Birthday Surprise at Icho Japanese Restaurant, Greenhills San Juan, Philippines

This is a throwback post (pre-pandemic days) wherein Hubby surprised me with a birthday lunch at Icho Japanese Restaurant.

Back then, eating out was fairly easy; all we had to take note of was whether the restaurant had available high chairs and if there was space for our stroller. Al fresco dining was way low on our list of seating preferences and “the more people in the restaurant the better” mentality was still very much alive.

Hubby was in charge of the ordering that day.

To start off my birthday feast, he got 3 kinds of sushi (makis & aburi ones);

Maki Overload at Ooma Japanese Rice Bar, Rockwell Makati City, Philippines

When we've found a place yummy enough to come back for, we usual bring friends along to share the experience. Since we wanted to cut down on travel time, we decided to bring Cheryl to Ooma's Rockwell branch instead of their flagship one in Megamall.

Right off the bat, you'll notice that their Rockwell branch is way smaller.  Tables were nearer to one another & ventilation was an issue. Suffice to say, we were soon sweating our asses off just minutes into dinner.

It's rare for me to get a shot of our table with untouched dishes but Ooma's service was fast hence this shot. That's the Hanging Tender on the left, Unagi Maki in the middle & Scallop and Tuna Aburi Maki on the right.

But before we get into those, let's start with the first one that came to the table.

Soft Shell Crab Taco-Maki (Php 199)

Each order comes with 2 servings of this open-faced temaki wrap. 

 A closer look gives you a view of the Ebiko, Aligue Mayo, hints of soft shell crab, rice & seaweed. If you're looking for the distinct taste of soft shell crab, this is not for you. I'm not sure if it's the heaviness of the aligue mayo or it's the quantity of the crab used but it was non-existent. There was some crunch but none of the crab taste.

Scallop & Tuna Aburi Maki (Php 295)

This fared better. This is torched maki and it definitely brought out the tuna & scallops beautifully. Even with a lot of things going on (the menu reads cucumber, sesame seeds, nori crumbs, scallion, teriyaki sauce, spicy mayo & kimchi aioli) this was good. All of the above worked together to bring bursts of flavors in your mouth. 

Unagi Maki (Php 299)

Okay I'll be honest, you got us at Unagi. They were trying to pass this off as a high end maki when in reality it's a mediocre maki with eel, cream cheese, fried shallots & toasted rice. But with this price tag & serving it in maki form, what else could be expected. 

Shrimp Chahan (Php 145)

Cheryl ordered their Shrimp Chahan which looked devoid of shrimps. Based on the fact that she left half of this on the table, she wasn't a fan.

And now for their Hot Plates section.

#FoodStarsAtLittleTokyo: Urameshiya Yakiniku Restaurant, Makati City, Philippines

For our unlimited yakiniku cravings, we've always drove out to our favorite place. Imagine our surprise when we learned about this restaurant right within our neighborhood. 

Welcome to Urameshiya at Little Tokyo, Makati. Open from 5pm-2am and accepts no reservations, coming early is a must. With roughly about 8-9 tables inside, you can just imagine the mile-long wait list they have to contend with everyday. Food-Stars Tip? Best time to come is 4:20pm and patiently wait at their al fresco area. This at least assures you being part of the first batch of diners.

A snapshot of their display area before the buffet chaos starts. Trays & trays of pork, chicken, beef & seafood are laid out for choosing. Here's how it works at Urameshiya, after being seated, your server will escort you to this area wherein you'll point & choose your food. Food-Stars Tip? Don't be shy to ask for generous servings of your favorites. Also, don't fall into the trap of trying out "new food", stick to the prime selections (Wagyu Cubes, Scallops and if you're lucky, Oysters).

Done with choosing? Head on back to your seat and wait as they come out with your charcoal grill. Here's where the fun part begins. At Urameshiya, they have 1 cardinal rule: Cooking & Eating time is for 45 minutes only. Yup, you've read that right. I heard that they've taken it as far as to provide you with charcoals that lasts for 45 minutes only. Talk about exact timing.  

For every person that avails their buffet, each gets unlimited salad, miso soup and rice. 

To make eating more fun, ask your server to mix the sauces for you. Ours was able to come up with just the right amount of sweet & spicy dip that compliments the meats well.

#FoodStarsAtLittleTokyo: Izakaya Kikufuji, Makati City, Philippines

Our first foray to one of Little Tokyo's hidden gems was truly a memorable experience; we discovered the yummiest wagyu cubes in Makati. Well, I'm happy to say that Little Tokyo is batting 2-0 with our recent visit to Izakaya Kikufuji.

With Kimono-clad waitresses and the no-shoes-policy strictly implemented when seated at their group tables, Izakaya Kikufuji does try to make it as authentically Japanese as possible.

Their menu gets kinda intimidating but don't worry, just ask for their simplified one.

Lunch time at Izakaya Kikufuji is no small feat.  Due to their popular lunch time promo (wherein their main dishes comes with free salad, appetizer, soup & rice), it's no surprise that it's always a full house come 12nn. 

Lunch Freebies

Before moving on to our dishes, I would just like to give special attention to their yummy appetizer. The spicy tuna with crunchy bits on top alone makes this lunch a winner in my book. It's just that darn tasty.

Now, let's move on to our main dishes...

