Casuals Dining Is The Newest Makati Spot with a Fine-Dining Chef
A new restaurant in Makati’s Paseo de Magallanes is serving creative, chef-driven food in a relaxed and comfortable setting. At Casuals Dining, Chef Rowen Amurao is proving that “casual” does not mean plain, offering a menu that balances thoughtful execution with a laid-back atmosphere.
The restaurant is a good spot for anyone looking for interesting, well-made food without the fuss of a formal dining room.
Meet the Chef
Chef Rowen Amurao brings a great deal of experience to the kitchen. After earning a Culinary Arts degree from DLS-CSB and doing internships in the U.S., he spent seven years working in Australia at well-known restaurants like Hawker Hall, Supernormal, and Chin Chin.
This experience exposed him to a “borderless” style of cooking, drawing inspiration from the cuisines of Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, and Southeast Asia, all while focusing on high-quality ingredients. “It’s diverse, no borders,” Amurao says of his culinary philosophy. “But it always revolves around the freshest ingredients.”
The Food: Creative Asian Flavors
While Chef Rowen originally dreamed of opening a fine-dining Filipino restaurant, Melbourne’s creative but casual food scene inspired him to open Casuals. The menu reflects his background, using Western techniques to showcase Filipino and Asian flavors.
Dishes are designed for sharing and often feature inventive pairings, like French pâté with adobo jus. Though not a vegetarian restaurant, Casuals is also known for its creative vegetable dishes, like charred broccoli with manchego, that highlight fresh, local produce.
The Atmosphere: Casual and Welcoming
The interior of the restaurant matches its name and the chef’s personality: eclectic, warm, and casual. The space mixes industrial finishes with wooden tables, and the walls are brightened with colorful posters and personal memorabilia. The result is a comfortable and unfussy atmosphere.
Dining here feels like eating at a friend’s place, if that friend happened to be a chef with global training. It is a heartfelt and promising new spot in the Makati food scene.
How to Visit
- Location: 2/F Oakridge Building, Paseo de Magallanes, Makati City
- Hours: Open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Contact: 0954-335-2795 | Instagram: @casuals.dining
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