Dining Snippets: Mighty Quinn x Ogetsu Hime x Sekitori
MIGHTY QUINN
Mighty Quinn adopted a fuss-free self-serve dining area reminiscent of a cafeteria for its interiors. Once you (or your companion) is able to secure a table, simply start queuing up to get a taste of their famed meats.
BRISKET (P495)
As we were just a small group, we figured that we won’t be able to finish its group servings; thus, we ended up opting for the restaurant's single servings. I opted for their Brisket which came with a cup of steak rice and a neat row of pickled sides. The brisket was immensely tender, as proven by how it wonderfully melts in your mouth. Its marinade and barbeque sauce went slightly overboard on the sour side as I found myself wanting for a bit more saltiness. Overall though, it was a good piece of quality meat! As it does its charred sides perfectly, you may want to consider ordering its Burnt Ends (P495).
Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque
3F SM Megamall, Mega Fashion Hall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
Date of Visit: February 11, 2017 with Erich Vicerra and Dolf Constantino
OGETSU HIME
MATSUSAKA TEPPANYAKI A4 (P2145)
Conveniently located right next to pricey neighbor Buta+Wagyu, Ogetsu Hime provides a selection of prime Japanese meats which come with larger servings, at more affordable prices. The Matsusaka Teppanyaki is an example of this. These melt in your mouth juicy chunks of prime beef are modestly served with garlic slivers, but boy do they pack up on the flavor! Pair them up with the insanely stuffed cup of Chajan Moriawase (P130) which is perfect for sharing, and you’re all good.
GYOZA (P165)
Although noted for its Matsusaka Beef and its Sukiyaki, the restaurant doesn’t shy away from serving up traditional Japanese fare which include the Gyoza, Kisu Tempura (P310), and its Kakiage Tempura (P310). Unfortunately, all three dishes tasted mediocre and were forgettable. It's best to get them elsewhere (Konbini for Gyoza and Kimpura for Tempura).
OYAKO SHAKE ROLL (P295)
The Oyako Shake Roll was almost perfect as its rolls came stuffed and layered with salmon tartare, salmon roe, cooked salmon, cream cheese, avocado, and tied together by a beautiful combination of wasabi, mustard, and mayonnaise. The lone combo breaker in this would-have-been stellar roll would be the salmon skin served inside and outside of the roll. All crunchiness seem to have escaped the salmon skin as we were left with chewy and odd-tasting pieces.
KOCHUKARU MAGURO (P285)
Fortunately, the Kochukaru Maguro more than made up for this. Ogetsu Hime’s ode to the classic spicy tuna salad focuses on the fresh tuna cubes cloaked in a fiery mayonnaise-based sauce and simply tops these with tempura crunchy bits. Another winner would be the Gindara Teriyaki (P625), which offered one of the meatiest and largest Gindara steaks I was ever served with. Definitely, value for money!
Ogetsu Hime
5F SM Aura, 26th St cor McKinley Parkway, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City
Date of Visit: February 5, 2017 with Wilson Chua, Lily Chua, Jared Chua, and Jem Chua
SEKITORI
Surveying the queue outside Urameshiya, my friends and I figured that it will be a while before we’ll be seated. We decided to try something else in Little Tokyo, upon the insistence of our grumbling tummies. Upon the recommendation of Lisa, we ended up dining in Sekitori.
CYANKONABE TEISYOKU (P530)
As it was my first time in Sekitori, I decided to try one of its house specialties, the Cyankonabe Teisyoku. This hearty set meal came with slices of tuna and salmon sashimi, and fresh cucumber sticks as starters. The main feature of the set would be the Sekitori bowl, a chicken broth-based udon filled with chicken strips and meatballs. The hearty soup was a comfort to drink as it felt like the perfect warm hug you need when you get the sniffles. However, the restaurant takes this up a notch by pairing it with a tangy vinegar-based dipping sauce. The sharp tinges of vinegar provide a beautiful contrast in flavors when paired with the salty clear soup base. The combination of flavors was so interesting that I almost forgot about the nearly-invisible over-cooked gindara that came in the set.
Sekitori
Little Tokyo, 2277 Chino Roces, Pasong Tamo, Legazpi Village, Makati City
Date of Visit: February 13, 2017 with Jolly Aganon and Lisa Manila
