Nihonbashitei: The First Floor

I'm not a big fan of teppan, so I pretty much knew from the start that I would be going to the first floor of Nihonbashitei. (Yes, I know teppan is good, but after a while, everything kind of just tastes the same, at least to me.) That both Franco and Monchu had already gone to the second floor sealed the deal.

The boys already wrote about the resto, how it's divided, etc., so no lengthy post here. I just ordered the Nihon Nigiri (regular, P280), which came with a bowl of miso soup...

Very fresh, no complaints here. Had a hard time deciding what else to order, because the menu was a bit overwhelming. Friends have been raving about Nihonbashitei's set meal of chopped-up wagyu steak, rice, and veggies. It was supposedly around P1,400, but I was prepared to spend for it. Alas, it wasn't available that evening because the set meal is only served during lunch! Sigh.

Wanting to try wagyu, I opted to get the Sukiyaki, which was the only other thing on the menu that had wagyu in it.

Ever since I was a kid, I've been eating sukiyaki at home, so I never thought to order it at a Japanese resto. Turns out, our version was stripped down and, well, wrong! The family recipe just has those glassy noodles, beef (often tough after coming into contact with the noodles!), some veggies, and tofu. No egg (hence, our broth remained clear), no mushrooms, but it was flavorful, sweet, and comforting nonetheless.

So, yeah, this was officially my first time to try authentic sukiyaki. To be honest, I quite prefer our own version, flavor-wise--but the beef, oh, the beef! Sliced almost paper thin, these babies were the most tender I had ever had in my life. Any softer and they woulda been butter!

It turns out, the resto got my order wrong and gave me US beef (P470) instead of the P800+ wagyu. A bit annoying, but I just let it go considering I did enjoy what I got, plus it cost, like, half the wagyu version.

I would go back one lunch time just to try that wagyu meal. I'm even more curious now after trying the unbelievably soft non-wagyu beef. I'd like to see if it's possible for beef to actually melt in your mouth.

Nihonbashitei
800 A. Arnaiz Avenue
Makati City
Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 818 8893, (02) 818 8894

On the Table: Chef Archie Val Juanta

From a kitchen assistant at Mario's Kitchen to the owner of his own restaurant, Chef Archie Val Juanta's culinary journey has been anything but boring. After leaving the tutelage of Chef Sau del Rosario at M cafe, Chef Archie teamed up with some friends and set up Lime 88. In this converted bungalow home in Mandaluyong city, he takes common roadside treats, applies his learned gourmet techniques and creates his own take on Pinoy street cuisine. Love it or hate it, one thing is undeniable, Chef Archie is taking bold steps to reintroducing Filipino recipes and ingredients in new and innovative ways.




Who in your life has influenced your cooking the most?

Maybe it's in the genes. Hehe. Because I'm kapampangan. But really it's my mom. I remember growing up, she would always ask me to assist her in preparing dishes for the family. I think that's how i really started getting interested in cooking.

Which book has had the biggest impact?

The Art Culinarie book series. It's not like any other cookbook that talks only about the food but it also highlights the philosophy of the chefs on their food and techniques.

What was your first job in the food business?

My first encounter in the food industry biz was as a Kitchen Helper at Mario’s Kitchen but my professional career in the food industry really started at the M Cafe under chef Sau del Rosario.

When did you decide you wanted to open Lime 88?

I started conceptualizing Lime88 around April of 2007 and had it come together in July of the same year.

What is your favorite item on the your menu?

The Street-Style Pizza which has Quesong kalabaw, tuyo and chicken longganisa.

Which restaurant meal (foreign or local) do you remember the most?

Involtini of red snapper with tomato coulis and lobster creme brulee in Martini's at the Mandarin Oriental Manila.

Besides your own place, what's your favorite restaurant in Manila?

Pino Restaurant in Teachers Village. I love their Asian fusion rendition. I enjoy having meals in really laid back but cozy settings.

What junk food do you love?

My favorite junk food is Cheese Curls and Oreo cookies.

Is there a food you just can't seem to enjoy?

