Ground Floor , Malate Bayview Mansion , 1781 M. Adriatico Street , Malate 1004 – Manila -Philippines
entrance to the restaurant painstakingly reconstruct an authentic wooden gate
The original restaurant was formerly located in Pedro Gil St. Malate, Manila, in front of Hyatt Hotel for 13 years. The present restaurant reopens in Adriatico St. near Remedios Circle. The name and rights was purchased by the present owners.
modern glass facade with red and white signage greets every visitor to the restaurant
table and chairs are neatly arranged
Mr. Erwin Medina is the one in charge with all the interior decorations and furniture arrangement ! Our group was formally introduced to the proprietors of the restaurant.
Medina family
The proprietors Dr. Reynaldo Medina , Ms. Sakura Medina and Mr. Erwin Medina tried their best to come up with a place that is as authentic to what they have loved since they were young. They were born in Japan and knows a great deal about the Japanese culture. The family were frequent patrons of the old Izakaya branch at Pedro Gil. The emcees prepared a short program and a contest ( origami folding ) to all those present . Luckily, our blogger friend ( LOL Philosopher )- a first time participant in a blogging event won an item! WEEE!!!
ice tea
potato sarada
The first item on our appetizer was the mashed potato salad with finely chopped violet- colored cabbage, lettuce , tomato , cucumber topped with hard- boiled egg and mayonnaise . Potato is not indigenous to Japan and was introduced probably in the 16th and 17th century by traders .
Next item on the appetizer list is the Supageti Sarada – Again, the dish was introduced to Japan . BUT the Japanese had indigenized the dish to suit their health conscious diet and palate.
The dish had fresh lettuce, thinly sliced violet-colored cabbage, cucumber , carrot and spaghetti mixed with Japanese mayonnaise. The Japanese version is far healthier compared to the Italian or even Filipino- style spaghetti .
The first one is a three piece meal of sashimi. There is Maguro (鮪) or Tuna, Hamachi (魬, はまち) or Yellow tail fish (A kind of jack fish), and then Ika (烏賊, いか) or squid. The leaves , carrots , sea weeds are all edible! The dish is not only pleasing to the eyes but also freshness.
tako potato
The freshly made tako potato uses potato and octopus as the main ingredient. The secret ingredient is the sauce , Japanese mayonnaise and bonito flakes (Katsuobushi). I have tried other Japanese restaurants which offers same dish, but i think the preparations , freshness , top grade ingredients that set this apart.
mixed nigiri-jou
Before we ate the main dish , our group was given a short tour
master sushi chef Dennis
According to Chef Dennis Ganzon – You must make sure to have a good sharp knife and to hold the meat minimally, since our hands conduct heat and may affect the food. The restaurant highly skilled chef had more than 13- years tucked to his record. Another tip we got is the freshness of the ingredient .
TORI KARAAGE
Tori Karaage is a deep fried chicken ( marinated with special ingredients) coated with batter . It can be served together with lemon or calamansi
Itememono Gyu Suteki
This is no ordinary beef steak meal, it is Angus beef imported from Japan. The beef cuts were thinly sliced marinated to perfection topped with onions . The special sauce compliment the sweet and tender beef . Fried sweet potatoes and corn kernels were added as a side dish presented in a sizzling plate! Yummy
We were presented with miso soup with tofu. Then we were served with some bowl of Japanese rice.
Gindara Teriyaki with pickled vegetables
Gindara teriyaki is a type of a fish ( Cod) marinated for about 1 hour in Japanese soy sauce, sugar and cook over a very small flame.
Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savoury pancake, omelette or pizza containing a variety of ingredients. The name is derived from the word okonomi, meaning “what you like” or “what you want”, and yaki meaning “grilled” or “cooked”. The dish is normally associated with Kansai prefecture or Hiroshima City. The topping may vary from one region to another but just like the tako potato , the topping is from bonito flakes , sea weeds with special sauce and Japanese mayonnaise !
Purin
Purin is a type of creme caramel or custard pudding topped with cherry.
Japanese mochi
Mochi is a multi-component food consisting of polysaccharides, lipids, protein and water. Mochi has a heterogeneous structure of amylopectin gel, starch grains and air bubbles. Mochi is a well-known dessert in several Asian countries. However the Japanese version is not that sweet, not chewy compared to other Asian mochi, just right!
Facilities
Depending on the izakaya, customers sit on tatami mats and dine from low tables in the traditional Japanese style, or sit on chairs and drink/dine from tables. Many izakaya offer a choice of both, as well as seating by the bar. This is a private room which can accommodate between 6 to 9 people at any given time.
Review:
I must give a thumbs -up to the proprietors , service crew, sushi master for a job well-done. The restaurant is clean, the food is serve fresh , the ambiance is good and the lighting is also prefect .
Food prices range is from Php 250 to Php 550 per dish ( depending on the ingredients , size of the servings )
Parking space is quite limited and Reservations is highly encourage. I must return back to taste their tempura and other signature dishes!
Contact information: +632 ( 523-1874)
Operation: Monday to Sunday :11:00am to 2:30pm , 5:00pm to 11:00pm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/izakayakenta
Email: izakayakenta@gmail.com
Filed under: Food | Tagged: Food, Gindara Teriyaki, Hamachi, ice tea, Itememono Gyu suteki, Izakaya Kenta, Katsuobushi, Maguro, Manila, mixed nigiri-jou, mochi, Okonomiyaki, potato sarada, Purin, Supageti Sarada, Tori Karaage, Tuna, Yellow tail fish | Leave a comment »
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