Shoot First Eat Later

Birthday Treat at Brasserie CiÇou

My friends Kathy and Jenny treated us for their birthday at Brasserie CiÇou in Greenhills. Since I enjoyed my last meal there I was eager to try something new.

When you eat at CiÇou make sure you go there hungry since I guarantee you will gorge on their hot crusty rolls which are probably the best free bread in Manila’s restaurant scene.

crusty roll

The baked oysters were creamy, cheezy and delicious. But the baked oysters of Lolo Dad’s Cafe were just better.

baked oysters P490 (6 pcs)

I wish the vinaigrette was tossed evenly on the greens. My first bite of lettuce was all vinegar and super sour. The next was super salty and the succeeding were just right.

nicoise salad P580

The brought out the whole baked chicken for us to see then brought it back to the kitchen to cut it up into bite sized portions. There were 10 of us and we just had the chicken and beef to share. It was more than enough with some left overs.

rustic style baked chicken P1,400

The taste of the chicken was just okay for me. The white meat was very tender and juicy which I appreciated.

The chunks of US Angus beef were tender enough but the sauce still had a very strong taste from the red wine. I felt the red wine wasn’t simmered long enough in the beginning of the braising to lose the aggressive flavor. Again this dish was just okay for me. Both entrees didn’t blow me away.

le boeuf bourguignon P1,500

I suggested ordering my favorite pasta for our sides and it was a big hit. You can never go wrong with pasta, cream sauce, bacon and Parmesan cheese.

coquilettes P370

You can safely order coffee here. You can’t go wrong with Lavazza coffee.

Lavazza coffee

While I wasn’t that thrilled with the main course I was very happy with the desserts which we all shared. A bite or two of each and I was quite satisfied and happy.

The kougin amann (kween a-mon) was as big as a donut and as flaky as a croissant/puff pastry with caramelized sweetness in between it’s numerous layers. Their version was just as good if not a tad better than the one that Gourmet Finds makes.

If you order this and the next dessert I suggest you set aside the ice cream or else the pastry will get soggy and you won’t enjoy it to it’s ideal texture.

kouign amann with salted caramel ice cream P310

I also loved the crisp puff pastry filled with poached pear.

poached pear in red wine in puff pastry with pistachio paste & vanilla ice cream P250

The apple tarte tatin was a bit too tart for my taste.

apple tarte tatin P250

They gave the birthday girls free dessert which was really, really yummy. It was similar to panna cotta with a fruit jelly like topping. They should sell this dessert!! Thanks for dinner Kathy and Jenny.

menu (click to enlarge)

Brasserie CiÇou
57 Annapolis St., Greenhills, San Juan.
telephone: 661-9200, 0917-885-8841
website
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Lunch at Lolo Dad’s Cafe

Lolo Dad’s in Manila has been open since the year 2000 and I’ve been wanting to try it for a long time. I finally got the chance recently when I brought my friend Ariel there for lunch.

The dining area wasn’t very big but it was quite cozy.

I was very impressed with the oven, pots and pans and all the equipment they used. It looked just like the kitchens of high end restaurants abroad.

If you’re lucky enough to reserve this table you can watch the chefs cook your food.

They served warm bread and that’s something I really appreciate. Many expensive restaurants here and abroad don’t bother to warm the bread.

I like cooked oysters and not raw. The creamy sauce and cheese that lightly coated the fresh oyster was just divine. If I didn’t have to eat anything else I would have ordered 5 more just for me.

baked oyster on angel hair pasta with seared foie gras P160 per pc.

I felt that the pasta and seared foie gras was just secondary. It was really the sauce that made this oyster so scrumptious. It was like best cream of mushroom soup you have ever tasted. We actually used bread to sop up every last bit of sauce.

There were four of us at lunch and we decided to order mostly regular portions so we can all share and try all the dishes. Lolo Dad’s recently came out with a modest portion size of their food for more affordability.

We all enjoyed the generous portions of seared foie gras and paté. Even the salad was good.

Seared Duck Liver and Pate de Foie Gras with Asian Pear Confit, Mesclun Salad & Red Onion Marmalade P1,320 regular portion

But what I really liked was the poached pear that was still very crisp. Notice the smoking cinnamon stick on the pear. It was just there for presentation and had nothing to contribute to the flavor.

