SPOT.ph 50 Great Restaurants of 2024: Special Awards; Best Value for Money: Kas & Poly

Tasting menus are no longer the obscure or niche interest they used to be, but they can still feel out of reach—be it for being too conceptual, or simply too expensive. Brought our way by Gemini Food Corporation, Kas & Poly sits on the sweetest spot between being elevated, and still accessible to the curious. The 12-course Zodiac Dining Menu hits on the public’s fascination with the vast subject of astrology, with each item on the lineup representing zodiac signs interpreted in playful ways: duck jus pasta over a squid-ink sand bed and topped with fried leeks represents the intense and passionate Scorpio sign; chelo kebab crumble with a chimichurri-like cashew emulsion and shimeji mushrooms symbolizes Taurus the bull; a surf-and-turf combo of grilled octopus and seared Iberico pork atop creamy parmesan polenta represents the Greek twins Castor and Pollux that make up Gemini. It isn’t dirt-cheap at P4,200—for some this would be reserved as a payday or 13th-month treat. But considering the quality (there are premium meats, seafood, and a balanced amount of carbs), the fair portions (you won’t be overly stuffed but you def don’t leave hungry), the creativity of the team (some of the combos here are unexpected yet surprisingly work), the ambience of the place (go ahead, bring a date you’d like to impress here), and the well-thought out dining experience delivered, it’s a very reasonable price point.