June 20, 2025—Behold the simply—and aptly—named “large island basket.”
It’s a spectacle to see on the table, and an adventure to traverse over the course of a long and festive meal.
The basket blossoms with Balinese fried chicken and island-style grilled ahi, lumpia Shanghai and roti prata, Singapore chili prawns and fresh arugula-apple salad.
Then there’s two house specialties—garlic rice and fermented bagoon occupying the axis of the merry go round—marinated Kawali pork belly and the kare kare with slow-braised beef oxtail with eggplant, vegetables and fried onions, slathered with savory peanut butter sauce.
Like the basket itself, Edwin’s Kaona is a lot.
It’s a lot of heart.
Anyone who’s met owner/greeter/seeker Dexter Salazar understands how outgoing and welcoming the dude is.
Fewer are familiar with the generosity that defines his character, and the restaurant’s heritage. He and his family felt compelled to reinvent the former Affina to honor his late father Edwin—a hero of his native Mindanao for his giving and his dance moves—because above everything he loved to cook with family.
Today his widow Nelia and sister Grace Salazar still help helm the kitchen.
“My dad would be really happy to see everybody enjoying the cuisine and the vibe,” Dexter says. “All these people come to Carmel to celebrate, but they don’t expect this.”
There’s also a lot of intrigue on the plate. Don’t miss the Javanese prawn pasta, the Filipino anchovy Caesar and—oh—the 40-ounce Sonoma tomahawk steaks.
“It is a lot,” Dexter agrees. “It’s about recognition of Filipino culture. It’s about constantly exploring a lot with flavors, enjoying the progress, seeing if we can blend east and west—French techniques and local ingredients and Southeast Asian spices…some blend really, really well.”
It’s a lot of great vino too.
A case can be made that Edwin’s represents a wine tasting destination unto itself, with a space design that conjures conversation and a program that ranks among Carmel-by-the-Sea’s strongest in terms of range, intrigue and value. (Pro tip: the fresh and elegant Sauvignon Blanc from Corral works wonders with the island basket.)
But the offerings here shouldn’t be confused with the thousands of bottles at Casanova or the cellar at Aubergine. Here the strategy lands closer to the affordability and approachability of Salazar’s first breakout hit, Constance Wine Bar.
“I didn’t want to spend too much time on our wine program, because there was so much more to work on,” Salazar says, noting the addition of longtime local hospitality pro and friend Jakub Kacprzynski has kicked up Edwin’s pairing game and front-of-the-house grace. “He’s been huge in connecting guests to great wines and just providing a welcoming presence.”
And—apologies to Sunset Center and its often lofty price points—it’s a lot of entertainment.
Edwin’s has quietly become the most accessible live-music-venue-by-the-sea.
OK, not so quietly. It’s not uncommon to see the entire U-shaped bar singing along to vocalist-pianist Reija Massey or Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Johan Sotelo, and guests dancing table side. But you get the point.
And the music isn’t a weekly, or a largely weekend, thing.
It’s nightly, with additional artists and groups like Arriene Del, Juneau, Holysea and Money Band appearing regularly, which feeds the overall magnetism.
The sum product is an experience that hits across all the feels.
Ken Spilfoger knows how rare Edwin’s familial brand of energy is. He ranks among its legion enthusiasts, though his take carries extra weight because he’s been a restauranteur in Carmel for 46 years, turning spots like Flaherty’s Seafood Grill and Oyster Bar into trusted institutions.
“It’s a sanctuary,” Spilfoger says. “Dexter makes it irresistible to visit.”
Talk to Salazar about that for long enough, and another driver in that effort—beyond his family’s nature and nature—surfaces: his faith.
“If I wanted to be rich, I would’ve started a pizza place or a sushi bar, and made a shit ton of money,” he says. “But there are material riches and there are other types.”
Edwin’s Kaona | 6th Ave. & San Carlos, Carmel | edwinscarmel.com
Mark C. Anderson, EMB’s managing editor, has reported on food and drink from 25+ countries, at least once by pay phone. (He does have email: mark@ediblemontereybay.com.)
