D'mall Plaza
Station 2, Boracay
D'mall Plaza
Station 2, Boracay
Hama. A Japanese word that means "beach." And it couldn't have been better represented; after all, it is located in the heart of Boracay, an island known for its pristine waters and powder-white sand that stretches down the four-kilometer beachfront.
Hama opened in 2007 and have gained popularity by making its mark as the best place to go for a fresh and tasty gastronomic feast of Japanese food.Conceptualized and owned by Juan Elizalde and Paolo Occhionero, the same tried-and-tested tandem who brought us the ever-popular Italian restaurant Aria. Hama is sure to deliver no less than superior quality food.
The Cuisine
Its menu is characterized by a unique and interesting blend of traditional Japanese fare as well as some modern, more imaginative dishes that give a twist to the classics.It is designed for anybody who loves Japanese cuisine and appeals to a broad range of customers with its varied menu selection: appetizing sushis and sashimis, fresh seafood and meat dishes, flavorful Japanese noodles and tempura dishes, crisp healthy salad as well as grilled yakitori, hot ramen and teppanyaki.
The Restaurant
Its tasteful interiors were design to look both tropical and Zen, truly capturing the essence of what the restaurant embodies: an Asian inspired establishment by the sea. It is stylish enough for a romantic dinner for two, and casual enough for a big family gathering.
Its dishes are reasonably priced, and designed to be shared "family-style". allowing customers to sample more of the different flavors that make up the menu.
With its outstanding food and service complemented by its trendy, tropical surroundings, it comes to no surprise that HAMA is favored culinary stop over and a "must-try" restaurant in Boracay.
View Hama menu...
Assortment of sushi and sashimi, good for 4 to 6 people.
Juan has been going to the island of Boracay since he was 8 years old, first stepping on its pristine white sand the year 1978, back when there was absolutely nothing else there but the sea, the shore and a tiny fishing village. “We used to sit on the beach at night and build bonfires. There was no electricity that time—if you can imagine it, Boracay was still untouched by modernization. It was just us and the townsfolk with the wind, the waves and the sand. I remember just sitting out there and someone, a local, would pick up a guitar and just strum it. Those are my fondest memories of Boracay,” says Juan.
In the 80s, his father ventured into the resort business by putting up the (now defunct) Palm Beach Resort. By 1988, Juan started learning the ropes by helping his father. Around 1998, their family opened “D’Mall,” which was a huge success and expanded by 2003. It was the year Juan found available space and decided to enter the food industry by opening his first restaurant, Aria Cucina Italiana. A few years later D’Mall expanded and another space became available, so Juan and his business partner, Paolo Occhionero decided to put up another restaurant, thus Hama was born.
Paolo, an Italian, first visited the Philippines in 1982.
“I was taking a break from my studies and accompanied my friend to a travel agency. He was booking himself a flight to Lima. All of a sudden I saw this place called the Philippines and I asked the travel agent, "Where is that place?" To which she replied, "The Far East." Immediately, I said, "Book me there; I want to go as Far East as I can go." Paolo was only supposed to stay in the Philippines for 2 months during his first trip, but instead, he ended up staying for 6 months.
In 1983 Paolo heard about the “paradise” island and first landed on the shores of Boracay. In 1985, he met Juan Elizalde and the two soon became good friends. By 1986, he built a “vacation” home on the island he had fallen in love with. In 1991 he built one of Boracay’s most famous and long running restaurants, True Food. In 1992 he ventured into the resort industry and started a boutique beach front resort called True Home.
In 2003, he partnered with Juan Elizalde for Aria Cucina Italiana.
