Spicy Tuna Roll Php 320.00

They served us Tiger Prawn Tempura Popcorn -truffled prawn popcorn tossed in red bell pepper sauce-which I didn’t get try because of my love-hate relationship with prawns recently.But I’ve been told it was good.

Tiger Prawn Tempura Popcorn Php 370.00

 We also had a Sushi Sampler Platter as well as Beef Salpicao and Unagi Sushi.

But my favorite on their menu is the Soft-shelled Crab Roll that they served with Aligue Mayo. It’s quite simple but really good. It’s crispy soft-shelled crab and a very creamy aligue-mayo dipping sauce that’s so good, it’ll give you a heart attack on the spot. I’m kidding about the heart attack ofcourse, but yes, it is quite a sinful treat.

Unagi Nigiri Sushi Php 210.00

We washed it all down with tall glasses of iced tea and a signature cocktail they named Lady Gaga, which is just as cool, quirky and refreshing as it’s name sake.

Soft-shelled Crab Roll Php 390.00

Servings of the dishes we had are good for one except for the platter is which is good to share. Dishes start at PHP 100.00 for sidings, starters at Php 150.00; and main courses go up to Php1000.00.

Japanese Beef Salpicao Php 320.00

Robot offers more in their menu aside from those we’ve tried that afternoon, like Truffled Portebello Mushroom Confit, Mesquite Smoked Duck Breast Roll, and Honey Soy marinated Chillean Sea Bass to name a few.  I’m hoping to go back there soon to try them out.

Robot Bar & Lounge
7912 Makati Avenue corner Sto. Tomas Street (beside Manila Peninsula), Makati City.
Tel. 8128800

I spent one evening in the company of fellow bloggers where we dined on Sakae Sushi’s offerings. I came in late so they’ve already started eating by the time I got there.

The first things I got to try were sushi off the kaiten- a conveyor belt that goes around the restaurant where diners can just pick up what ever they fancy.Used to seeing it only in pictures and on tv, I finally got try it myself. It was a lot of fun! I was like a kid playing with a train set.

Each serving came in two or threes. I also got to try some new maki creations like the Superior Rolls. There are 2 options for the Superior Roll: the Ebi Salad Roll which is a combination of asparagus, ebi salad, spring onion and lolorosa, and salad on a roll; while sweet-tangy-savory Tropical Roll is a mixture of ham, mango, spring onion, red bell pepper and kani salad.

Aside from sushi rolls, Sakae Sushi also serves fresh sashimi. Some tried the Salmon Sashimi, Maguro Sahimi, and Kajiki Sashimi. I had some of the salmon and the maguro.

We also tried Ebi Tempura, Samurai Steak and Gindara Teriyaki. These you have to order off the menu because they are not available off the kaiten. I’ve loved gindara teriyaki ever since I was a kid, so it’s no surprise that I would love Sakae Sushi’s version.

The Samurai Steak is also really good. Cubes of beef sizzling and served on a hot plate that is so soft it melts in your mouth. The meat is juicy and very tender. I didn’t really get to eat much of the Ebi Tempura because my attention ( more like my mouth) was focused on the Gindara and Samura Steak.

After gorging on gindara and steak, next was the deep fried chicken skin in an asian vinaigrette that everyone said I should try. Crispy strips of golden brown chicken skin served in a sweet and tangy sauce. Man that was delicious!

And to end the meal we had Sakae Sushi’s version of fried ice cream, the Tempura Ice Cream served with a dollop of strawberry jam on top.

I enjoyed dining at Sakae Sushi, regardless of what I’ve read or heard. While I initially wanted to try it because of the kaiten, eating there sure proved to be a pleasant experience. I’m definitely going back for more of that Gindara Teriyaki, Samurai Steak and most definitely, the Crispy Chicken Skin.

Sakae Sushi was brought to the Philippines by Hubert Young, and is a sister company of UCC Concept Stores, Cafe City 1888 and Crepes & Creams. Aside from the Mall of Asia branch, there’s also a Sakae Sushi restaurant on the UG of the Annex, SM City North Edsa.

Sakae Sushi
Unit 2145-2146 2nd Floor
Main Mall, SM Mall of Asia
Pasay City
Tel. 556-0150

Yakitori

The menu highlights some basic izakaya fare such as yakitori. Other items in the menu are ramen,several selections of donburri ( rice toppings), salads, and even the basic sushi.

Buta Kakuni Bento

Also on the menu are 8 bento sets. These are buta kukuni (braised pork), prawn tempura, teriyaki tori, teriyaki gyu-niku and misono gyu-niku, tonkatsu, haanbagu and my favorite: teriyaki shake, which is salmon teriyaki. Prices range between Php 229.00 to Php 259.00 per bento set. All bento sets come with soup, salad, drink, 2 pieces of sushi, and dessert.

Teriyaki Shake

And if you feel like downing that bento with some alcohol, you may choose from several beer choices and sake . Of course, they still have non-alcoholic beverages like iced tea, juice, and sodas.

Tskune Donburi

The first branch they opened is in Makati, in the new wing of Glorietta. But those living in the northern part of the metro need not worry, because they have recently opened a branch at the newly renovated SM City Annex in North Edsa.

If you haven’t yet, go on and give it a try. I hope you all enjoy dining at Tokyo Tokyo metro as much as I did.

Tokyo Tokyo Metro
Ground floor, Glorietrta 5
Valero Street, Makati City

At the back of SM San Lazaro in Manila is Celadon Manila, a leisurely residential community by ALVEO Land Corp. Every Sunday for the month of September, Celadon Manila plays host to PICK Manila– the first lifestyle weekend market in city.

