Ogetsu Hime

Early last month, Hubby and I were both craving for Japanese food.  It just so happens that he passed by Ogetsu Hime just a few days before and saw their advertisement for Matsusaka Beef.  Matsusaka Beef, as we have tried in Osaka way back in 2013, is the best beef in the world.  Well, at least according to our tastebuds.  So at the mere mention of Matsusaka, it takes very little to convince me to go.  Ogetsu Hime, as I have found out, is from the same owners of the Saisaki Group, but on the higher end.  Let's go to the food, shall we?

Otoro Sashimi

Like the Matsusaka Beef, the Otoro Sashimi was also one of the unforgettables we've tried in Japan.  It's really great that Ogetsu Hime serves the harder to find Japanese food for us here in Manila who are pining for it.  Sadly, Hubby finds Ogetsu Hime's Otoro Sashimi not as good as the one he tried in the land of the rising sun.  But hey, this was the next best thing.

Ogetsu Hime Roll

The roll was good, although the quality of the rice failed.  It was not as sticky and as chewy as the Japanese rice we've known and loved.

Gindara Teriyaki

Haven't had gindara teriyaki for a long time, so we opted to order this to counter the upcoming "evil" dish.  LOL.  Well I'm glad we did!  It was everything you could ever ask for in a fish.  Soft, moist and extremely delicious.  They cooked it perfectly!  The teriyaki sauce wasn't too sweet either so it complements the fish amazingly.

Matsusaka Atsui (Thick Cut)

I was disappointed when our Matsusaka Beef arrived.  Before cooking, we were showed a full piece and the marbling was glorious.  Sadly, when it was served, it was all chopped up AND overcooked.  Plus, it had more fat than meat.  So we returned this and asked them not to slice the replacement.

Matsusaka Atsui (Thick Cut, Part 2)

Looks far better, don't you think?  But wait, let me show you what the cross section looks like.

Cross Section of the Matsusaka Beef.

YES.  This was the Matsusaka Beef we've come to love.  Even when cooked, the marbling is still very obvious.  And it tastes exactly the same as the one in Osaka!  I have died and gone to Matsusaka heaven.

So the verdict?  I'd give it a 4 out of 5 stars because of the other two dishes.  But if it were just the Gindara Teriyaki and the Matsusaka Beef, then I'd give it a full 5 stars.  Finally, we don't have to fly all the way to Japan just to taste the best beef ever!

Ogetsu Hime is at the 5F, SM Aura Premier, C5 Road corner 26th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

Sakura by Edo-San

A few months ago, Hubby mentioned something about a Japanese restaurant in Alphaland Southgate Tower.  He was in the area, and the interiors of the restaurant caught his attention.  Thus, he wanted to try it.  Months passed we both forgot about it.  That is, until I saw the post of Jin Perez, one of my ever favorite food bloggers.  And if she says it's good, then it's good.  Of course, I had to try it!  

One Saturday night, I dragged Hubby out for a mandatory date.  LOL!  Contrary to other popular Japanese restaurants, Sakura Edo-San is not one of those hyped up restaurants with about a thousand other noisy people in it.  It's a perfect date place; cozy and quiet.  But the more important question is, what about the food?  Let's take a look, shall we?

Appetizer

Uni Sashimi

Shake Sashimi (Fresh Salmon)

Shime Saba (Marinated Mackerel)

...and because I don't eat anything raw (I know, BO-RING!), I'll skip the raw stuff and go straight to the others.

Aburi Uni (Lightly grilled sea urchin)

I've never been a fan of uni, but I got a bit anyway.  Well, it didn't appeal to me in any way, but in Hubby's books, this was really good.  

Gyoza (Pan fried Japanese dumpling)

Nah, this was the major fail of the night.  See the dumpling wrapper?  It was torn even before we got to it.  Tastewise, it didn't do anything for me either.

Kaki To Papaya Yaki (Grilled oyster in papaya with special sauce)

 And now we get to the three best dishes for the night.  First one is the Kaki To Papaya Yaki.  OH MY GOODNESS.  I rarely eat semi-raw oysters, but this one was simply mind blowingly amazing.  The mixture of the big, fat, juicy oysters with the sweet papaya was simply an explosion of orgasmic proportions in my mouth.  I had to close my eyes and moan in pleasure with every bite.

Edo-San Maki (Cream cheese, kani, avocado, tobiko, anago with sauteed shrimp on top)

As for the Edo-San Maki?  This reminded me of the Tempura Maki I had at Yanagi in Midas Hotel.  Just when I thought nothing could compare to it, here comes a contender.   

