Sushi with a twist at "Ta Ke Ho Me Sushi Stand"

Creating a different take on sushi/ Japanese rolls is this small glass shop in SM North Edsa called Ta Ke Ho Me Sushi Stand (tah-keh-ho-meh) or TakeHome Sushi (as I call it).

They have quite and interesting selection of rolls and rice balls that make you think "Oh, I didn't think this combination was possible". And along with your interesting mix of rolls that cater to the Filipino palette, they also offer some canned Asahi.

The jewel of their menu, in my opinion, is the Bacon Bomb. A fusion of Japanese and Western decadence as you get a rice ball of spicy salmon, with shreds of nori, wrapped in juicy bacon, and smothered in Japanese Kewpie mayo. A selection that rightfully explodes in your mouth. this alone makes me want to come back for more. This concoction is best enjoyed directly after it has been handed to you. I wouldn't recommend this as a take home since the nori would end up moist after being mixed with cooked rice, and the bacon would loose its crisp. 

Have Yourself a "Spicy Kinoshita"

No, its not one of those sex positions with an urban name. Its a sandwich that I learned from an officemate in Funabashi, Chiba. It mainly consists of ingredients which you can get at your friendly neighborhood 100 yen 'combini' (convenience store). And let's face it, when you're living in the most expensive metropolitan area, those 100 yen stores are gonna be your new best friend.

The "Spicy Kinoshita" basically contains bread, veggies (in this case, lettuce), mayo, mixed pepper spices and meat (preferably cold cuts)

For this instance, we grab some generic Japanese Mayonnaise, bread, mixed spices, a head of lettuce and 'Bits Weiner' from Lawson 100 Yen store. Total cash out: 525 yen. Almost the same price as a meal at Hotto Motto, but, with the quantity you have, it would tide you over for at least 3 meals... that's at least 1000 yen saved from most common take-out joints in Tokyo metropolitan... or Chiba in this case.

First, layout clumps of mayo (with the generic bottle, it won't be a problem) then sprinkle the mixed spices. Put in the cold cut then top with lettuce. Its that simple. The taste, is like having a light salad in a sandwich. Its not that heavy on the tummy but enough to satisfy your hunger.

Instant Drip Brew Coffee

I am always amazed at Japanese products. You have to give it to up to the product and industrial designers over there, they really know how to make their goods cute, practical and efficient.

First up, is this interesting little thing from a company called "Brook's" which is Drip Pack Coffee where you can enjoy drip brew coffee without the use of a Drip Coffee Maker.

"Brazil" Drip Pack Coffee

Its like coffee in a coffee filter.

These things actually foldout like wings

The wings hang on to the sides of your cup, while spreading the filter with the coffee inside.

Then continuously pump hot water, waiting as the water drip out the filter.

There are a lot of flavors and blends available.

Enjoy

Japanese Style Spicy Spaghetti at Cafe Kitchen Aroma

Out to meet the host company's boss in Japan, He invited us to a cozy but modern restaurant near the office called ' Cafe Kitchen Aroma'. On the top of the menu are a list of specialty pastas they offer. I was intrigued with the Japanese Spicy Spaghetti.

Now, I eat a lot of 'Filipino Style Sweet Spaghetti', and one of my faves in a local restaurant in the Philippines is called 'Vietnamese Spicy Spaghetti'. Seeing that there is a Japanese style got me curious.

An interesting mix of Japanese dashi (broth) cooked chicken meat and spicy Italian pasta. Adding color and texture to the dish are Edamame beans. These beans are usually served as finger food along with beer. Surprisingly, the beans don't feel out of place with the sauce/broth and calms in between the spicy flavor in the spaghetti.

You can sample this fine fusion dish at Cafe Kitchen Aroma located along the main road from Funabashi Station at Honchou City, Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture.

Vegetable Cheese Risotto

Risotto is an Italian method of cooking rice using different soup base (meat, fish etc.) and adding either wine or cheese into the mix.

My recent venture to make Chahan ended up into a type of Risotto by using the juices from the vegetables I added, although the rice was already cooked using water as a base. The Philippine fried rice is essentially refrying rice that was cooked either the night before or a few hours earlier, turning into what we call 'Bahaw' (cold, leftover rice).

For this experiment, the portions depends on the volume of rice you have to fry. For every bowl you would need 2 whole tomatoes, 1 large bulb of onion, 1/4 bar of cheese and 3 to 5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped.