I’m not a fan of tinola, pochero and afritada. I don’t know hindi ko lang talaga trip.

Just between us, what are your future plans?

I want to be a culinary instructor. To help hone the talents of those people interested in culinary artistry. I also want to give them the proper mindset of a professional kulinero. It's not as glamorous as it seems. It maybe at times but mostly it's hard work. Standing in the heat for hours on end, thriving in the pressure, discipline, passion, passion and passion.

Lime 88
160 San Rafael Street
Mandaluyong City
Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 533 7515

Thank you to Anton for the use of his photo

Eating In Hong Kong by our Table Guest, Ragamuffin Girl

Imagine: a food-obsessed Pinoy living in HK given the opportunity to share her favorite eateries with food lovers from the Philippines. Think: crummy looking hole-in-the-walls, noisy eateries, chic bars, grand palaces of dining. Disregard: weight, health and wallet concerns. Visualize: a trip to Macau for just 1 meal. Plan: a food trip that will leave you hungry for more.

For breakfast or brunch, that very important meal, skip the hotel buffets and fry-ups. Cha chan tangs or Hong Kong style coffee houses are the answer. No Starbucks, these. Perennially busy and cramped, they serve milk tea, pineapple buns, pork chop buns, instant noodles and a hodgepodge of food at cheap prices. Some are definitely not for the squeamish, but they’re a novel, very “local” place to try, and they’re found almost anywhere in HK. Usually with no English menu, and the food is an offspring of Westernized Chinese and instant everything with eggs on the side:

• Lan Fong Yuen (4-6 Gage St. Central)
• Tsui Wah (15-19 Wellington St. Central)

HK does dimsum well. So this lunch treat is not to be missed:

• Dimsum (63 Sing Woo Road Happy Valley 28348893)
• Moon Koon (2/F Hong Kong Jockey Club Happy Valley 29667111)
• West Villa (1/F Lee Garden 2 Causeway Bay 28822110)
• Victoria City (5/F Citic Tower, 1 Tim Mei Avenue, Admiralty 28772211)
• Metropol (4/F United Center 95 Queensway, Admiralty 28651988)
• Fu Sing (1/F Sunshine Plaza, 353 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai 28930881)

On a bright sunny day nothing beats an alfresco seafood lunch where restaurants face the water or beach and you choose your meal from live sea creatures swimming in tanks and have them cooked any way you like. Order the scallop with vermicelli and garlic served in their shell, lobster, poached shrimp which is always sweet and perfectly cooked, razor clams with black bean sauce, salt and pepper mantis shrimp, and whatever fish specialty they have:

• Lamma Hilton (Sok Kwu Wan, Lamma Island 29828241)
• Chuen Kee (53 Hoi pong St. Sai Kung 32861779)
• Lei Yue Moon in Kowloon (look for full establishments with happy diners)

Avoid the places chock-full of foreigners and flock to where locals go for lunch:

Joy Hing (265-276 Hennesy Road Wan Chai): Tucked away on a side street this tiny, inexpensive place with long lines serves very lean yet juicy “cha siu” or bbq pork and roast suckling pig. Those who have issues with hygiene should just order “take-away”.

Wang Fu (65 Wellington Street, Central 21218089): Try their pea shoot and pork dumplings or any dumpling of the day. Most tables will have something from the pictures posted outside, so take your pick from there.

Ser Wong Fun (30 Cochrane St. Central 25431032): Order the liver sausage rice, and variety of soups; the intrepid can try the snake soup!

Ning Po Residents Association (4/F Yip Fung Building, 12 D’Aguilar Street, Lan Kwai Fong, Central 25230648): Just pay HKD 20 to get a membership card. Try the kung pao chicken, chive pancakes, fish strips with ginger and leeks, tofu hotpot, lion’s head meatballs (a bit too fatty tasting for me but it’s not a common dish back home so try it) and whatever the waiter recommends. No English menu. Booking highly recommended.

