Dining Snippets: Oishinbo x Asakusa Home of Tempura x Ippudo
OISHINBO
3 KIND SASHIMI (P590)
On one unfortunate Thursday night, we braved the traffic to attempt to get a coveted seat in Urameshi-ya’s grill buffet, only to find out that the grill-all-you-can 45 buffet was only now available from Mondays to Wednesdays. We certainly didn’t want to burn a hole in our wallets by ordering a la carte when we can spend P500 to get our fill of wagyu, so we decided to jump to Izakaya Kikufuji; which had (as expected), a long winding queue. As we weren’t in the mood to splurge on Seryna’s indulgent dishes, we just decided to just enter the first restaurant that provided us indoor seats; hence, we found ourselves in Oishinbo.
SUKIYAKI (P960)
We didn't really know what to get...so since our tummies were growling for beef, we ended up ordering the only beef dish they had, the Sukiyaki. Its serving suggestion promises to feed two to three people; but when the huge boiling pot was laid in front of us, it was certainly enough to feed a family of 5. Its sukiyaki broth was delicious; as it maintained a nice balance of sweetness and saltiness. It also didn’t skimp on ingredients as the pot was filled with silky cubes of tofu, fresh and crunchy Chinese lettuce, leeks, and endless strips of tender beef. Even though the three of us were growling, we had plenty left to take home!
KAKIAGE (P280)
We ordered a number of side dishes just to provide our palates with a shift of flavor. You can opt to skip their sashimi as the selection we were served with was not fresh. Its kakiage was acceptable; but it seemed to go a bit overboard with its sweet potato strips; thus making it heavier than usual.
Although it was a surprisingly pleasant dining experience, sadly, I don’t see myself ever picking Oishinbo as a priority over the usual Little Tokyo favorites.
Oishinbo
Little Tokyo, 2277 Pasong Tamo, Legazpi Village, Makati
Date of Visit: January 21, 2016 with Jem Chua and Kino Mendoza
ASAKUSA HOME OF TEMPURA
Who doesn’t love tempura? Just the thought of Kimpura’s Kisu Tempura and Kuretake’s Kakiage Tempura is guaranteed to make me drool! Thus, I was pretty excited to sample Asakusa Home of Tempura, especially since it seems to claim mastery over all things of tempura.
SEAFOOD CATCH WITH UDON (P288 + 48)
It serves its tempura as set meals which come with your choice among plain rice, fried rice, cold/hot soba or udon. I opted for the Seafood Catch and upgraded it to pair it with Hot Udon. I was served with a piece each of ebi tempura, kisu tempura, kani tempura, and ika tempura. The set also gives you the option to pair it with the classic tempura sauce or the sticky and sweet Asakusa sauce, which is likened to a thickened teriyaki glaze. The Asakusa sauce is similar to the tendon sauce served in Tenya; however, I’m still a tempura purist, and prefer eating tempura old school style, with its classic sauce pairing. Unfortunately, the tempura set was mediocre and disappointing. It may have come with an affordable price tag, but everything else about it was forgettable.
Asakusa Home of Tempura
GF Grove Retail Row, The Grove by Rockwell, C5, Ugong, Pasig City
Date of Visit: February 6, 2016 with Angelli Dykimching, Elaine Co, and Patty Cotoco
IPPUDO
I don’t get to frequent Ippudo as often as I drop by Ramen Nagi and Hokkaido Ramen Santouka as it has yet to expand as much as the other two ramen joints. Yet, each visit is certainly enjoyable and memorable.
FRIED CHICKEN BUN (P125)
I still dream about the first dish I’ve ever eaten in an Ippudo franchise, the Shrimp Bun, which I have tried in Ippudo Hong Kong. It has yet to make its way to our shores, but the latest ‘bun’ offering of Ippudo, the Fried Chicken Bun definitely packs on the crunch, and delivers on flavor; that it's a pretty good alternative for it! The tasty fried chicken fillet is glazed in a delectably sweet sauce and is neatly packed in a small cuapao bun. Definitely a must-try starter!
OROSHI PONZU GYOZA (P210)
On the other hand, the Oroshi Ponzu Gyoza was quite a disappointment. The potstickers were scrawny and greasy, with a filling that was bland. One good thing about it though would be the perfect crisp its wrappers had.
SPICY TSUKEMEN (P495)
Another new offering of Ippudo (which I think is only a seasonal item) would be its Spicy Tsukemen. I adored every single bite of this dish. It definitely trumps the tsukemen served by Mitsuyado Sei-Men in all aspects. Its dipping broth is rich and flavorful, but not overwhelming. Its noodles (I opted for the cold ones) were cooked perfectly; as they were firm enough to ‘hold’ the sauce in each slurp. The winning ingredient was definitely the spicy miso ground pork that the noodles were topped with which breathed life on to this dish.
Ippudo
3F Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
Date of Visit: February 20, 2016 with Lily Chua