Unagi to Mango Tempura (Eel, mango with special sauce)

And finally, the Unagi to Mango Tempura.  When I saw this on the menu, I just couldn't pass up the chance to try out a dish which was made from two of my favorite things.  Good thing too!  Because it was sooo good!  The strips of unagi was creamy and crunchy at the same time, and the mango was oh so sweet.

Overall, Sakura by Edo-San has now edged out other Japanese restaurants in my book and has claimed the top spot.  Though the prices may not be for the faint of heart, I can assure you that the quality and taste of the food is top notch.  4.5 out of 5 stars!

Sakura by Edo-San is at 6/F, Alphaland Southgate Tower, EDSA cor.  Pasong Tamo, Makati

Yanagi

The moment I saw an Instagram post about Yanagi's Tempura Maki, it looked so mouthwatering that I rounded up my family and took them there the soonest possible time.  Japanese food has always been a no-brainer in our family.  So the moment I told them I wanted to try out a new Japanese restaurant, everyone was all-in!  Good thing too, because if somebody opposed, then I'd most likely troop over there myself and eat to my heart's content.  Don't judge me, pictures are my ultimate weakness!  

Salmon and Shime Saba (marinated mackerel) sashimi

Kani salad (crab meat, lettuce, cucumber salad with flying fish roe)

Wakame salad (fresh wakame seaweed, cucumber salad with goma dressing)

Ebi tempura (prawn tempura)

Tempura maki (thick roll with prawn tempura)

Yanagi maki (california maki with grilled eel)

Wakadori (spring chicken with teriyaki sauce)

Yasai itame (sauteed assorted vegetables)

Soft shell crab (deep fried soft shell crab with ponzu sauce)

Snake River Farms US wagyu sirloin steak

Kaminabe (boiled assorted seafood and vegetables in paper pan)

It is obvious that we're a couple of very hungry people?  LOL!  Yup, we managed to finish everything we ordered, and it was just the four of us.  You read that right, FOUR people ate all of that (insert sheepish smile here).    And the food?  Oh it was all good, although not extremely spectacular.  There was one standout though, can you guess which one?  Nothing else but the very main reason I dragged my family all the way to Midas Hotel.  Tempura Maki.  Ahhhh...  imagine the crunchy shrimp tempura enveloped inside the softest Japanese rice, topped with a mix of cheese, mayonnaise and huge scoops of fish roe!!!  Literally, scoops!  Different colors too!  The moment I tasted it, I knew Tempura Maki will never be the same again.  At least for me.  The service could use a bit of work though, but if it's food we're talking about, 4 out of 5 stars!

Yanagi is at the Midas Hotel & Casino,  2702 Roxas Blvd., PICC Reclamation Area, Pasay City

Gyu-Kaku (Japanese BBQ Restaurant)

On my recently concluded birthday last week, I celebrated my birthday 4 times.  Once with my family, once with my in-laws, once with my girls, and once with my guy best friend.  I only got to document one.  BOO!  Blame it on the crazy diet I went on a few weeks before my birthday.  It made me want to eat everything on sight!  So it's a good thing I remembered to document this one before gobbling up everything, LOL!  The restaurant?  Gyu-Kaku.  I've seen this Japanese BBQ restaurant for quite some time now, almost always when I pass by the Fort.  But it's only when they opened in the new East Wing of the Shangri-La Plaza that I finally decided to try it.  It wasn't even planned, I had a craving for meat that day and this was the restaurant that seemed to be the answer to my craving.  Here we go!

Kaisen Chijimi

Korean style seafood pancake

Truth be told, I'm not even sure if this is a Japanese or a Korean restaurant.  They definitely have some Korean food injected into their menu, but I was a happy camper when I saw that they had the Korean pancake, one of my go-to orders whenever in a Korean restaurant.  Although, I regretted it immediately after my first bite.  It was wayyyyy spicy!!!  Yes, spicy with THREE exclamation points!  Gahhh my tongue!  And to think that the server told us that it wasn't supposed to be spicy at all!

Fried Octopus

Deep fried octopus fritters served with Thai chili sauce

After the episode with the spicy Korean pancake, the fried octopus was a welcoming sight.  It was yummy and crunchy, and the Thai sweet chili sauce was the perfect accompaniment.  Not too spicy either.

Ishiyaki Bibimbab with Egg

Rice, minced chicken, seasoned vegetables topped with shredded dry seaweed and sesame seeds served in sizzling hot stone bowl

Another dish that failed us.  The rice in the bibimbab was tough to chew, and thus, hard to swallow.

Karubi (USA) - Shio (Salty)

Short ribs tha is known as the "king of yakiniku" popular for its sweet flavor and tender textures

For our mains, we had two kinds of beef.  The USA Karubi and the Wagyu Karubi.  I wanted to try out both and see the difference for myself.  The first one we tried was the US Karubi.  Just look at that marbling!