First, fry the garlic till golden brown, then add the sliced onion. As the onion caramelizes, add the rice then toss vigurouly,letting the juices of the garlic and the onion into the rice. Then add the diced tomatoes, including the juices that accumulated during the slicing process. Add a dash of pepper and a few pinches of salt to taste. Also add a few dashes of McCormick Italian Seasoning. Then add the grated cheese from the 1/4 bar that you had. Mix until the cheese is melted and seems to coat every grain of rice, making them clumpy and almost gooey. I also added shredded scrambled eggs for extra texture.

You should end up with a salty,cheesy but refreshing mix of rice and vegetables. You can add in other Chahan essentials (like pieces of pork, etc.) in the tradition of the mixed fried rice.

Satabachi!!!

Answer the following questions;

1.) Do you like Japanese Food?

2.) Are you always on a tight budget when you eat out?

3.) Are you in Market!Market! Fort Bonifacio?

If you answered yes to all of these questions, then you are in luck. Situated in the food court of Market!Market! is a Japanese fastfood joint called Satabachi. With their affordable prices they do serve some pretty decent Japanese fast food. For P300, I was able to get a lunch set for 3 persons, along with two extra orders of Gyoza.

Personally, I never eat there without a healthy dose of Gyoza.

Sadly, some of the favorites like the Kani Salad is not here. And I never seem to get there in time to get some Onigiri.

Check em out :-)

Mangetsu Closing on Sept.17

Went to Mangetsu restaurant the other night to eat our 'last supper' there...because Mangetsu is closing on Sept.17.

So hurry up. This may be your last chance to try out the various mouth watering fusion and signature dishes they are very proud of.

As of a few months ago, Mangetsu garnered the attention in the blogosphere with both locals and Japanese alike.

Mish and Mash: Spicy Beef Maki with Kani Salad

Two of the most recent addition to Tokyo-Tokyo's menu; the Spicy Beef Maki and the Kani Salad, are the subject of today's Mish and Mash Project.

The Spicy Beef Maki is a thin beef slice wrapped in vinegered rice topped with spicy sauce. It comes with its own BBQ style-like dip, but I think it tastes better with the usual soy sauce with wasabi paste.

Their Kani Salad is a mix of crab sticks, lettuce and mangoes topped with mayonnaise. One can notice immediately the absence of the usual cucumber strips, leading my wife to think this is a real 'salad approach' (bare ingredients mixed with lettuce and mayo).

This mash-up is simple... just use a portion of the Kani Salad to top off the Spicy Beef Maki. You'll get a mix of the beef flavor with the smoothness of the mangoes and mayonnaise.

The good news is, this mix and mash will only set you back about P140.

Just remembering about this dish makes my mouth water....

The Whale Meat Dilemma

Recently I was watching a lot of the series 'Whale Wars'. Its about the people of the eco-conservation group Sea Shepherd who interfere with whaling operations on the Southern oceans as a means to save the dwindling whale population.

Although a moratorium on commercial whaling operation took effect in 1985, it does allow whaling for scientific and research purposes. When the reasearch turns lethal for the whale, parts and meat is allowed to be sold in markets, shops and restaurants. Now there's a lot of controversy riding on this since it is said that this research stuff is just a loophole commerical whalers use to get around the moratorium.

Now I don't want to get into a rut about who is morally right or wrong in the commercial whaling ban. I want to get into the source why they are being hunted in the first place.

There are a lot research materials in the web about the history of whaling in Japan and other countries, but I want to get the reason on a casual, bottomline level; the need for people to consume whale meat.

Although my correspondence with some Japanese about their whale meat consumption habits are incomplete and couldn't be used as a statistical basis. It does, however, raise a bit of awareness about the situation.

Before the ban on commericial whaling, whale meat is normally available anywhere anytime, recalls one of my correspondence. The taste and texture of whale meat, to my surprise, is likened to that of beef. Since beef and pork are really expensive in those days, whale meat meets the standards as a replacement out of the daily grind of fishes and vegetables. She recalls whale meat to be really delicious and tender. But she also tells me that the ban doesn't bother her since there is still a lot of other things one can use for sustainance.

But she also notes that there is a change in the eating habits of today's young Japanese. Although she belong to the generation that normally consumes whale meat, the one born after the whaling ban are the people that now grow up not knowing what it tastes like, therefore refuses consumption of that particular meat product..