We were given sweet and tart calamansi sherbet to cleanse our palate.

calamansi sherbet

I never expected it but my favorite was the seabass. The flavor and perfect texture really made my jaw drop. If I didn’t have to share I would have easily finished the whole fillet by myself.

Rochelle loved truffle scented super fine, super creamy, super buttery, mashed potatoes. I liked the fried mushroom stuffed with smoked salmon while the others didn’t.

Pan-fried Fillet of Seabass with Blue Crab Potatoes and Smoked Salmon Filled Mushrooms in Oyster Cream Sauce P1,320 regular portion

My choice was the lamb chops and I was hoping it would be good. Unfortunately it was the most disappointing of all the dishes we ordered. It didn’t have much taste or flavor. It was tender enough but it was just boring. Even the 3 cheese risotto fell flat for me.

Herb De Provence Crusted Rack of Lamb Three Cheese Risotto (Roquefort, Gruyere and Parmesan) Forty Melted Garlic and Tomato Confit P1,525 regular portion

Ariel chose the modest portion of the pork belly. I wouldn’t have chosen that myself after having been disappointed with most pork belly dishes here and abroad. For me the Filipino way of using pork belly for lechon kawali is one of the best.

This pork belly was amazing! I suspect it was cooked sous vide because it was so tender and packed with flavor. It almost didn’t taste like pork. While the pork was smooth and subtle they paired it with an aggressively flavored rice which I enjoyed immensely. This is a dish I would order again. I think the modest portion is enough too.

Confit of Kuroba Pork Belly Arborio Rice with Chorizo, Prosciutto and Panceta Garlic Aioli Melocoton P650 modest portion

I’m not an expert on duck confit and I found it quite good but a bit salty. Chris said it was dry. The skin was really crisp but Antonio’s duck confit skin was to die for.

Confit of Duck Leg in Spiced Fat and Glazed Roast Duck Breast with Stir Fry Foie Gras Rice and Lavender Jus P1,525 regular portion

I liked the duck breast better. I LOVED the nutty foie gras rice the best. It had so much texture and character.

They didn’t have much dessert choices on the menu that day. The cake was quite good. I think ground almonds or almond flour was used on the cake giving it a dense and nutty texture. The ice cream had numerous chunks of almonds.

Dark chocolate and Almond layered cake Vanilla and Almond Ice Cream P290

Their fancy big espresso machine conked out but it’s good they had a French press which poured really strong and rich coffee.

French Press Coffee P65

As much as I liked the food the service was less than desirable. There was only 1 other table during lunch and I don’t know how many times I had to call a waiter for water, the menu, more bread, to ask a question and to order. The two waiters seem to be hiding in the bar area instead of anticipating our needs.

I couldn’t help but compare the food and price with Antonio’s in Tagaytay. Both serve excellent food but I think Antonio’s comes out a better deal since the price of their entrees which is similar to Lolo Dad’s includes salad, soup, dessert and coffee.

The P3,000 discount was for the Deal Grocer coupons I bought.

Ariel really enjoyed the food at Lolo Dad’s. He said it was at par with many of his favorite restaurants in San Francisco. The prices are at par too. Do give Lolo Dad’s a try at least once in your life. Yes it’s pricey but it’s worth it.

Lolo Dad’s menu
starters, soup & oysters, seafoods, meats, desserts, tasting menu

Lolo Dad’s Cafe
899 Pres. Qurino Ave. cor. Leon Guinto St., Malate Manila
telephone : (63 2) 522-2941, 524-2295, 526-7151
cellphone: +639228125971
website

Operating Hours :
Monday : Open from 6:30pm to 10:30pm | Dinner
Tuesday to Saturday : Open from 11:00am to 2:00pm for Lunch | 6:30pm to 10:30pm for Dinner
Sunday : Closed

Breakfast at Antonio’s

Whenever I go to San Francisco my friend Ariel takes me to all the best restaurants in the city. When he comes to Manila it’s my turn to treat him. His only request this time was to eat at Antonio’s since he enjoyed it so much the last time he ate there.

I tried calling and texting Antonio’s the day before to make a reservation but they didn’t answer the phone so we just went there on a Saturday. We never got in the gate since the guard kindly informed us that it was fully booked. I suspect there was a private party. We went to Breakfast at Antonio’s instead.

