New Japanese-Filipino Restaurant Opens in Charleston
A new restaurant named Bareo has opened on Spring Street in downtown Charleston. The establishment, led by Nikko Cagalanan and Paula Kramer, offers a menu that combines Japanese and Filipino cuisine. The restaurant aims to provide a unique culinary experience to the city.
- The restaurant is located at 73 Spring Street, in the former space of the owners' other acclaimed Filipino restaurant, Kultura, which recently relocated to a larger space on Rutledge Avenue. - Chef Nikko Cagalanan is a 2024 James Beard Award finalist for "Emerging Chef" and a Food Network "Chopped" champion. He was formerly a nurse before pursuing a culinary career after moving to the U.S. from the Philippines in 2011. - The name Bareo is derived from the Tagalog word "baryo," which translates to "neighborhood," reflecting the owners' aim to create a local gathering spot. - The menu focuses on hand-folded dumplings, onigiri, handrolls, and a Japanese shaved ice dessert known as kakigōri, with unique flavors like buko pandan and brown butter bibingka. - Paula Kramer is also the co-owner of Baguette Magic, a popular local bakery with two locations that has been voted Best Bakery by the Charleston City Paper and the Post and Courier. - The restaurant's interior was designed by Agatha Strompolos to resemble a Japanese lacquer box, featuring a matcha-green floor and shoji-style ceiling panels to create an intimate, den-like atmosphere. - Bareo operates seven days a week from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m., offering both lunch and dinner service.
