Vlad Bunoan

Hao, designed by Kenneth Cobonpue, serves modern Chinese cuisine. Handout

Article (news)

Karen Flores

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177028660736520260205 (3).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Hao, designed by Kenneth Cobonpue, serves modern Chinese cuisine. <em>Handout</em></span></span></span></div><p>It&#x27;s easy to spot Hao among the establishments lining Rizal Drive at Forbes Town in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. The bright red, graffiti-covered building, one of the newest dining spots in the area, has been drawing a steady crowd for its modern dim sum and cocktails since it soft opened late last year.  </p><p>Hao&#x27;s eye-catching exterior is actually inspired by New York&#x27;s vibrant Chinatown neighborhood. Inside, diners are greeted with a cozy yet elevated atmosphere that is unmistakably Chinese, with signature pieces by Kenneth Cobonpue. </p><p>The restaurant&#x27;s collaboration with the award-winning designer did not come as a surprise. Hao owner and fellow Cebuano Emman Lee is the same man behind Fable, the cafe and bar that is part of Cobonpue&#x27;s showroom, also located in BGC.</p><p>&quot;I closed everything in Cebu [three years ago] and transferred to Manila,&quot; Lee recalled, saying he saw the potential to grow as an entrepreneur in BGC&#x27;s highly competitive dining scene. </p><p>&quot;[The idea for Hao came when] I went to New York and saw Chinatown,&quot; he added. &quot;It&#x27;s very urban street culture with graffiti outside, and when you go in it&#x27;s a traditional Chinese restaurant. So that&#x27;s sort of the concept.&quot; </p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176969916735620260119_130211.jpg" style="width:960px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><em>Karen Flores Layno, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:851px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1770288118845BGC-eats-1.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><em>Handout </em></span></span></span></div><p>Hao is named after the word &quot;good&quot; in Mandarin Chinese. Essentially, Lee wants a restaurant that ticks all the boxes by balancing taste, ambience, and affordability — nothing too complicated, just good food that&#x27;s presented well.</p><p>This vision is evident in Hao&#x27;s curated selection which veers away from the extensive, encyclopedic menus often seen in Chinese restaurants (&quot;Everything should be a bestseller,&quot; Lee quipped). Given the BGC location, the dishes here are reasonably priced: siomai for P280, siopao for P170, wonton noodle soup for P340, and sweet and sour chicken for P480, among others. </p><p>The flavors are generally familiar, mostly Cantonese fare, with subtle twists in presentation and touches of refinement. Lee said they were going for something elegant yet approachable to complement the bar on the second floor, aptly named Huai which translates to &quot;bad&quot; in Mandarin.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:851px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1770288294153BGC-eats-2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><em>Handout </em></span></span></span></div><p>&quot;It&#x27;s a different feel upstairs. Hao is good and huai is bad. So it&#x27;s like yin and yang,&quot; said Lee. </p><p>The signature cocktails (P550 each) at the bar represent prominent elements in Chinese culture and feature a playful mix of east and west. </p><p>There&#x27;s Wealth with Jack Daniel&#x27;s whiskey, Sichuan honey, smoke oak, and citrus; Crystal with Malfy gin, Shao Xing wine, ginger syrup, and soda; and Jade with Absolut Vodka, St. Germain Elderflower, jasmine tea, apple cider vinegar, and soda, to name a few.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:851px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1770288487035BGC-eats-3.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Cocktails at Huai. <em>Handout </em></span></span></span></div><p>Lee and his team push the envelope a bit further with Tipsy Tea Time, their answer to the Chinese yum cha experience.</p><p>Instead of hot tea, Hao lets customers enjoy tea-based cocktails and a platter of dim sum, which is made for sharing. &quot;This is different from the standard cocktail menu,&quot; Lee said of the two-hour all-you-can-drink experience. </p><p>For Valentine&#x27;s Day and Chinese New Year, Hao will be serving a six-course feast consisting of both bestsellers and limited-time offerings. Priced at P4,500 for two persons, the menu includes dishes like Soft Shell Crab with Mala Mayo and Lamb Bakwa and Fish Soup with Preserved Mustard. This will be available from February 13 to 17.</p><div><em>Hao is located at Rizal Drive in Forbes Town, BGC, Taguig. The restaurant is open daily from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. For more details, visit @hao__ph on Instagram.</em></div>

<p>It's easy to spot Hao among the establishments lining Rizal Drive at Forbes Town in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. The bright red, graffiti-covered building, one of the newest dining spots in the area, has been drawing a steady crowd for its modern dim sum and cocktails.</p>

It's easy to spot Hao among the establishments lining Rizal Drive at Forbes Town in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. The bright red, graffiti-covered building, one of the newest dining spots in the area, has been drawing a steady crowd for its modern dim sum and cocktails.

BGC eats: Modern dim sum and cocktails at Kenneth Cobonpue-designed Hao

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BGC eats: Modern dim sum and cocktails at Kenneth Cobonpue-designed Hao

Karen Flores Layno,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 05, 2026 06:49 PM PHT

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