Before the Breakfast place was moved to the same compound as Antonio’s. Now they’re back to the original location which I’ve never been to. I was surprised at how big it was.

The sun was out in full force but it was a bit chilly inside.

Dalandan Slush P190

Ariel was trying to decide between the beef sinigang or the beef tapa and asked the waiter for his opinion. In most restaurants you’ll most likely get a reply like, “It’s both good.” I was impressed the waiters had their own opinions and it seemed like they’ve tried the food which I believe is very important. How can they sell products they’ve never tasted?

Beef Sinigang P400

The waiter said the beef sinigang was different and more special and he was right. The beef looked and tasted like corned beef. The soup had a nice sour flavor but it seemed there wasn’t enough of it or the rice noodles just absorbed it.

Uggh I don’t know what happened to my camera’s white balance. I must have chosen the wrong setting from this point.

I was trying to decide between the savoury crepes and the Reuben sandwich which is a favorite of mine. I chose the roesti (potato pancake) topped with generous slices of fresh corned beef and topped with two eggs and smothered with Swiss cheese.

Roesti with Fresh Corned Beef with Swiss Cheese & Over Easy Eggs P350

The roesti was really crispy and provided a good base for the corned beef and sauerkraut. I really loved their homemade corned beef. It was very tender and not too salty. I found the price to be very, very reasonable considering the amount of corned beef used. I had a Reuben sandwich at Apartment 1B with maybe 1/3 the amount of corned beef and it cost P680.

I was full halfway through it and I still wanted to eat dessert so I had it wrapped. It was a nice lunch several days later.

Their coffee was good but it could be better and warmer.

Brewed Coffee (Refillable) P180

I really wanted some dessert but there wasn’t much choices in their menu so I settled with a sweet pancake. Naturally I chose the Jaffa Orange pancake. There’s nothing better than the combination of chocolate and orange.

2 chocolate pancakes topped with vanilla ice cream and served with fresh orange segments in Grand Marnier sauce. Sounds simple right? When we first took a bite of the pancake we weren’t impressed. It was soft enough but it didn’t taste chocolatey enough. But when we ate the pancake with some orange and ice cream it tasted like a decadent chocolate cake.

Jaffa Orange Pancake P250

This was one heavenly and very fulfilling dessert.

And Ariel said he didn’t want any. He ended up eating most of it. 😀

Ariel and I were already making plans to go back. There were many other items in the menu we both wanted to try. It’s really best to go with a big group so you can try more food without overstuffing yourself.

After lunch I went shopping in their mini store beside the entrance. They sold bread, different flavors of curd and jams, and many other treats.

I bought a loaf of Turkish bread and it was fantastic!!! When toasted it had a nice chewy texture. Some raisins added a touch of sweetness to the bread. I actually want to go back just to buy this bread and stock it in the freezer.

Turkish bread P220

Breakfast at Antonio’s menu (click to enlarge)

location map (click to enlarge)

Breakfast at Antonio’s
Aguinaldo Highway, Barangay Bagong Tubig, Tagaytay City, Batangas, Philippines
telephone: +63 (46) 413.0738
website

Lunch at Pino Resto Bar

I’m always on the lookout for good Filipino restaurants in Manila to bring balikbayans to. I’ve read about Pino but I didn’t feel like going to their original branch in Quezon City. I was glad they opened a new branch in Jupiter St. in Makati. The restaurant was next to Mangetsu.

My friend Ariel came home for a visit from San Francisco and it was the perfect opportunity to try Pino.

The other side is their vegetarian restaurant Pipino. You can order from both menus wherever you sit.

I’m not a beer drinker but I was curious about the watermelon beer. I liked it!! The watermelon flavor was subtle yet gave the beer a slightly sweet touch.

✔ ✔ ✔ watermelon beer P95

I was surprised that the menu had so many interesting starters that I wanted to try. I think I ordered too much but save for a few dishes the 7 of us did a pretty good job finishing the food.

I love fried chicken skin even though we all know it’s not good for you. But what the heck? You only live once. The concept was a good one. Put buffalo chili sauce on plain fried chicken skin and serve it with blue cheese sauce. Somehow it didn’t work for me. I’d rather have the chicken skin plain without any sauce. This was one of the few dishes that wasn’t finished.

✔ buffalo chicken skin P145

Some like it others didn’t. The mashed sweet potato was a bit dry and it was really heavy to eat. I was eager to try the aioli & cashew cheese sauce but there was too little of it for me to taste.