Hankering for a quick afternoon snack? Noodles shops are the answer. They’re ubiquitous, cheap and filling. Grab a bowl and slurp away:

• Mak’s Noodle (77 Wellington Street, Central, servings are small)
• Tsim Tsai Kee (98 Wellington Street, Central)
• Nam Kee Spring Roll Noodle Shop (Stanley Street Central and many other locations)

• Chee Kei (Percival Street Causeway Bay with the yellow sign and long lines outside, near the trams and Times Square)

Law Fu Kee (144 Queen’s Road Central, Central) At Chee Kei order the fried dace fish ball with clam sauce – the clam is salty, like bagoong. It takes a while to get used to this dish.

A more “genteel” choice would be afternoon tea at the lobby of The Peninsula (Salisbury Road, Kowloon 29202888) or at The Verandah (The Repulse Bay 22922822). There’s a lot of history and nostalgia attached to both places.

For the more adventurous, nothing beats HK street food. Deep-fried vegetables and cuttlefish tentacles, rice noodles, “fake” siomai, all kinds of skewered “balls”, waffle, fruit juices squeezed at every corner with no added sugar syrup or water, stinky tofu (smells like athlete’s foot, tastes better than expected).

A special dinner can be had at the sky’s-the-limit Hutong (1 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui 34288342) with its killer view, beautiful presentation, unique interiors, Sichuan chicken, boneless lamb ribs and hot Oriental-style drinks. Fans of celebrity chefs will enjoy:

• Nobu (Intercontinental Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui 27211211)
• L’ Atelier de Joel Robuchon (4/F The Landmark, Central 21669000)
• Alain Ducasse’s Spoon (Intercontinental Hong Kong, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui 23132256).

If local fare is more your cup of tea, then these would be good choices for dinner:

• Under Bridge Spicy Crab (401-402 Lockhart Road or 414 Jaffe Road, Wan Chai 28346818)
• Hei Kee (392H Jaffe Road, Wan Chai 28937565)
• Spring Deer (2/F 42 Mody Road Tsim Sha Tsui 23664012)
• Peking Garden (Upper G/F Alexandra House, Central 25266456)
• Tasty Congee and Noodle (21 King Kwong St. Happy Valley/Podium 3, One IFC, Central 28383922/22950101)

Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao (IFC Mall, Times Square, Harbour City): It may be a chain and located in the mall, but the food always satisfies. Order the xiao long bao, la mian with minced meat and spicy mushrooms, la mian in hot and sour soup, crispy eel, fried prawns with salty egg yolk, crispy crab meat and mushroom pastry "wuxi" style, braised pork with beancurd sheet, Shanghai noodles, sauteed eggwhite with conpoy, deep-fried soufflé ball with red bean paste for dessert.

Tung Po (2/F Java Road Complex, 99 Java Road North Point 28809399). A dai pai dong, or hawker/street side stall. Order the duck rice and prawns with salty egg yolk.

• Fook Lam Moon (35 Johnston Road, Wan Chai 28660663)
• Yellow Door Kitchen (5/F 37 Cochrane St. Central 28586555)
• Ngau Kee Food Café (3-5 Gough St. Sheung Wan 25462584)

Ahhhh, dessert. How can we sweet-toothed Pinoys go on a proper foodtrip without trying some? Visit a Chinese-style dessert shop featuring fresh fruits, coconut milk, aloe vera, nata, sago, black sesame, red beans, mango pancake, sticky rice and a lot of hot soupy and not-too-sweet stuff:

• Honeymoon Dessert(Harbour City, western Market Sheung Wan, Po Tng Road Sai Kung, Podium 3 One IFC)
• Moon House (5-7 Cleveland Street Causeway Bay)

Wondering where the fashionable and knowledgeable go for drinks?

• FINDS (2/F LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham St. Central 25229318)
• Red (Podium 4, Two IFC 81298882) for the relaxed vibe under the night sky.
• Zuma (Level 5 and 6 The Landmark Atrium, Central 36576388) for its interiors and fashionable crowd.
• Lotus (37-43 Pottinger St. Central) They have a resident mixologist. Enough said.