If you are a foodie like myself, you’ll be able to go on a food trip with the big mix of culinary delights they have to offer– form Filipino staples like embotido, relleno, aligue (crab fat)–which I had to stay away from (a bit hard, but I managed)- leche flan and other native delicacies to international fare like Japan’s sushi and Italian sodas.

They even sell organic products like organically-grown brown rice and herbs. Gourmet items, foreign and local, like honey and coffee are also sold by some stalls. Fresh fruits and baked products like breads and cakes are also available.

For the fashionistas and home make-over lovers, PICK Manila also offers a showcase of some of the most novel and exciting finds. Shoes, bags, tops and fashion jewelery for the stylish urbanite and intricate home decor made of glass, wood, and fabric inspired by different cultures for the interior-savvy. I spotted a little wooden decoupaged case and a nice big lamp, both of which were just screaming for me to take them home.

Though I wasn’t able to take home the box and lamp, I did manage to snag myself a bag of Kalinga coffee which everyone has been raving about. I also bought some fruit and baked goods.

If you’re not doing anything tomorrow, why not check out PICK Manila. Head on over to Celadon Manila and experience it yourself.

PICK Manila is open on Sundays from 7AM to 2PM.

CeladonManila is a development by ALVEO Land Corp. Please visit: www.celadonmanila.com.ph for more information.

* Promotional photographs were provided by the concessionaires through ALVEO Land Corp.

 
As it turns out, I AM wrong. Shabu Shabu is not just about putting everything in boiling stock and fishing it out when it’s done. I learned that you don’t just dump everything inside the hotpot. First, we were serve individual condiments. There was an egg, chopped garlic, chilis and spring onion, a scoop of sate, and a bowl of sauce. Contrary to what I thought we’d do (dump everything inside the pot), we were asked to put the garlic, chilis and spring onion into the barbeque sauce. Next, we put in half of the sate. After that, we were asked to seperate the egg yolk and the egg white. I was definitely not expecting that! The yolk went into the barbeque sauce, while the egg white became a meat tenderizer for the beef.

 
Once the sauce was prepared, we were told of the order by which the ingredients should go into the hotpot. First to go are the slice of taro and corn (because it takes long too cook them). Then, we were asked to put the shrimp inside. Of course, shrimps only take a short time to cook, but putting them in first means you’re mixing their flavor into the stock.

No rice was served, but there were two kinds of noodles: vermicelli and egg noodles. Vermicelli cooks in under a minute, so if you’re hungry, it’s best to put it ahead then scoop them out after a minute to quell your hunger. The egg noodles, on the other hand, takes longer to cook, so put them in early and just scoop them out later on.

 
Healthy Shabu Shabu has generous servings, and despite not having rice with the meal, we were all stuffed. Most of us ordered the combination set, which has meat (your choice of chicken, lamb, pork or beef [angus beef or tenderlion], assorted seafood (shrimp, squid, sea cucumber, fish fillet, and some sort of mollusk), and big platter of veggies (green leafy vegestables, carrot, mushroom) along with noodles (vermicelli and egg noodles), fish cake, squid balls and crab stick.

 
And the sauce? You dip everything you fish out of the hot pot into the barbeque sauce. I was a bit hesitant about the sauce because it had raw egg in it, but I forgot all about it when I tasted how good the sauce was. The soup stock was also really good. Whereas most meals feature the soup first, in Shabu Shabu, the soup is best served last. Why? Because once you’ve cooked all the meat, seafood and veggies in it, the soup now has all the flavors of all the ingredients. Definitely yummy, and a perfect meal for rainy days!

A big thanks goes out to Candy Hwang for teaching us the way of the Shabu Shabu!

Healthy Shabu Shabu is a fun, safe, healthy and interactive way of dining that utilizes state-of-the dining facilities and equipment. Healthy Shabu Shabu has branches at Powerplant Mall (Tel. No 898.3979/895.6300., The Podium (Tel. Nos. 914.1028-29), SM Mall of Asia (Tel. Nos. 556.0354-55), Robinsons Galleria (Tel. Nos. 633.1979/632.1634), SM North The Block (Tel. Nos. 442.0036-37), Alabang Town Center (Tel Nos. 850.6633/850.6976), Robinsons Midtown (Tel. Nos. 526.2981/529.3983) and Shangri La Plaza Mall (Tel Nos. 910.3272/632.7532).

Over the years though, I developed a liking for takoyaki. Made with octopus (tako), batter, pickled ginger and shrimp, and topped with fried bonito flakes, aonori (green dried seaweed), mayonnaise and takoyaki sauce, this octopus ball is certainly different from the fish balls, squid balls and chicken balls we’re used to.

Is it just me or does that sign says “Jafanese cake?”

Unfortunately, in Manila you’re pretty much left with no choice if you’re craving for Takoyaki. It’s either buying takoyaki from Samurai Foods or not eat takoyaki at all. There must have been a growing takoyaki following in the Philippines because a couple of takoyaki kioks have sprouted in Manila. One of these was Japsy’s Takoyaki.

Mmmm, samurai balls

A huge takoyaki craving and curiosity to try this new stall prompted me, Ryan and Yue to each order a 3-piece tray of takoyaki. We weren’t really expecting much, but we were pleasantly surprised. Well, me and Yue anyway. Ryan found their sauce too sour, while Yue (who’s Japanese and has been living in the Philippines for several years) exclaims that it was indeed good. She further elaborates that though the sauce wasn’t perfect, the takoyaki itself tasted great. As for me, I’m happy to get my takoyaki fix; Japsy’s Takoyaki was definitely much better than the other takoyaki stall.

Japsy’s Takoyaki Express can be found outside the Plaza Fair entrance of the Makati Cinema Square. It’s right across Yamazaki, the Japanese supermarket in Little Tokyo. The 3-piece takoyaki costs Php 22, while the 5-pieces costs Php 35 and the 12-pieces costs Php 70.