Whipped.

The moment I settled into the comfortable booths of KKK’s branch in Robinsons Ermita, its regular patrons immediately noticed something different. For one, I was alone; and, instead of immediately diving into the sea of deliriously good food spread out before me, I took endless photographs. One quick Q and A with the branch manager was all it took to blow my cover—they knew I came to write about the food, and in an instant, their entire party was talking to me from across the room about their favorite KKK concoction.

One such dish is the Krispy Kangkong Salad, the perfect prelude topped with crushed peanuts and drizzled with dressing that’s a fusion of brown sugar, calamansi, cilantro and fish sauce. The dish is suggestive of Thai influence, and it’s no wonder because Al Purugganan, one of the owners, has a penchant for the cuisine.

As its name suggests, KKK stages a culinary revolution. Most of the dishes listed in its impressive menu (and by impressive, I mean huge with vintage Filipino photographs and interesting trivia) are modern takes on timeless favorites, like the best-selling Bistek Flakes. Instead of thinly sliced beef, KKK gives it a creative twist by cooking loose beef fibers into a crunchy finish and sprinkling it with diced tomatoes and onions. 

The Sugpo ng KKK is another must-try with its tender prawns sautéed in coconut milk, red curry and chili paste—definitely my favorite. 

The Paru-Parong Tilapia with mango and tomato salsa is a feast of flavors. 

Of course, no Filipino restaurant is without Inihaw na Liempo and KKK serves theirs bacon-cut with thinly-sliced papaya salad topped with sesame seeds. 

Its aptly-named dessert “Kakaloka”, which consists of buko sherbet and pandan, speaks for itself. 

Visiting a KKK branch, whether in Robinsons Ermita or the one in Mall of Asia, is a treat in itself. Its interiors are designed to transport you back to the time when the word “katipunero” takes on an entirely more significant meaning. Authentic-looking vintage photographs of prominent figures like Jose Rizal, Felix Hidalgo and Juan Luna enhance its rustic arurog-blanketed walls. Interesting trivia—for all the historical significance it portrays, I later found that KKK does not actually stand for the “Kataas-taasang Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan as I originally thought. Instead, it is an acronym for its first branch along West Avenue in Quezon City—Kainan sa Kalye Kanluran. A witty way to get people to remember the restaurant, sure, but quite unnecessary—the memory of its food lingers and is enough to get people to come back.  

KKK is located at the 3rd Level, Midtown Wing, Robinson’s Place Manila; and at the Ground Level of SM Mall of Asia. Open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.