And Macau? Let’s not forget that gambling mecca that’s only an hour’s ferry ride away. If you could eat only 1 meal there, go to A Lorcha (Rua Almirante Sérgio No. 289 Inner Harbour Macau 853- 28313195). Call and book because they’re always full. They have the friendliest Pinoy waiters, and the most delicious Portugese food. Order the sopa de mariscos, callo verde, chorizo, bacalhau fritters, bacalhau with potatoes and cream, grilled lamb chops, grilled chicken, African chicken, seafood rice, clams with beer and tomato sauce or clams Lorcha style, and the tender oxtail stew.

I've been here for 5 years and I haven't even begun to cross off half the restaurants on my "To Try" list. Hong Kong is indeed a food lover's dream

Pictures care of my friends Acky Ferreria and Tehlin Betts.

Franco's Note: Many thanks, Ragamuffin Girl. I think it's time to take a trip to HK...

Irashaimase!

Chef Ricky at the Teppan

If my memory serves me right, my first ever taste of Japanese food was at Kimpura. I was a REALLY young kid back then, and it was an adventure of sorts venturing into a Japanese restaurant. Hardly any idea what would be served, without any idea as to the difference between an udon and a soba, and where Kani was thought to be a square clawed crab that need not be shelled. (okay – that was stretching it a bit...)

Discovery is indeed a wonderful thing, and I have learned one or two things since then about Japanese food. A number of times it just involves diving into a menu, choosing something different or one which you have never tried before. On braver moments, it simply takes walking into a Japanese restaurant that has Japanese characters on the neon sign, and hope it is not actually a club where you are not supposed to be seen except in anonimity.

That said, I have passed IZAKAYA NIHONBASHITEI a number of times the past year, and always intrigued by the fact that its car park is ALWAYS full when I pass. Thus, when Franco asked me where I would like to go to for my next “assignment”, I did my best Miyagi impersonation and said – NNNIIIIHHHHOONNBASSSHTEI!

I went on a slow (read: post hang over) late Saturday Morning, opting out my usual breakfast at Salcedo Park. By eleven, my stomach began complaining. True enough, the restaurant just opened and apart from the crew, Me, Myself and I had the restaurant all to “ourselves”.

For this trip, I went to the Teppanyaki place located at the second level. Nothing fancy.. the main dining consists of two rows, and the chefs would be at the middle. There are private function rooms at the side, which could comfortably seat about four to six persons each (plus the chef, of course).

The gracious waitress handed me the menu, and talked to me in Japanese. (*Note: Ive wondered how or why they even bother to translate the Japanese words into English, when the “english words” are simply the way it is pronounced in Japanese). Tempted as I was to hum the hymn of Voltes V, I politely said, I would have the US STEAK and RICE combo (P500.00 is the going price for the set). And HIYAYAKO which came out quite promptly (Cold Tofu)

The Cold Tofu

Chef Ricky was on deck. He asked if I wanted the steak to be prepared first or the rice, and how I want my steak done. “Medium Rare, please”. He takes out a slab of beef with very very decent marbling (read: fat). Oh yum!

He starts off by warming the plate, and in true showbiz fashion, splashes the hit plate with some liquer, and BAM!

Fired up at the Teppan

I'm reasonably convinced that this flame thing on the metal surface is more for show than anything to add flavor, but I have to admit that it does look good.

Seasoning the steak is a different performance altogether. The beef was lightly coated with a stacatto of pepper and salt, with enough of twirling of the pepper mill that will make any Friday's bartender cry. The beef is seared to my preference, and at the end of the performance, the restaurant erupts with applause from the staff (and me, of course) for a job well done and with all fingers intact because of the fancy knife action.

Fried Rice on the Fry

The fried rice was likewise prepared with similar fashion and flair. Though borderline salty , it can be forgiven.

For dessert fans, the set meal comes with nata de coco (remember that from the 90s?) and coffee.

As I left, a Filipino couple walked in and sat at the other station. Another chef was on hand. It might be the time of day or his bio rhythm is all wrong, but it did seem that he was off the beat by a little bit. I couldn't tell if he was shaking the pepper mill to Black Magic Woman or Spaghetti Song.