The way I see it, its an issue that is varied as the nations that participate in whaling. Although a lot of pressure was made on the Japanese, which ultimately led to a revamp of their lifestyle and eating habits, there are still a lot of countries out there where whaling is not banned while nothing happens to them, leaving some Japanese fishers and whalers to believe that they are being singled out.

This issue is not something you can solve with sustainable means like farming or livestock raising...whales are big. They need large spaces to move around, feed on, and reproduce. All they can do is give the species time to regenerate and recover. With around 17,000+ left around the world, catching a quota of 1,000 or 2,000+ per season ain't gonna help either.

Its a sensitive matter between a nation's culinary identity and the global conservation mindset.

A bit of a conundrum indeed.

Mini Shabu-Shabu at High Street.

After spending almost the entire holiday season eating Italian cusine (almost every night at Old Spaghetti House, Italliani's, Sbarro), my wife thought of a short break at this place called "Mini Shabu-Shabu" at High Street.

Now I know that this place has been here for quite some time now, and I'm not gonna waste my breath trying to make a new, updated review of how the place feels like, how it looks like, because you probably can get a better review from other blogs.

What made me write about this is because we decided to try out their P200 ($4.65) meal set. This set includes the veggies, in 4 different meat sets, a generous serving of soba, and a glass of refreshing iced tea. I have to say...this is a good price for a single serving shabu-shabu meal set.

My wife got the chicken set while I opted for the Pork Sirloin meal set. Pork lovers beware...with this meal set, you get only 4 paper thin slices of pork. And when you cook it in your personal hotpot it will, just like bacon, shrink more. Needless to say you then have to fill yourself up with the veggies and soba.

It being our first time doing this by ourselves, our steward was kind (and patient) enough to teach us on what to do...and some tips on mixing the sauce to fit our taste.

The meal was good but it might not be satisfying enough for the general carnivores. It does, however, make for a good tester for those unfamiliar with shabu-shabu and how to properly do it.

Kodomo Resto Bar (at night, that is...)

Located at the first level of the building beside Pan de Manila in Boni circle (near the Mandaluyong city hall) is the newly opened Kodomo resto-bar.

I heard that it operates as a Japanese cusine specialty restaurant during the day, and a music bar at night.

Amidst the oriental red and black motif interiors, earth color accents, and Japanese traditional prints are good Japanese food at reasonable prices and warm, friendly waiting staff.

Although the Japanese cusine is a bit altered to suit the Filipino pallette, it still retains the essence and flavor of some of the best Japanese cooking I've gotten so far. And even with its modest prices (compared to other Japanese cusine restaurants), they didn't skimp on the ingredients, as one can see when sampling their varied customary Japanese dishes.

When checking out a Japanese resto, I always compare them with my family's favorite, the humble Kani Salad. And I'm happy to report that it passes with flying colors... both in taste and price.

The iced tea is a bit pricey though, but its not your regular watered down variety (although I'm cool with the watered down kind...its feels more refreshing).

I can't wait to return and try out the rest of the menu.

Salad Day

After a whole day of red meat, pizzas and cola, I needed to take a break with something light and refreshing. Its what I needed that hot and humid Sunday afternoon.

My wife made me this light salad made of iceberg lettuce, cucumber and crab sticks with garlic ranch dressing. Pair it up with ice cold apple flavored green tea and you got yourself a winner. If you want to change it up a little, add some Japanese wasabi mayonnaise to give it more wonderful taste.

Take care of your 'Nori'

Recently, I bought packages of nori. I cut them into little squares and scoop them together with rice during meals.

But one of the packages went bad because I wasn't able to finish all of them. Not only the taste, but the texture also changed. 

So when you open a pack of Nori, be sure to finish it...don't leave any behind.

Fusion Japanese Cusine at "Mangetsu"

After weeks of hard work, our boss decided to hold our long overdue 'tsuitachikai' (first day of the month party) at Mangestsu, a fairly new Japanese restaurant located at the Creekside Bldg near Makati Cinema Square.

People may be confused when they first step in, but the setup was a bit familiar to me since it reminded me of the bar we used to go frequently in Tokyo. Every nook and cranny is used both for utility and aesthetics...a typical mark of Japanese space planning. Guests first go through the corridor to the stairs, which resembles a rock garden. And not the kitschy variant, mind you.