Sashimi Large with Freebies

Sashimi Large (Php 560)

Craving for fresh sashimi, we ordered this from their menu. You get to customize the plate to your liking by choosing 5 kinds of sashimi from their selection. We got 2 orders of Salmon, Uni, Unagi & since the Hamachi was out of stock, we went for Mackerel instead. Food-Stars Verdict? Loved everything on this plate except for the Mackerel. Both the Salmon & the Uni was as fresh as can be; they literally just melts in your mouth. As for the Unagi...

Final Lunch of 2015 at Nihonbashi Tei, Tomas Morato, Quezon City, Philippines

For our last lunch of 2015, it was decided that we would be going for Japanese. We set our sights on the newly opened branch of Nihonbashi Tei in Tomas Morato.

Don't let the facade fool you, it may look a bit old & decrepit on the outside...

... it's all brand spankin' new on the inside :) 

Got reservations for their mini function room which can fit 6-8 people easy. While waiting for our to-grill meats to arrive, we ordered a few items from the appetizer menu.

California Maki (Php 250)

 We got 2 orders of their California Maki to start us off. Food-Stars Verdict? The rice was sticky enough to hold its shape and there were mango slices in each one so there's that. But overall, it tastes just like any other california maki.

Clams with Asari Sake Mushi (Php 180)

 Fresh clams dipped in this tasty sauce is a nice start.

Toro Spicy Sashimi (Php 270)

This orange tinged sashimi is a must try. You get to choose either salmon or tuna, we got the tuna version. The spicy kick plus the crunchy fried bits on top are the perfect complement to the fresh tuna. Food-Stars Verdict? Yummy but the serving size will definitely leave you wanting more. 

What I love about old school Japanese restaurants nowadays is the fact that they give bang for your buck when you dine during lunch. At Nihonbashi Tei Tomas Morato from 11am-5pm, every main dish/ ala carte order comes with miso soup, salad, appetizer, rice & iced coffee. Can you say sulit? ;)

Ebi Tempura (Php 380)

Surprised to see that each order had 4 pieces of tempura only. Fried 'til crunchy, Nihonbashi Tei's version was not bad. Oh, and Ebi Tempura counts as a main dish so you get all the works with this order.

Now on to the meats. 

Japa-Eats at Ooma Japanese Rice Bar, Mega Fashion Hall, Ortigas Mandaluyong City, Philippines

I've always said that good food is best enjoyed with good company. 

For this evening, it was early dinner with Krystle at Ooma Japanese Rice Bar.

Arrived at SM Megamall Fashion Hall with 15mins to spare. They accept reservations until 6:30pm only; beyond that & they'll only place you in the priority list.  With that strict of a policy, I was surprised to see a lot of empty seats when we arrived.

 Hunger pangs started to show at around 7:15 so we ordered while waiting for Krystle to arrive.

Scallop and Tuna Aburi Maki (Php 295) 

Torched scallop + Tuna + Cucumber + Sesame Seeds + Nori Crumbs + Scallion + Teriyaki Sauce + Spicy Mayo + Kimchi Aioli

Okay before we get into this dish, I need to show you how best to enjoy it.

Yup, you get to play with your food before eating! ;) Instead of dipping your maki, you paint it with soy sauce. Cute right? Now let's get into the taste. Presentation-wise, you can see for yourself that it's Instagram worthy. As for the taste, well that's another thing. Wasn't able to taste the scallop & the nori crumbs and scallions didn't really do much to help.

By this time, Krystle arrived.

Ebi Tempura Maki (Php 225)

Crispy Prawn Tempura + Avocado + Tobiko + Aligue Mayo

First time to try sushi that's partly cooked and liked it. The crispiness of the tempura worked really well with the cool avocado and yummy aligue mayo. Food-Stars Verdict? Liked this better than our other maki selection. No need to paint it with the soy sauce.

Christmas Dinner 2014 at Wafu Japanese Restaurant, Greenhills San Juan, Philippines

I love organizing Christmas dinners. It makes the holidays all the more special when we get to celebrate it with Good Eats & good company. For this year, Hubby's college friends were all game to try Wafu's Teppanyaki-All-You-Can. 

Because all other dates were unavailable, we were left with no choice but to have the 6:00pm time slot for December 19. While waiting for the others to arrive, spent the time taking pictures of the place. 

Check out the festive colors & bright lights running all through out the restaurant. 

Teppanyaki tables are on the 2nd floor. By this time, several members of our party arrived. 

Wafu's Teppanyaki-All-You-Can menu offers a diverse selection, making sure that they're able to tickle anybody's taste buds. ;)

With our tummies ready and while waiting for the Teppanyaki grill to be fired up, we ordered their ready-to-eat dishes. 

#FoodStarsAtLittleTokyo: A Japanese Afternoon at Seryna Japanese Restaurant, Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City Philippines

It was going to be Japanese for lunch. Seryna's Bento Box meals (which was available only during lunchtime) came highly recommended by one of Hubby's friends. We decided it was time to see what the hype was all about.

Don't let the place fool you. Because of the sheer volume of cars versus the available parking spaces; everyone was being creative that day. Each corner & sidewalk were all used up. It reached the point that they even blocked the entrance to the restaurant. 

We arrived at around 1pm and the place was still full to the rafters. Available seats were gobbled up instantly by newcomers. Business was booming.