All in all, my first trip to Nihonbashitei it was a very good experience. The steak combo is definitely value for money, and add in the show, I think is a very good deal. But please, try to go there with a group, and if you can, fill up the main hall with your friends. I could imagine some good exchanges between the chefs who can jazz up their performance. Certainly, there are better steaks, but just to put things in proper perspective, Ive been there a couple of times, and left after my meal always quite pleased.

Nihonbashitei
800 A. Arnaiz Avenue
Makati City
Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 818 8893, (02) 818 8894

On the Table: Lori Baltazar

Lori Baltazar's Dessert Comes First is a gastronomical work of sugar and caffeine powered zeal. Through her blog, readers are given a glimpse into the world of this fanatical foodie where food is a passion and dessert is king. After looking over her scrumptious photos and her deliciously written prose to all things delectable, one can't help but run to the kitchen and search for something to tuck into. In our opinion, Dessert Comes First is arguably the best Pinoy food blog around.






Of all the things you could write about, why food?

It's been a long, long journey for me from radio announcer ( my first job) to what I've discovered I'm meant to be, which is a food writer. I've always adored food and I was lucky enough to grow up in a house with a mom who believed that there was more to life than adobo and sinigang. It was my mom who introduced me to then-gourmet foods like tempura, shabu-shabu, shepherd's pie, tacos -- and all homemade, mind you. Food fascinated (and continues to fascinate) me then, and from the yellowing recipes that I xeroxed and clipped out when I was in Grade 3 (which I still have) to my hundreds of cookbooks now, it only made sense that I would end up writing about something that I'm zealous about.

Who are the food writers who inspire you and why?

Good writers are good readers and I'm constantly inspired by food writers who have substantive things to say about food. I admire Nigella Lawson for her typical British charm and self-effacing humor; Jane and Michael Stern have the most seductive food descriptions that never fail to send me scampering for something to eat; Michael Ruhlman has decoded the art of what makes a chef a chef; and of course, I love Ruth Reichl, Jeffrey Steingarten (though I sometimes find him a tad too scientific at times), and Anthony Bourdain.

Many regional cuisines like Thai, Singaporean and Vietnamese have found their place on the world culinary stage, why do you think Pinoy food hasn't achived the same global acclaim?

Who says it hasn't already? And what exactly is "global acclaim" anyway? I'm not a big proponent of those who say that Filipino cuisine isn't getting any respect. Do we desire to see Filipino restaurants dotting every corner of the globe? Do we crave for the thrill of seeing foreigners ordering laing and kare-kare with as much aplomb as they do tom yung goong or pho or spanokopita or okonomiyaki? Are we waiting for a Filipino dish to land on the cover of Gourmet or Saveur? Truly, will we only be satisfied when those things happen? I believe that Filipino cuisine speaks for itself. Certainly, it fulfills the appetites and hearts of millions of people the world over, and not just Filipinos. I don't think we should be irrationally attached to it becoming popular or "acclaimed." It already is.

You have been writing your blog for over seven years now and a food writer for longer than that, what changes have you observed in the local food scene over the years?

I've been a food writer for 8 years. I'm very proud of the fact that Filipinos have become more adventurous and educated in terms of food, as evidenced by the sheer number of quality restaurants that dot our metropolis. International food trends do trickle slowly down to us, (South Beach diets, cupcakes, eating locally, etc.) but we ultimately go back to what we're comfortable and familiar with. More Filipinos are also more aware of eating locally and the surge in weekend markets feeds that lifestyle. Coffee continues to outshine tea in terms of popularity and "coolness," and restaurants live and die by how much parking they offer.

What is your favorite food blog, cookbook, food-related TV show and food magazine?

Food blog: When I first started DCF, there were about 10 food blogs I used to read voraciously. As life got more hectic (aka: motherhood!) the blog readings dwindled, and while I jump from blog to food site and back, I can't say that I have one favorite.