✔ camote croquetas P125

The menu said the tempura fried oysters were topped with lumpfish caviar and aligue mayo but again I didn’t taste it but everyone still enjoyed how crisp it was.

✔ ✔ ✔ tempura oysters & pearls P225

The mini sisig tacos were a joy to eat.

✔ ✔ ✔ mini sisig tacos P225

There wasn’t enough longganisa and Filipino flavors to make this nachos different from any other nachos.

✔ longganisa topped nachos P225

Most of the main courses came in single or family sizes. We ordered all family size except for the beef belly.

My favorite dish was the lengua cubes cooked in a tomato based sauce. I loved the tender ox tongue and the spicy sauce. And don’t forget the grated cheese! This is the dish that I will definitely go back for.

✔ ✔ ✔ kalderetang lengua P415

The adobo style short ribs slowly cooked in red wine tasted just like Korean beef stew so it was a bit disappointing. It wasn’t that tender either.

✔ red wine adobong tadyang P415

My second favorite dish was the incredibly crispy pork belly with thick peanutty kare kare sauce on the side.

✔ ✔ ✔ kare kareng bagnet P565

The beef belly was very tender and I could really taste the subtle coffee flavor.

✔ ✔ ✔ coffee crusted beef belly P265

The bagoong rice was just perfect with all the entrees we ordered.

✔ ✔ ✔ bagoong rice P50

I wanted to order some veggie dishes but surprisingly there were none in Pino’s menu. I had to choose from the Pipino menu and most of it was for just enough for one person.

They took a thick slice of watermelon and heated it on a grill and topped it with sauce and string beans. Interesting but not really my type.

✔ watermelon steak P220

I’m so happy I’m not a vegetarian! I can’t eat 3 small pieces of baby bella mushrooms with all that brown rice. I would eat the mushrooms as is and be sad and hungry. Since I didn’t taste the next two dishes I didn’t put any rating.

portobello inasal P260

I think Chris was the only one who ate the veggies since she was the only one who stuck to not eating meat on a Friday. The others gave in when the lengua and bagnet came out. She said the veggie curry was just ok.

vegetable curry P195

With an impressive name like highland gold premium organic arabica coffee I was so sure the coffee was going to be good. It was awful!!! It tasted like brown hot water without even a hint of coffee taste or aroma. Any instant coffee would have tasted better. I think they put too little ground coffee when they made it. I refuse to believe any brewed coffee can taste that bad. I requested that they change our coffee to a better brew but they agreed to just remove it from our bill to get rid of us since it was already past 2:00 pm.

✖✖✖ highland gold premium organic arabica coffee P65

Someone forgot to tell the kitchen that sans rival is best frozen so the meringue layers are eaten crisp. This sans rival seemed left out in room temp and it was sooooo soft and soggy. Really the WORST sans rival I’ve ever eaten. Too bad the flavors had potential.

✖ mango sans rival P165

They were out of the desserts I wanted to order and I had no option but to order two fried banana wrapped in spring roll wrapper desserts. It would have been good if the oil used wasn’t rancid. I hope they wondered why 7 people left 3 small desserts largely untouched.

✖ choco turon P125

✖ mango banana peanut butter roll P125

I really liked the food of Pino but they have a lot of improvement to do with their coffee and desserts. Do give it a try but go somewhere else for dessert.

✖ skip it
✔ not bad
✔ ✔ do order
✔ ✔ ✔ MUST order

Pino Resto Bar menu
starters, main course, dessert, drinks, Pipino menu

Pino Resto Bar
38 Jupiter, Bel-Air, Makati
telephone: 550-1781

39 Malingap, Teachers Vill. QC
telephone: 441-1773

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Dinner at Hanobe Asian Cuisine

Once a year I meet with my business partners in our company called Swisher. This year we ate at Hanobe Asian Cuisine at Greenhills Town Center.

It was my first time to go to Greenhills Town Center. I was surprised how spacious it was and there were lots of parking spaces. From the outside it looked very cramped.

Hanobe was the biggest restaurant there. There were two function rooms on the ground floor and more space upstairs good for 80 pax.

I haven’t seen a dim sum cart in a long time.

Most of the food on their menu was available in three sizes. Their fried oyster cake was pretty good. It was crisp and not greasy.

