Why 'Ember' by Josh Boutwood is Makati’s Newest Gastronomic Gem

What you see is what you get – this best describes Ember, the latest restaurant in maverick chef Josh Boutwood’s astounding portfolio. Boutwood, who is known for his innovative and extensive knowledge in the culinary world, has three concept restaurants under his belt: a tasting menu restaurant called The Test Kitchen; then Savage, a pre-industrial dining restaurant; and Helm, an intimate dining spot with an ever-evolving menu. All of these restaurants are embraced by Manila’s avid foodies. 

Some may think that fine dining tends to be intimidating, but this isn’t the case for Ember. Contrary to Boutwood’s other concept restaurants where the interior is somewhat masculine, Ember has done the opposite without deviating from its core element: no-frills, uncomplicated, and warm.

Since this restaurant in Makati is located at Greenbelt 3, it attracts people of all sorts. Ember is also Boutwood’s first concept restaurant in an area that has a high volume of people, so he wanted this restaurant in Makati to be approachable and less intimidating. 

This restaurant in Makati has a modern space-like yet chic style, enough to make you feel at home and welcome. The cozy seats along the curved bar allow diners to witness the magic happening in the open kitchen. On top of the unconventional-shaped bar, guests will see the curved mirrors, floors, high walls, wooden accents with a touch of cream, off-white, deep gray, red, and silver hues – paying homage to its predecessors Savage and The Test Kitchen. You might also notice that there’s always an astronaut statue in every Boutwood restaurant, which just livens up the space with quirky energy.

The sleek staircase would bring you to the eye-catching private area with sofas, wine cabinets, and glass windows giving you a bird’s-eye view of the main dining area. This concept restaurant’s overall look was designed and conceptualized by Headroom Interiors and Boutwood himself. Like his other restaurants, Boutwood wanted to work in a space where he felt comfortable. 

Overall, if you’ve been in too deep with analyzing all of the chef’s concept restaurants, you’ll know that Ember didn’t drift away from its other restaurants like Savage. Ember offers humble food (humble in the sense that there are no caviar and other luxurious food on the menu) with pre-industrial methods of cooking like using fire, smoke, and primal elements such as ash and the restaurant’s namesake “ember”, which means “a small piece of burning or glowing coal or wood in a dying fire,” according to Google. Ember is a hybrid of the existing concept restaurants but still managed to stand out and be different. 

Chef Boutwood visualized this restaurant in Makati as a place where diners don’t only enjoy the food, but also cherish the experience. It’s the place where it triggers memories of “Sunday feasts spent with family,” which in his mind, it’s enjoying smokey dry-aged steaks paired with wine. 

Although the nostalgic feeling of a Sunday feast at home is what the talented chef has in mind, this feeling is subjective and differs depending on one’s experience. But don’t fret because Ember’s menu doesn’t focus on a specific cuisine, true to Boutwood’s cooking philosophy which “veers away from limitation.” Instead, he focuses on making the most out of meals that are inspired by multiple cultures. The cooking method varies, it can be done by using convection, ovens, stove tops, hearth, and a smoker to permeate the essence of ember’s smokiness. 

After a long day of shopping, you can head to this restaurant to unwind and just relax while feeling at home.Just like the Test Kitchen, Ember’s menu offers an à la carte menu of starters, small plates, and main course dishes. As we’ve mentioned before, the dishes are uncomplicated, humble, and delicious. What makes concept restaurants like Ember stand out from the others is the heart and intricate thought process that’s placed into every dish.

Klook Tip: Reserve a table in advance before dining in at Ember since it only has a total seating capacity of 75 pax; 35 for al fresco dining and 40 for indoors.

Address: Greenbelt 3, Ayala Malls, Greenbelt Drive, Makati

Contact Information: 0916 420 1600 

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