Cookbook: Ack, I have hundreds of cookbooks but there are a few that I do keep going back to because the recipes are so reliable and the books themselves are so attractive. Some of them: Baking Illustrated by the Editors of Cook's Illustrated Magazine, The King Arthur Flour's Baking Companion, and all my books by Marcy Goldman and Rose Levy Beranbaum.

Food-related TV show: Top Chef (but of course!)

Food magazine: Delicious, Chocolatier

Say I am visitor from out of town who visiting for the day, where would you take me for breakfast, a mid-moring snack, lunch, an afternoon snack, dinner and cocktails?

First I'd tell you that "gosh, you eat a lot!" (wink). And then we'd start noshing.

Breakfast: Definitely at Apartment 1B for their incomparable Eggs Benedict and the sexiest omelets in town -- lush and stuffed to bursting.

A mid-morning snack: an Espresso Affogato at Piazza Pazzo at Rockwell. We need all the caffeine we can get!

Lunch: Martini's Carvery Lunch at the Mandarin Hotel

An afternoon snack: C2 for their Turon ala Mode. The twist given to this street food is the ube smeared on the banana filling, its spring roll wrapper laced with a langka sauce. With a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this is one of those definitive hot-meets-cold desserts that tantalizes the taste buds.

Dinner and Cocktails: The Tonnos Salata Salad (we have to get our greens in somehow!) at Cyma along with their giant gyros.

What junk food do you love?

Is this a trick question? I think the better question would be, "What junk foods do I not love?" Seriously though, tops on my list would be Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream (when I can find it!); Lay's Kettle-Cooked Chips in Barbeque; Pik-Nik's Ketchup Fries, and when I have the time and inclination, I whip up a batch of these really soft and moist chocolate chip cookies. Freshly-baked, warm-from-the-oven cookies does it for me every time!

Is there a food you just can't seem to enjoy?

Ampalaya! And it looks gross, too.

Can you give three tips for would be food writers/bloggers?

1. Read, read, read. If you don't like to read, you can't be a writer. It's that simple. 2. Don't aspire to copy another writer's style. Readers can spot a phony a mile away. Be yourself. 3. Pay attention to grammar and spelling. (I cannot stress this often enough).

What are the future plans for Lori Baltazar and Dessert Come First?

The website will keep on getting better and better -- I'm set on refining and polishing my writing and photography. Future plans include writing a book, launching a photo exhibit, holding the mother of all dessert bazaars, and throwing smaller events for loyal Dessert Comes First readers. Without them, I wouldn't be here.

Many thanks to Lori for the photo and for saying yes.

Table Conversation: Yummy Turns One

How time flies when you're having fun.

Table for Three, Please is not the only one turning One this month. Yummy, the food magazine that has made cooking a joy and eating out a foodie's delight, celebrates their first year anniversary.

To the publishers, editors and staff of Yummy Magazine, many thanks for making the Pinoy food world a lot more Yummy. We are looking forward to another year of foodie features and scrumptious recipes.

Happy Birthday, Yummy!

Nihonbashitei: Theater with a Side of Lunch

Gyutama: An okonomiyaki of beef

Eating out can be pure theater.

Take, for example, lunch at Nihonbashitei, a Japanese eatery located at the very end of N. Aranaiz Street (formerly yet more popularly known as Pasay Road).

A and I have always been curious about this restaurant. On our occasional nights out, we would observe this place teeming with people, both locals and Japanese alike. Never before had we seen place so overcrowded with patrons, unless of course the establishment was called Krispy Kreame. Fair warning. Nihonbashitei can get busy.

We knew it was just a matter of time before we would tuck in and see for ourselves what the fuss was all about.

This Japanese restaurant is divided into two very distinct dining areas. The first floor dining room serves the usual Japanese fare. The second floor (which has it own separate entrance), on the other hand, is exclusively a teppanyaki room.

I don’t know about you but I usually shy away from teppanyaki, simply because I like eating my food and not smelling like it. But today, I am willing to make an exception.