Hanobe fried oyster cake P358 (M)

I wasn’t sure if anyone in our group ate ox tongue so I ordered the smallest size just to try it. It was just ok nothing special.

ox tongue with mushroom sauce P248 (S)

Before I ordered the fish fillet with taoso (crunchy soybean) I asked the waitress what kind of fish is used. She said it was lapu lapu. I asked, “Are you sure?” “Yes, ma’am it’s lapu lapu.”

The taoso was crispy, salty and not oily. It was really good on the fish that WAS NOT lapu lapu but DORY. If you don’t mind eating dory then this dish is a MUST order.

fish fillet with taoso P758 (L)

The sotanghon (vermicelli) under the fish was a pleasant and delicious surprise.

I ordered their specialty the Hanobe stuffed chicken. This was the first time I’ve encountered a whole stuffed chicken that was deep fried. The crunchy crust was unusual to say the least.

Hanobe stuffed chicken P680

I felt that the glutinous rice stuffing was a bit dry and bland.

My favorite dish was the simple taope or bean curd skin with 3 kinds of mushroom and a savory brown sauce. I could eat one order all by myself.

Hanobe taope with 3 kinds of mushroom P388 (M)

broccoli flower with crabmeat P388 (M)

Overall I was pleased with the food. It wasn’t out of this world crazy good but I had no complaints and that’s a good thing. The price was very, very reasonable too. I want to try their dim sum next time.

Time for plugging 😀 Our company Swisher Philippines does restroom hygiene and pest control for hundreds of restaurants in Manila. We also do termite control for homes and condominiums.

Hanobe Asian Cuisine menu

Hanobe Asian Cuisine
Greenhills Town Center
2 Granada St., Quezon City
telephone: 727-4049, 721-1753
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Swisher Philippines
105 Sgt. Catolos St. Cubao, Quezon City
telephone: (632) 726-9978
swisherphil@yahoo.com

Subspace Coffee House

Subspace Coffee House has been on my list of ‘must try’ places and silly me I never noticed that it was just next door to where my store was. It was only a minute walk away!

Since I had a very unsatisfactory and sad lunch at Jacob’s Shawarma I decided to console myself with coffee and dessert.

Subspace Coffee House menu

Interesting decor of chairs hung from the ceiling.

I recognized the turnovers from Purple Oven.

cheesecakes

Reese’s cheesecake

I’m not a latte person. I like my coffee strong with just a touch of milk. But their specialty was the peanut butter latte and purple yam latte so I decided to take a risk and try it. My first sip confirmed my fear. All I tasted was mild peanut butter flavored milk. I quickly bought a shot of espresso to add to my latte. It was a little better but I imagine two extra shots would have been perfect.

peanut butter latte P145

It wasn’t until the bottom of the cup that I enjoyed all the peanut butter. At least it was real peanut butter and not just peanut butter flavored syrup. I’m sticking to espresso and straight coffee next time.

What else will go with my peanut butter latte but peanut butter cheesecake? The cheesecake had a barely there peanut butter flavor. The cheesecake was icy cold and had a mild cheese taste. The texture was smooth and firm. If I ate this without knowing what it was I would never have guessed it was a cheesecake.

Reese’s cheesecake P120

Subspace Coffee House
Unit 103, GF Grand Emerald Tower, F. Ortigas Jr. Road, Ortigas Center, 1606 Pasig
telephone: 655-7077
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Jacob’s Shawarma & Kebab

My friend Jenny told me about Jacob’s Shawarma since she knew how much I love shawarma and it was just a few minutes walk from my store.

Is he Jacob? He reminds me of Ben Affleck and Chris O’Donnell.

Amazing that they’re open 24 hours.

A strong aroma of spices assaulted my senses I soon as I stepped in the small restaurant. I imagined how flavorful my shawarma was going to be.

Jacob’s Shawarma menu (click to enlarge)

I went there on a Friday and luckily they still had chicken because I didn’t feel like eating salmon shawarma.

salmon shawarma

I took a picture of someone’s order. I think it’s chicken kebab.

chicken kebab with Turkish rice P180

I was surprised at how huge my shawarma was. I had it cut into half and tried it. I couldn’t even taste the chicken since all I ate was the tomato and raw onions which I don’t like. I ate the chicken side and gave away the veggie side as well as the other half.

