Where to eat authentic Japanese food: Little Tokyo
Saturday, February 15, 2014
During a humid morning on a Saturday, we dared the heat and commuted to Little Tokyo long Chino Roces Ave in Makati. The idea of going to Little Tokyo goes back a couple of years with my former officemates who love eating out. Finally, during a hot Saturday on February, I was able to visit the place.
From what I read, Little Tokyo comes alive during two timeframes: lunch and dinner. But photos told me that the place seemed more animated at night, with the availability of alcohol that can be enjoyed in an al fresco dining environment.
Upon entering Little Tokyo, the place seemed deserted except for a store worker cooking takoyaki. The store signages were in Japanese and some in English. Upon seeing the takoyaki, I guessed that was Hana restaurant, our first stop.
Hana restaurant
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to take photos of the restaurant interior. Hana restaurant seemed to be fashioned on typical Japanese eateries where you can sit on the bar counter with the chef working behind it. Feeling hungry, we ordered their Hana maki, which is a bit costly at P280. It didn't disappoint though, with the sweet, soft, salmon covering the maki.
Our takoyaki arrived shortly after, in six large balls topped with takoyaki sauce, mayonnaise, green laver, and shaved bonito. You can't get this kind of quality in takoyaki stalls in the mall. This is priced at P120. Worth it!
Right after eating, we felt a bit full so we decided to rest outside and decided to visit the Japanese grocery, where I bought some almond chocolates and waffle and chocolate ice cream.
Our next stop was Kagura okonomiyaki restaurant. As we entered, there were some Japanese women dining and chatting on one of the tables. The tables can accommodate four or more people, so as we were only two, we were seated on the bar counter, which is okay since we can see how the okonomiyaki is cooked.
I wasn't able to take a photo of the interior of the store but it was filled with Hanshin Tigers baseball team memorabilia. There was a large LCD screen and one CRT TV on the other side.
We ordered the octopus okonomiyaki priced at P270 I think. It was worth it since it can feed two hungry people.
The octopus chunks were so yummy! Plus, it's cooked right in front of you, ensuring you that it's fresh. Although we were already full, we finished the plate down to the last bit.
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| This reminds me of the alleys shown in Rurouni Kenshin. :D |
I would definitely go back and try the other restaurants and the shaved ice in Hana restaurant. Yum!
Location:
Chino Roces Ave., Makati City
Google Maps: http://goo.gl/maps/W2ahN
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