The US Karubi

US Karubi ready to eat!

The meat was tender, although the aroma of the beef was a little light.

Wagyu Karubi (Wagyu Oyster Blade) - Tare (Sweet)

High marbling cuts melts in your mouth with its rich flavor and juiciness

This was the second plate.  We saved the best for last.  And yes, it really was the best.  I was a bit hesitant when the server laid down the plate on our table.  The meat was too dark!  And the marbling was less than the US Karubi one.  Might it be less delicious too?  It appears that my initial thoughts were too premature because one bite proved that the Wagyu Karubi was actually really good.  The meat was tender and the aroma was really evident.  I also liked the sweet marinade better than the salty one.

Gyu-Kaku Ice Cream

Vanilla ice cream topped with soya bean powder and Japanese brown sugar syrup

For our dessert, we were given a complimentary scoop of Gyu-Kaku ice cream.  I was pretty excited to read that it includes soya bean powder, but strangely, I never tasted the soya bean powder at all.  It tasted like normal vanilla ice cream with brown sugar syrup.

Overall, there were definite hits and misses with Gyu-Kaku.  Lesson learned is that we should just stick to the restaurant specialties and steer clear of the other dishes.  3 out of 5 stars.

Gyu-Kaku is at Mid-Level 2/3, Shangri-La Plaza East Wing, EDSA cor. Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City

Ramen Nagi

Starting off my first food post of the year with something special:  Ramen Nagi.  Those who frequent Butao Ramen in Hong Kong will be familiar with Ramen Nagi.  Why?  Because it's one and the same!  The Ramen Nagi name is the original name of this ever-so-popular ramen place in Japan.  When Hong Kong franchised it, they named it as Butao.  I guess the Philippine franchisees just simple chose to go with the original name.  Judging from the post I made the last time I ate in Butao Hong Kong, it would be an understatement to say that I was excited for Ramen Nagi's opening.  I wasn't excited.  Nope.  I was ecstatic!!!  Yep, that one deserved a good three exclamation points!

Storefront

Early in the morning one Saturday, I dragged Hubby out of bed and to SM Aura for one main purpose:  to try out Ramen Nagi.  I wanted to see if this one is comparable to Hong Kong's version, which I absolutely loved. 

A view of the kitchen

See those empty chairs?  It's not because they lack customers, but rather, it was really early in the morning.  Can you say 10am?  Come 11am, the place is filled to the brim!  Early bird gets the worm!  Or rather... early glutton gets the ramen!  LOL!

Dining Area

Hmmm... seems like we're not the only early worms after all.  These customers are also pretty early risers!

The simple menu

And now on to the menu.  As you can see, Ramen Nagi's menu is as simple as it looks.  What you see is what you get.  One page, 5 kinds of ramen. (5th ramen, Limited King, not in menu)

Choices, choices, choices

Just like the one in Hong Kong, you're given a choice sheet.  All you have to do is encircle (or cross, or check) your choice!

Original King (Butao)

The original broth.  It's the base broth for all the other ramen flavors.  I'd recommend this if you're a Ramen Nagi newbie.  Simple unadulterated soupy heaven.

Black King (Kuroo)

This one has squid ink and gives off a more garlicky flavor.  There's also quite a texture in the soup.  For the more adventurous ones!

Red King (Akao)

If you like it hot, then the Red King is for you.  I could only take in one spoonful of soup before I gave up.  Hubby, the spicy monster, love it. 

Green King (Midorio)

Now who wants pesto?  The Green King gives off a more Italian feel.  It really does taste like pesto ramen with the basil, olive oil and grated parmesan incorporated into the soup.

Limited King

There's only two things that I can think of when I tried the Limited King.  Prawn Bisque or Lobster Bisque.  Fans of the soup can be assured you'll get that exact same flavor.

Add-ons

Ramen wouldn't be complete without the Tamago and Seaweed.  I find the tamago a bit too salty for my taste, but it's perfect when eaten with the soup.

All lined up in a row.  My pretties.

Presenting:  my Instagram picture.  I had to make sure I immortalized my first visit to Ramen Nagi (and at the same time make all my IG followers drool.  LOL)

So the verdict?  I'm in love!!!  Confession:  in the two weeks since I've first eaten in Ramen Nagi, I've already been back 5 times.  Yes, it's THAT good.  Two people even claimed that it tastes better than Butao Ramen in Hong Kong!  Whoa!  I say I agree 100%.  Ramen is awesome, and the place is comfortable.  Service needs a bit of improvement, but other than that, I say GO TO RAMEN NAGI NOW!!!  5 out of 5 stars!

