The past seven years have been quite the whirlwind for chefs Thirdy Dolatre and Kevin Navoa. In 2017, the pair opened Hapag as a private dining concept, showcasing diverse Filipino flavours and techniques in a fine dining setting—a courageous direction, as such concepts were few and far between at the time. Two years later, they opened the doors to Hapag’s first home at Katipunan Ave, and just five years after that, they moved into their shiny new address at The Balmori Suites, Rockwell. While the restaurant may look very different from the Katipunan original, its vision remains the same: to celebrate Filipino stories through gratifying food. Ayà, their newest concept which opened earlier this April, serves a similar purpose in a more casual yet nonetheless stylish space, offering small plates, cocktails, and wines, and has easily become one of the hottest new dining destinations in town.