There are two dining levels; the second level is a cozy, intimate dining space, with a view of the kitchen. The third level is the general dining area. A unique feature of the third floor, besides being where smoking is allowed, is its adaptability. Wooden mats are rolled to create private spaces between tables. As the number of guests per table vary, these blinds can create the space needed to accommodate them.

As if wooden blinds, warm lighting and light colored walls with dark toned furniture as accents were not oriental enough, they have this ominous, full-set Samurai armor sitting just beside the head of the stairs.

(photo by Ryan Valencia)

Now if you're hoping for the usual Japanese dishes, you'll be in for a surprise. Aside from some dishes, most of the food here are a different approach to Japanese cooking, as developed by Mangetsu's owner/master chef. These dishes, I heard, keeps on evolving as ingredients and techniques change.

Cheese Rice...yum yum yum

Some note-worthy dishes are the Cheese Rice and the Sour and Spicy Deep Fried Chicken. The Cheese Rice is mostly fried rice cooked with mozzarella cheese. And the chicken, not too soft, not too crispy...its like spicy garlic chicken but wuth a hint of tang.

There's also this entrée which we can't seem to figure out if ts potato or sweet potato in what appears to be tempura flakes. It has a light crisp on the outside with a soft, velvety inside. Like an orange colored solid mashed potato. Along with the dip that makes it so mouth watering.

Mangetsu's Garlic Rice (with garlic cloces cut in intresting portions...kanin pa lang, ulam na)

Potato Puffs?

The dreaded OKRA SOUP!!!! (dan dan daaaaan)

And with the night's killer, the Cold Okra Soup which my boss ordered and recommended, as it tastes interesting...so he says. Its like an okra puree, with almost all its fleshy parts mashed to a pulp, served in a bowl on top of another bowl filled with shaved ice. Like my boss said, it tasted interestingly good...it went well with our cold beer served in a chilled earth ware cup. Some warning though, this is not for the queasy, one of our officemates was not strong enough to hold in this thick, slimy concoction.

Mangetsu scored high with its service and food presentation. As most of the garnishing are ordinary kitchen fare applied ingeniously with the dish. And they have a wide variety of beverages, alcoholic or otherwise, in their selection.

Although opened for almost 3 months now, you'll be surprised with the throves of Japanese nationals that patronize this place. The name "Mangetsu" is Japanese for "full moon".

Featured Dish: Sugi's Bacon Asparagus Maki

Recently I was able to return to my fave restaurant, Sugi, for a birthday lunch with my folks. I always babble about my fave dish there, the 'Bacon Asparagus Maki'.

Now there are a lot of reasons why this is my fave dish. one of which is the bacon. Everyone loves bacon...well, maybe except the Muslims...and other religious sects that exclude this from their diet. The chefs at Sugi cooks this tasty treat in a way that the bacon is fried to crispy perfection, without searing the asparagus that much. The bacon is made juicy by the fried asparagus, which, due to its bland and fresh taste, adapts to the flavor which oozes out during the cooking process.

The soy sauce based dip adds to the flavor but it also increases the saltiness of the dish. There are times that this is a good thing but too much of such flavor can also be bad for you. So ease up on the dip.

So next time you are in Greenbelt 2, drop by Sugi and give this morsel a try.

Featured Dish: Teriyaki Boy's Philadelphia Cheese Steak Maki

"A Japanese take on an American tradition"

This is the tagline on Teriyaki Boy's menu describing their dish the Philadelphia Cheese Steak Maki.

This dish caught my attention on my recent trip to that restaurant so I thought to try ot out.

Imagine thin slices of beef, together with Philadelphia Cheese and succulent veggies, in Japanese Nori, all wrapped in vinegared rice. Just like a normal maki. This combination is then topped with torch melted cheese and served with a cheesy, creamy dip.

This dish is already like an express set meal, with the veal and rice packed together for speed and ease of consumption.

I must say this is such a sumptuous combination, with the cheese and the vegetables complementing each other. I only wish that they pack in a longer slice of beef. The sometimes measly portion of meat is sometimes overpowered by the taste of the rice and the veggies. So I recommend ordering another meat entree to complete the desired taste.

Traditional Japanese Dining Experience at Sugi

I tell this to all my friends. If you want to experience traditional Japanese cusine, I recommend they try out the 'washitsu' (traditional room) package at Sugi located in Greenbelt 3.

You have to make a reservation in advance and there is a minimum consumption requirement of P3000 (that means your bill has to total at least P3000 or else the sushi chef will cut you in maki sized portions...hehehe just kidding).

