With shabu shabu on our minds, we decided to drive out to Conrad hotel and try the widely known "collagen soup". More than the health and skin benefits of the said soup, we were more intrigued to find out how it tastes like.
The drive there was fortunately pleasant, roads were somewhat clear and traffic was minimal.
Each table is obligated to order at least 1 serving of their hot pot. Take note that the photo on the menu is 2 portions already. This particular hotpot is loaded up with vegetables of all kinds and the only proteins you get are the 2 pieces of chicken, handmade chicken balls and shrimps. Definitely a far cry from our usual hotpot which we fill up with lots of meat and balls.
After taking our orders, the server comes back and the unique Bijin Nabe experience begins.
They serve up the pot with this jelly-like substance which is actually the Golden Collagen Chicken Soup. This is what it looks like after several minutes of boiling.
The soup changes into liquid form and has a creamy yellowish tinge. We were quite surprised to see that hidden underneath the jelly earlier were the chopped chicken pieces.
Before serving you the soup, they let you taste it in its purest form. They ladle you a teacup-sized shot for tasting. Taking care not to scorch your tongue, tiny sips are highly advised. It is as creamy as it looks, with a large dose of chicken flavor that I like.
By this time, they also set on the table a myriad of spices namely; homemade chili oil, leek oil (for the chicken), yuzu pepper (for the veggies) and soy sauce to be used to as you see fit. They also serve you this mini boat of veggies and protein to be cooked in the collagen broth.
Your server then proceeds to swirl the ladle around and portion the chicken pieces on each bowl.
I got the wings part while Hubby got the leg one.
Here's a closer look of the mini boat which consists of Tori Tsukune (handmade chicken balls) served in a bamboo stick and a few sprigs and pieces of Sunflower sprout, Red radish, lettuce, Enoki mushroom, Baby sweet potato leaves, Baby corn, Deep fried tofu, Lady's fingers, Zucchini, Fresh black fungus and Prawns.
Every serving of the hotpot also comes with a choice of carbs; Egg Noodles, Mochi Mochi Noodles, Rice Noodles or Zosui (Rice). We played it safe and settled for the Egg Noodles.
To complement our hotpot dish, we decided to get an order of their Chicken Nanban in Original Flavor (Php 295). This is 4 pieces of chicken fillet breaded and fried 'til crispy then coated with an egg salad-like sauce (almost like a tartar sauce). It doesn't sound like flavors that could work but trust me it does. You'll be asking for more of that dressing once you've bitten into that crispy chicken.
Here's how our pot looked like with everything dropped in. This gets cooked quite fast, about 3-5 minutes. In case you get worried of overcooking it, just call the server's attention and they'll be the one to check and serve it up in bowls. At Bijin Nabe, they make your dining experience more personal by having each step of the cooking and serving by the staff so don't hesitate to have them do it for you.
When you're more than halfway through the pot's contents, in comes your carbs (which in our case were the Egg Noodles). One advice to remember is to lower the heat level or else you'll be left with almost less to no soup to cook your carbs in. This unfortunately happened to us and you can see that the server had difficulty cooking the noodles, she had to continuously flip to ensure that all the noodles were thoroughly cooked.
Once you've finished the whole pot, they place in the prawns for that last bite. The smoky picture is due to the fact that our collagen soup was almost non-existent (this is what happens when the induction cooker continues to boil with almost no liquid left). The constant flipping continued. It doesn't take take too long and before you know it, your prawns are ready. Your server then proceeds to peel them off their skin and serves them with the sticks still on for easier eating. Don't expect too much, the prawns are kinda thin.
The Bijin Nabe experience is something definitely unique. The silken chicken broth, especially when served in its purest form in the sake cup, was pure bliss. This is actually the only time that I got to eat that much veggies in one sitting which in itself is already a good thing. But the 750 peso serving of hotpot (that they say is good for 2 people) warrants an order of side dishes since it leaves you not quite full.
** Food-Stars Note: Soup refill is only available for 2 and above ordered portions of the hotpot. **
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Bijin Nabe by Tsukada NojoLevel 2, S Maison, Conrad Manila,Seaside Boulevard cor Coral Way Pasay(02) 809 1268
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