Ramen Nagi is at 5/F SM Aura Premier, McKinley Parkway, McKinley Hill, Taguig

Tonkatsu by Terazawa

Being a lover of anything and everything tonkatsu, my best friend J messaged me one day that Tonkatsu by Terazawa is already open in Greenbelt 2.  We hurriedly made a shopping/eating date and agreed to meet up one Saturday to try out the newest kid on the tonkatsu block!

Eenie Meenie Miney Moe!  I was at a loss because there were so many things in the menu that I'd like to try.  I think I literally went over the menu for an hour going back and forth between the pages and salivating over each and every photo.  I wanted them all.  Sadly, 4 dishes versus one tummy is an impossibility.  Finally, I decided on the Rosu Katsu with Oysters.  J had the Rosu Katsu as well but without the oysters.

As with other tonkatsu restaurants, Tonkatsu by Terazawa also serves unlimited rice, cabbage and miso soup.  While I may not be such a fan of rice, I do love my cabbage and miso soup.  Hooray for bottomless things, and cheers to bottomless tummies!  LOL.

Here's what we had:

My Rosu + Oysters Plate

The whole set

Frozen Green Tea

The verdict?  Among all the tonkatsu restaurants here in Manila, Tonkatsu by Terazawa was by far my least favorite.  I was expecting to give rave reviews but sadly, this one failed the marks.  The rosu was far too tough and dry.  So tough that after we had our lunch, my jaw and my head hurt for chewing too much.  For a restaurant that has tonkatsu in its signage, that is a major fail.  No complaints with the oysters though, they were plump and juicy.

I do, however, have to give props to the manager/supervisor.  He came to our table and asked about our food.  When he heard that I was not pleased with my tonkatsu, he offered to replace it.  I declined, because I was already halfway through my meal and I doubt it if the pork can be made more tender in such short notice.  The best part of the meal?  The frozen green tea brazo.  Layers upon layers of sweet, creamy goodness.  It was a perfect ending to an otherwise disastrous meal.  1 out of 5 stars.  

Tonkatsu by Terazawa is at Greenbelt 2, Esperanza St cor Paseo de Roxas, Legazpi Village, Makati

Hong Kong Eats: Ippudo HK

Remember Butao Ramen and Ajisen Ramen?  Here's one more ramen place to add to the growing number of good ramen restaurants in Hong Kong.  For those in the know, Ippudo HK did not actually originate from Hong Kong, but rather in the land of ramen, Japan.  It was so successful that it now has branches all over the world in the US, Singapore, Korea, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Australia.  Wow!  

The first time I got to try Ippudo was in Singapore.  Before we went, I did a few searches about good restaurants in Singapore and Ippudo was one among others that popped up from the search.  Well, all I can say is, the recommendation was spot-on.  The moment we took that first sip of tonkotsu broth, we swore to go back to Ippudo every chance we get.

Fast forward to last month, indeed, we went back to Ippudo.   It wasn't actually our first time in Ippudo HK.  We already got to try it a little more than a year ago, but since the trip last month was with Hubby's family, we also wanted to share with them our yummy discovery.

Here's what we had:

Shiromaru Motoaji

"Ippudo's original tonkotsu broth served with thin noodles, rosu chasu (pork loin), kikurage and spring onions.  Classic Hakata-style ramen."

Akamaru Shinaji

"Ippudo's original tonkotsu broth enhanced with special blended miso paste and fragrant garlic oil.  Served with thin noodles, buta bara (pork belly), kikurage and spring onions.  A refined, modern-style ramen."

Both ramen we tried that day was still as yummy as the first time we had it.  And if given the option to choose one from these two, well... I can't.  They're both delicious in their own way!  And did I mention REALLY fragrant?

Codfish with Saikyo Miso Sauce

This one took us by surprise.  The codfish might look simple, but trust me when I say that one bite of this will send you straight to heaven, no detours.  It's THAT good.  If I could eat one fish for the rest of my life, then this is it.  This fish still haunts me to this day, and the moment I set foot in Hong Kong again, this will be on top of my list.

Aji Tamago

Another one that will send you to food heaven is their soft boiled egg.  As simple as eggs come, I don't know what they do but they manage to make the insides a bit sweet.  Research shows that the Ajitsuke Tamago is soaked in some sort of marinade to get the flavor.  Ippudo seems to have mastered the art of Ajitsuke Tamago because theirs is pretty good.  Would have stuffed my face with a dozen or so if only I didn't fear for my life.  Haha!

The verdict?  5 out of 5 stars!  If you could try one thing alone, go for the codfish.  It's 1000% good, great, fantastic, amazing... I don't think I can run out of nice adjectives to describe how superbly delicious that piece of fish is.  The ramen itself is pretty mouthwatering too.  Oh and don't forget the egg! 

Ippudo HK is at Shop 210, Silvercord Tower, 30 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong