Tonkatsu Taka
There's this Japanese restaurant nearby that opened opened last week and it's named "Tonkatsu Taka". They are boasting that their food is authentic Japanese. Being a weeaboo, I just had to go in and try it out.
As of now, I've been there three times, and not once was there any regret. This is somewhat like "Okayama" all over again.
From the moment you enter, you'll be greeted by the servers, served a hot towel & water (and during my second visit, they gave me a cup of hot green tea). They have a buzzer on each table to call a server once you're ready to order or if you need anything. The menu isn't so elaborately designed, but then again, seeing a photo of each dish they serve with a price tag, it does its purpose well.
You may consider eating there as "casual dining", since the food is made upon ordering. The wait isn't that long, or maybe it didn't take long because there weren't that many customers. Either way, waiting wasn't so bad since all of the seats in the restaurant are couches.
As for the food, I'm not really sure how to go about this. The items I have tried are their Katsu Curry, Pork Ramen, and their Teriyaki Don with Miso Soup. One thing for sure, all the items aren't overflowing with flavor. I'm not saying that they're bland, but Filipinos usually prefer their food with extreme flavor, ergo, anything not uber tasty ends up as bland. But, according to the couple from Okayama that I met months ago, Japanese taste buds do not work like ours. They prefer serving food with just the right amount of flavor and add seasonings as preferred. Putting the talk about flavor aside, the serving for each dish was actually good. It was filling and because it didn't explode with so much flavor, it wasn't so hard to eat a hefty amount of food.
Considering the serving size of their food and the service they provide, the price you have to pay for each visit is worth every cent. Each menu item costs around P160 to P220. And so far, I have not failed to leave a tip (roughly 10% of what my food cost), because I'd feel bad to leave all their hard work to give me a pleasant time and a full stomach go unrewarded.
I can safely say that their good service and humble serving of Japanese food is what draws me to come back. Thought I was done? There's one more thing. After each of my visits, they gave me a voucher for 10% off my next meal (which is good until the end of this month).
I'll be rooting for this small restaurant, and I hope for them to be successful.
As of now, I've been there three times, and not once was there any regret. This is somewhat like "Okayama" all over again.
From the moment you enter, you'll be greeted by the servers, served a hot towel & water (and during my second visit, they gave me a cup of hot green tea). They have a buzzer on each table to call a server once you're ready to order or if you need anything. The menu isn't so elaborately designed, but then again, seeing a photo of each dish they serve with a price tag, it does its purpose well.
You may consider eating there as "casual dining", since the food is made upon ordering. The wait isn't that long, or maybe it didn't take long because there weren't that many customers. Either way, waiting wasn't so bad since all of the seats in the restaurant are couches.
As for the food, I'm not really sure how to go about this. The items I have tried are their Katsu Curry, Pork Ramen, and their Teriyaki Don with Miso Soup. One thing for sure, all the items aren't overflowing with flavor. I'm not saying that they're bland, but Filipinos usually prefer their food with extreme flavor, ergo, anything not uber tasty ends up as bland. But, according to the couple from Okayama that I met months ago, Japanese taste buds do not work like ours. They prefer serving food with just the right amount of flavor and add seasonings as preferred. Putting the talk about flavor aside, the serving for each dish was actually good. It was filling and because it didn't explode with so much flavor, it wasn't so hard to eat a hefty amount of food.
Considering the serving size of their food and the service they provide, the price you have to pay for each visit is worth every cent. Each menu item costs around P160 to P220. And so far, I have not failed to leave a tip (roughly 10% of what my food cost), because I'd feel bad to leave all their hard work to give me a pleasant time and a full stomach go unrewarded.
I can safely say that their good service and humble serving of Japanese food is what draws me to come back. Thought I was done? There's one more thing. After each of my visits, they gave me a voucher for 10% off my next meal (which is good until the end of this month).
I'll be rooting for this small restaurant, and I hope for them to be successful.