinks.
And probably the setting for my next visit to try their ala carte menu.
Kas & Poly is located at W Global Center, 9th Avenue, corner 30th Street, Bonifacio Global City (BGC). To make a reservation, call +63 917 140 5059.