Needless to say I didn’t like it. I’d rather have a smaller shawarma with more meat and much less veggies. So far my favorite shawarma was the one I had at Manda Centrale.

12″ chicken shawarma P130

This was the first time I’ve seen shawarma heated in a panini press.

I also tried the bite size baklava and it was just ok. It was definitely better than the one at Greeka Kouzina.

Jacob’s Shawarma & Kebab (near Chef & Brewer)
Unit 115 AIC Grande Tower, Sapphire Road, Ortigas Center, 1605 Pasig City
telephone: 227-7686, 0939 403- 4306
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Purple Oven

I’ve heard about Purple Oven and always wanted to try their products. I finally went to their Oranbo, Pasig branch. It’s behind Dahlia motel in case you have a hard time looking for it.

All the products are displayed on tables and the chiller and their staff follow you around to get your order which you then pick up at the cashier.

I never knew they also had savory baked goods. I bought the sausage quiche and the chicken curry turnover. They were both just satisfactory. Nothing I would really buy again.

ham & cheese roll P50, sausage quiche, quiche Lorraine, quiche tinapa P85 chicken curry turnover P70

I liked the Spanish chorizo turnover better except for the slices of hard boiled egg inside. Remember I don’t like eggs? The crust was flaky when heated properly in the toaster oven.

Spanish chorizo turnover P70 tuna turnover P70

ensaymada P60

cheese roll P45 soft cinnamon roll P60

fudge brownies P260/16 pcs. P450/32 pcs.

I bought half a box of lemon bars because a popular blogger raved about it. True it had a very, very good buttery crust and the filling had a smooth and silky texture. But it didn’t have ANY lemon flavor at all!! If you didn’t know what this was you wouldn’t even guess it had citrus flavor. It should have been called sugar bar since it was a tad too sweet for my taste. It would have been perfect with MORE lemon juice. After eating a piece and sharing some with my staff I kept the rest in the freezer. It can be eaten straight from the freezer too.

lemon bars P260/16 pcs. P450/32 pcs.

revel bars P260/16 pcs. P450/32 pcs.

food for the gods P260/16 pcs. P450/32 pcs.

The main reason for my visit to Purple Oven was to try the chocolate macadamia cookies recommended by one of my readers. Alas, they were out of stock. I have to go back for that.

chocolate crinkles P250/12 pcs. chocolate dipped cookies P260/8 pcs.

assorted loaf cakes

chocolate lava cake P450/6 pcs.

chocolate campfire cake P600

My co-workers love their chocolate cake.

Grandma’s chocolate cake P600

merry cherry torte P780 chocnut pie P680

I find their packaging a bit wasteful. They put each flavor of the turnover in it’s own bag when they could have all fit in one bag. It’s not as if the bag was labelled with the name of the product.

Overall I wasn’t very impressed with the products I bought. I still want to try the chocolate macadamia cookies though. What else is good in Purple Oven? Share your favorites please.

Purple Oven menu (click to enlarge)

Purple Oven
branches:
63 St. Peter St. Oranbo, Pasig
telephone: (02) 631-4221

San Antonio Arcade, 50 McKinley Road, Forbes Park, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines
telephone: (02)9101364

YMCA Bldg., 7 Sacred Heart St. San Antonio, Makati

Solenad 2, Tagaytay Rd cor Nuvali Blvd. Santa Rosa, Laguna

Makimono Obsession at Omakase

Other than my single trip to Haru all my sushi obsession for two weeks was supplied by Omakase in Greenhills. I would take out a few orders of sushi rolls and eat it for lunch and dinner.

I have yet to appreciate the joy of eating sashimi or raw fish and I’m taking baby steps with makimono or sushi rolls. I’m ashamed to admit that the more bastardized the sushi the more I like it. Most of the sushi on this post won’t be recognized by any Japanese national. I bet they would cringe in horror when they see these rolls.

One Saturday I was so desperate for sushi yet too lazy to go out I used City Delivery for the first time just to get my food delivered. It took exactly one hour for my food to arrive despite the fact that Omakase was a mere 5 minutes away from my home.

Omakase is the only restaurant I know that serves sushi with a dipping sauce made of Japanese mayonnaise and soy sauce. I don’t use it as a result I have several containers in the refrigerator.

