Red Kimono

Red Kimono was launched in 2005 at the Fort Strip in Fort Bonifacio and has quickly added branches all over the Philippines. For this fusion food, the vision was to create a concept to bring together the modern and traditional elements of Japanese cuisine - ‘Red’ symbolizing the new, Western and innovative aspect; and ‘Kimono’ representing the old, Eastern and traditional aspects. This particular review focuses primarily on the Glorietta 2 branch although we have also tried the original branch at Fort Bonifacio.

This is not a new Japanese restaurant, but it brings the concepts quite well in good tasting food. As more and more Japanese restaurants sprout in the Philippines, the customers' tastes have become more discriminating. How a restaurant can balance the uniqueness of their menu with affordable prices can spell the success or failure of the place. So far, Red Kimono has continued to innovate and its progress is evidenced in the fact that they continue to add new stores every year.

One of the specialties of Red Kimono is its maki selection. They have servings meant for more than 4 people just for maki, as well as different varieties. They also have bento boxes which are complete meals and easy to order for first timers or those who don't want to fuss about ordering something which works well for everyone else. Their strategy of being located within malls has done well for their business especially on weekends and holidays. It would be difficult to get a seat during these times as the restaurant in Glorietta is not really a full blown restaurant unlike the one in Fort Bonifacio. So one has to time his/her visit to ensure that the crowds are not yet there or long gone.

The food is great, nothing spectacular but generally worth the $6-8 you'd be paying on average per diner.