Sugi has become my favorite traditional Japanese restaurant. Their sushi and maki are authentic tasting, not adjusted to the Filipino's taste, and their bacon asparagus maki is simply addictive.

If you ever plan to go out for some traditional Japanese cusine, I suggest Sugi. If you're going to Sugi, I recommend you try the traditional tatami room. It is sure to enhance your dining experience.

Japanese Food and then Some...

One of my regrets in my training in Japan was, I never got to sample different mixes of the famous 'okonomiyaki', as stated in the J-drama 'Kekkon Dekinai Otoko'. When I get adventurous, there's always a long line to the stall, not enough to make it in the short breaks I had. The worst was in Yokoham, while I was attending a 'fiesta', there was a queue of at least 30 people. Sadly, in my whole stay, I only got to eat a single slice, after asking a friend for a bite.

To make up for the loss, I decided to go on a search to find the nearest flavor to the original okonomiyaki I tasted, which in turn, drove me to look for authentic tasting Japanese cusine in my backyard. In the Philippines, there are a lot of restaurants, fast food chains and snack carts that claim to be authentic Japanese cusine.

I got a lot of sampling from the almost unknown joints in Makati, but I was looking for places that has the nearest taste while staying well within my spending range.

A weekend Japanese food connoseuir on a budget.

Unfortunately, fast food joints are out of the question. I went in a few and sad to say, the taste has been adjusted to suit the Pinoy palette despite their 'authentic Japanese cusine' tagline. But there are a few redeeming points. 

Tokyo-Tokyo's beef misono dip has the same taste as the beef broth-soy sauce dip I had for Kamakura's cold udon. And the chicken karaage has the same taste and texture as the ones I had in Osaka. Don't waste your time on the makis and sushis.

Teriyaki Boy's katsudon and gyuudon are commendable. So is their kani salad, which offers quantity and quality for your buck, unlike the ones in Kitaro. But their sushis and makis has some elements amiss, maybe its the rice or the quaint fish roe used. And the udons are too thin, lacking in the chewiness and texture of the ones in Kamakura.

Bento gets high marks for their katsudon, and the price they offer for a lot of their food. You don't get to see much of the same taste but the quality is still good for its price.

Saisaki is a good place to get you feet...er mouth wet on what Japanese cusine should be. Of all the branches I went to, you get a good taste-to-price ratio at the Glorietta branch. There I got to sample the pork cutlet package for P250 per person. You start off with appetizers composed of makis and a various sushis. By then, you are almost full as the main course arrives. The vegetable maki was heavenly.

For fried gyozas, look no further than Gyoza, a food cart at the fifth level of Market!Market! in Fort Bonifacio. After being steamed, the gyoza is fried on a steel plate (teppan) as you order them. And for a great price of P32 per 4 pieces. Sadly, that branch (are there other branches?) is closed. Woe is me (crying).

Another place to get good kani salad and sushis is Okuya in Glorietta. Although a bit pricey, you get the added bonus of watching the chef prepare your food with the flair of a sculptor carving a masterpiece, or a performance artist creating a visual piece.

But alas, my okonomiyaki quest was getting frustrating as all the cheap stuff was too starchy and has too much batter in them. The sauce also has a lot to desire for.

Now that's enough of the budget stuff. If money is not a problem, then I suggest either Wazen in Pasay road or Sugi in Greenbelt 3.

Wazen has the atmosphere of a typical restaurant in a cramp building space in Tokyo. There are a lot of private space as function halls have movable walls to suit your party's size. While there, you should indulge in their sushi and maki as they, I heard, were prepared by a Japanese cook and their highly trained Filipino staff.

For a complete experience, I highly recommend Sugi. The interior decor is reminiscent of high-class restaurants in Shinjuku. Aside the immersion you get from the ambiance, you can also dine in the traditional tatami rooms available at the second floor. However, to book a tatami room, you have to be sure your party will be able to consume at least P3000 worth of Japanese delicacies. The best bacon brocolli maki can be found here. As well as an authentic tasting okonomiyaki.

There is nothing wrong with the food prepared by other joints as they were localized to suit the taste of the general public. Its just that once you've tasted the original, you'll crave for more of the same.

As my quest for the okonomiyaki draws to a close, I begin anew as my desires were revived by the taste of salmon and tuna onigiri, and that deep fried squid tentacles I got to eat in a train station in Tokyo.