Jurassic maki is Omakase’s most popular makimono. It’s made with ebi (shrimp) tempura, ebiko, salmon skin, cucumber with unagi (eel) on top.

jurassic maki P305

The crazy maki was filled with spicy tuna & salmon and topped with scallion, salmon skin & ebiko (fish roe). I like Haru’s spicier and fatter roll better.

crazy maki P190

I like Omakase’s rolls but sometimes it’s not consistent. Can you believe both of these are zigzag rolls? The one on the left was delivered through City Delivery while the ‘correct’ one on the right was one I picked up myself. It really has nothing to do with the delivery service but with the chef who made it at the time. I wish they could be more consistent with their food. Now I check my order before I leave the restaurant.

The roll on the left was barely filled and was pathetic looking. Their standard zigzag roll is the one on the right and thankfully I only experienced the sad looking roll once.

zigzag roll P250

The fantasy roll was simply filled with salmon and shrimp with wasabi masago (roe of capelin fish).

fantasy roll P260

The fancy looking deep blue sea had spicy tuna and tempura bits inside and topped with salmon, shrimp & shredded crabstick (kani) on top.

deep blue sea P285

After trying all these rolls my favorite is still the zigzag roll. I love the texture and crunch from the filling of fried soft shell crab and the topping of tempura bits & chopped crab. As if all that good stuff wasn’t enough they finished the impressive roll with Japanese mayonnaise & chili oil. I just love this spicy, creamy, crunchy fat roll.

zigzag roll P250

One time I had lunch at the restaurant just to try the much lauded seafood dumpling. I just ate it as is with no rice.

seafood dumpling P160

Pieces of tuna, salmon and kani were wrapped with nori (seaweed) and dipped in tempura batter and deep fried. There was a thin drizzle of Japanese mayonnaise on top to complete the dish. If you have kids or adults not fond of seafood then this is the dish for them to eat. It was actually quite delicious. I can imagine it as a good appetizer with ice cold beer or sake.

I hope someone benefits from these pictures of the menu with descriptions of Omakase’s many sushi rolls since I couldn’t find any on the net when I wanted to order something new.

Makimono sushi menu at Omakase (Manila)-001

Omakase’s makimono menu (click to enlarge)

Makimono sushi menu at Omakase (Manila)-002

Makimono sushi menu at Omakase (Manila)-003

Yes I admit when it comes to sushi I’m J na J and Omakase is my choice. While doing this post I was yearning for some zigzag roll again.

Note: All these makimono were consumed in a span of two weeks and not one meal.

Omakase
Connecticut Arcade, Greenhills Shopping Complex
San Juan, Metro Manila, Philippines
telephone: 470-9807
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Lunch at Haru Sushi Bar & Restaurant

Lately I’ve been craving sushi a lot. I just want to eat it everyday. Since I pass by Haru Sushi Bar & Restaurant in Kapitolyo, Pasig at least once a week I went there to sate my sushi hunger.

I arrived there just before 2:00 pm and was in luck that they were still open. Unfortunately they were doing some repairs and could not cook. Only sushi was available and that was fine with me.

I was surprised at how nice the interiors were. Haru was next to Cafe Juanita and is both owned by Dr. Efren ‘Boy’ Vazquez.

I sat outside where it was cooler. You can go to Cafe Juanita which was a few steps away.

I started with the uni sushi. It was quite fresh and there was a generous amount of my beloved briny sea urchin.

uni sushi P189

I really wanted to order the ‘spider design’ maki but they can’t fry the soft shell crab so I chose the dynamite roll instead. The roll contained spicy tuna, salmon, cucumber and a sprinkling of ebiko (tobiko or flying fish roe). The roll was really big and fat with lots of filling and only a thin layer of sushi rice. It was just the way I like it.

I made a mistake of dipping it in wasabi and it burned my tongue and throat. The raw fish was really, really spicy! They used chili oil and there wasn’t any mayonnaise to muddle up the flavors. If you like spicy sushi then you have to try this. Even though it gave me heartburn I still enjoyed the dynamite roll.

dynamite roll P265

Based on these two orders I was really happy with their food. I can’t wait to go back and try their other food. I actually went back but I was too late since they closed at 2:30 pm and reopen again for dinner.

Haru Sushi Bar & Restaurant menu

Haru Sushi Bar and Restaurant
#21 West Capitol Drive, Barrio Kapitolyo, Pasig City