Bad Saint alum opens cozy modern Filipino restaurant in Dupont Circle
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Modern Filipino restaurant Kayu opens in Dupont Circle. Photo: Courtesy Rey Lopez
He's back — Filipino rising star Paolo Dungca just opened Kayu in Dupont Circle.
Why it matters: The Bad Saint alum brings his modern Filipino talent to a cozy 40-seat home.
Catch up quick: Dungca recently ran Hiraya, an all-day Filipino café, and Kayu, the tasting room above, on H Street in Northeast— earning a James Beard nomination this year.
- The venture closed in June after Dungca split with his business partners.
- Lucky timing — the owners of Dupont Italian Kitchen are fans of his cooking, and made a deal with Dungca to move into their empty 17th Street space (formerly Malbec).
Dig in: Kayu 2.0 is more casual — a la carte versus tasting — though Dungca tells Axios he's adapted popular prix-fixe dishes for his new menu of small and family-style plates.
- Think chorizo-stuffed ube bao buns, wild mushroom dumplings, and a half or whole chicken tocino with sweet garlic soy sauce and java rice.
- He's also blending in elements from cafe Hiraya — including plans for a big Filipino-style brunch with specialty coffee service.
Drink up: Filipino beers, food-friendly wines and cocktails like an Ube Colada designed by Tiki on 18th barkeep Jo-Jo Valenzuela.
The intrigue: Traditional Filipino cooking can run meat and starch-heavy. Dungca embraces seasonal produce, vegetarian dishes and gluten-free options — plus a wide price range in both food and drink.
- "We wanted to create an accessible place where people can come in multiple times a week, instead of just being a celebratory place to go to," Dungca tells Axios.
If you go: Kayu. 1633 17th Street NW