LEAVE it to these buds, Ken Kudo and Roydin Malabuyoc, to come up with a solution to the age-old question “Where Do We Go?” with bar and restaurant Kudoku.
It’s the latest addition to The Greenery’s list of food spots, where one can “chill and chow” as Roydin puts it.
This casual dining bar and restaurant boasts of Japanese-inspired flavors created together with Chef Lehner Monsales, currently an instructor at ISCAHM Cebu, and strays from convention when it comes to serving “Izakaya” style dishes.
“It is not straight-up or traditional Japanese food. The idea of our menu is basically inspired by our own interpretation of catching both the Japanese and Cebuano palate as our main market,” Roydin shared, while stressing that Kudoku does not offer a fusion type of menu.
At Kudoku, indulge in dishes like Susur Slaw with Wafu Ponzu Dressing, Octopus Carpaccio with Ponzu Dressing and Watermelon Salsa, Chicken Karaage, or its six-hour Braised Pork Belly. As it is both a restaurant and bar, it has a varied selection of signature cocktails with crowd favorites Cucumber Gin Spritzer and Bermuda. Enjoy all these with its interior evoking both traditional and modern touches; Kudoku promises a dining experience in a laid-back setting.
Guests can also look forward to its pop-up kitchen events, a “one-night only” experience in collaboration with other chefs as a way to showcase their expertise. “We love to cook and we would like to share this experience with everyone,” said Roydin.
Both Ken and Roydin, together with their group of friends, make it a point to meet up at Ken’s every January. Kudoku, created with the intention of having a hangout after work, wishes to provide diners that very same space both friends call their very own stomping ground.
“We aim for our diners to enjoy a break from the traditional with our simple, unconventional take on classic dishes. These are perfect for the after-work dining and drinking experience, in a cozy and more relaxed setting,” Roydin added.
Kudoku at The Greenery is open daily from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m.