Having just eaten in another Japanese establishment, I convince my lunch companions that trying out Nihonbashitei’s teppanyaki room would be an interesting change of pace. Thankfully, they agreed. One can only eat so much raw fish.

Our teppanyaki chef, Ricky at work, the Interiors of Nihonbashitei

A short primer on Teppanyaki courtesy of Wikipedia:

In Japan, teppanyaki may refer to any of a number of dishes cooked using a teppan, including okonomiyaki, yakisoba and monjayaki, frequently with the hot plate located in the center of the diners' table. The form of teppanyaki most familiar... consists of steak and other meats, along with vegetable accompaniments.

The originator of the teppanyaki-style steakhouse is the Japanese restaurant chain Misono, which introduced the concept of cooking Western-influenced food on a teppan in Japan in 1945. They soon found that the cuisine was even more popular with foreigners than with the Japanese, who enjoyed both watching the skilled maneuvers of the chefs preparing the food as well as the cuisine, somewhat more familiar than more traditional Japanese dishes.

The teppanyaki room is nothing like what you would expect from a Japanese restaurant. In a word, it's attractive. Done in dark colored wood and stainless steel, the center of the room is a large common flat griddle area. For those looking for more privacy, several glass-walled private rooms equipped with their own grilling area and can seat at least six comfortably surround the center area.

Once seated, we settle on three dishes: two teppanyaki dishes of Wagyu Innards (P220) and Squid (P180) and in spirit of tasting the new, we tried an okonomiyaki of beef called Gyutama (P300).

I wish could say that eating the grilled wagyu innards (aka. slices of liver) and squid will cause a paradigm shift in the art of Japanese cuisine. But, I won’t. At best, you will have a delicious meal of meat and seafood with a delightful show of culinary acrobatics care of our chef, Ricky. He slices and diced, seasons and sautés with amazing speed and dexterity. If you blink you might miss the show.

A notable exception to this ‘eat and tell’ is the beef okonomiyaki. Grilled on the teppan or hotplate, an okonomiyaki can be described as Japanese layered pancake. This dish that originates from Osaka is popular throughout Japan. Primarily made of eggs, flour, yams and cabbage, the batter is mixed with other ingredients such as vegetables, seafood or as our case, thin slices of beef. Once fried to a spongy omelet-like consistency, this griddle cake is topped with a thick, sweet sauce, ginger, seaweed flakes and a ‘healthy’ serving of Japanese mayo. I love this dish. The layers for flavors and textures are distinct. Yet, they meld beautiful together into one well-balanced and scrumptious dish.

Eating teppanyaki at Nihonbashitei (or anywhere else, for that matter) isn't for everyone. If you are searching of a zen-like experience as you dine on your immaculately hand-rolled sushi, visiting Nohonbashitei's first floor dining area might be a better option. But, if you have an appreciation for gastronomical performance art or just have craving for a Japanese grilled steak, this place is guaranteed to hit the spot. Personally, I would go back to tuck into another okonomiyaki. A whole order, all for myself. No sharing, please.

PS. Customers dining that in the teppanyaki room cannot order from the other dining area on the first floor. So if you feel like starting with an order of sashimi, you are going to have order take-out and bring it up yourself. Odd and highly inconvenient.

Nihonbashitei
800 A. Arnaiz Avenue
Makati City
Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 818 8893, (02) 818 8894

Turning One Year Old

Table for Three, Please turns ONE this month.

Frankly, there were times when I wondered if we would get this far.

On behalf of Mariko and Monchu, I would like to thank all the chefs, bloggers, Table Guests and you, the readers (especially those who take the time to comment) for helping build this blog into what it is today. We could have not done it without you.

A special thanks to Senor Macho, Sharkey, Stich, Salamia and Erik (the photographer) for taking a seat at the table and sharing their love of all things gastronomical with rest of us. Many, many thanks to you all.

Here is to another year of posts celebrating what all foodies believe makes life worth living and showcasing what the Philippines has to offer the culinary world.

Cheers!

The cupcake is Lemon Drop from Cupcakes from Sonja. The hands, mine.