Nikkei: Japanese Served Rare
Amidst a plethora of tonkatsu and ramen themed restaurants, Nikkei stands out by providing a lighter and fresher alternative to Japanese cuisine. Championing an interesting mix of Japanese and Peruvian influenced dishes, the restaurant is noted for serving dining fare cold and rare.
SALMON THAI (P395) and EBI CAUSA APPETIZER (P140)
Each small plate is a delicately curated creation which boasts of a beautifully complex melody of flavors. The Salmon Thai showcases the distinct flavors of Thai cuisine to bring about the freshness of its salmon slices: the sweetness of mango, the richness of the coconut milk, and the balance of tinges of salty and sourness of the classic Thai dressing. The Ebi causa appetizer features light shrimp rolls filled with a guacamole dip, and spiced with rocoto and togarashi. The rolls were so small that each piece was fully consumed before I can begin appreciating its flavors!
TIRADITOS (P175)
Nikkei’s famed Tiraditos comes in variants of white fish, salmon, tuna, and octopus. We opted for the thinly sliced octopus which came garnished with red chili and cilantro; and glazed with the restaurant’s signature sauce. The octopus slices were freshly sourced and prepared. They had a nice bite to them, and weren’t too gummy or tough to eat through.
SEARED TUNA (P680)
The standout for me would be its Seared Tuna, which is served as one of its main dishes. Featuring a beautiful row of fresh seared ahi tuna, the dish is served with a deliciously cheesy and creamy Huancaina risotto. I certainly don’t mind having this all to myself.
NIKKEI BENEDICT (P480)
If you end up visiting Nikkei during lunch time, do watch out for its lunch sets which come with miso soup, and a scoop of ice cream. The miso soup interestingly came garnished with cilantro; but paled in flavor.
I opted to try the Nikkei Benedict as it was the most unique and interesting main selection. Innovating on the classic Eggs Benedict, it replaces the typical ham or salmon filling with fresh tuna slices, and grilled prawns. These two buns may look tiny but boy can they fill you up! The fried potato strings it’s served with definitely earns brownie points for this dish.
GINGER ICE CREAM
Piqued by curiosity, I opted for the Ginger flavor of its ice cream. Perfect as a palate cleanser, the ginger flavor was distinct enough to give an interesting kick to your typical vanilla; but subtle enough as to not overwhelm your tastebuds.
Droolworthy Dishes: Seared Tuna, Nikkei Benedict, Ginger Ice Cream, Salmon Thai
Nikkei
Unit G03, Frabelle Business Center, 111 Rada St., Legaspi Village, Makati City
Dates of Visit: February 5, 2016 with Tikay Yu, Gwen Oliva and Michelle Cruz; March 4, 2016 with Nick Castro
