Suki Moko

Since my craving for Japanese food hasn't died down yet and Katsu Cafe made was pretty expensive, this time I looked for a Japanese restaurant that was more affordable. Fortunately I was able to find one that's near the overpass and saved me from the trouble but I gotta say, what really caught my attention was the restaurant's name. I don't know if it was because Suki Moko was a very creative one or the Tagalog reference was just downright silly. Nonetheless, I found myself eating there.

I'm sorry if I'm starting things out with another tempura review. To tell you the truth, I was a bit apprehensive in ordering a tempura dish since I was well aware that the place offers cheap food but to see them cooking the tempura right next to the cashier just got the best of me. For P95, you get your money's worth considering the fact that they serve real prawns with Japanese fried rice. It didn't really blow me away but it was enough to make me say that it was definitely worth my money. What they can polish on more is their presentation I must say.

that crumb on the right brings out the OCD in me....

 I kinda curious as to how tempura is/should be prepared. Got some advice from Curtis Stone.

Php 85 for a delicious meal of beef, rice and egg? A very good deal considering Suki Moko's in Katipunan. It's a simple meal, nothing fancy. The taste was a more than ordinary, and the meal was moderately filling and very affordable.

I know that you might think that this is a bad case of deja vu but in all honesty, their Katsudon is quite different than all the Katsudons you might have eaten in the past (well at least for me it was). Anyways, "what makes it different?", you might ask. Well, there's two things I can readily point out; that's taste and price. For the former, it doesn't really do so well. At the most, it tastes a bit better than some of the Katsudons out there: flavorful and hot when served, but a bit typical nonetheless. It is in the latter aspect that it shines. With a 85 peso price tag, you'll be hard-pressed in buying it regardless of its taste but thankfully, that was not the case. In its entirety, it could be considered as nothing short of satisfactory. So, if you're looking for a rather cheap but tasty Katsudon for an affordable price, then Sukimoko's Katsudon is for you!

 So should Suki Moko be avoided? Well I wouldn't say that to some extent. Go there for the exact same reason why I went there - A full stomach for an affordable price.

Katsu Cafe

 I was driving around Katipunan searching for the next place to review and even passed by "Eat! Great Food" hoping that nobody would have to endure their version of "food." After a couple of reviews, it was really difficult finding a next place to review then I remembered my friend told me to try out Katipunan's own version of Yabu - Katsu Cafe.

I fell in love with the place the moment I walked in. The design and architecture of the place really made it look high end. It was one of those places that was carefully thought out to give the customers their money's worth. I must tell you now that the place isn't cheap but the food, ambiance and the overall dining experience was amazing.

Sorry for the bad pictures. I swear it looks so much better than this.

If you're a fan of Japanese cuisine and willing to pay a little extra, then this place is definitely the right fit. Just so you know, the place doesn't serve sushi but I believe Japanese cuisine defines itself beyond that and I don't think you're a true lover of Japanese cuisine if all you can associate with it is sushi.

The menu is pretty straightforward. Personally, I'm a fan of straightforward menus since there's no reason really to order unpopular dishes (all the more reason not to offer it anyway). The place is really pricey so it's not really a smart choice to go ala carte. All set orders are served with miso soup and a small salad on the side.

When I saw the word tempura sets, my mouth immediately salivated while my wallet was sure of itself losing a few paper bills. So you only live once right? The P290 the Prawn tempura 3 pcs set made its way to my table and my God...

 Doesn't the picture below just shout "great idea?!" To some this may seem like a typical order but for me, it was a masterpiece. I didn't have it in me to start eating because it was just so good to look at but when the stomach calls, you  have to answer. I started with the miso soup which was still very hot. Though my tongue was begging for me to drink it slower, it was too late. The inner beast was released.

 I drank it down so quick that I could feel my insides burning and that didn't even stop me. I grabbed the crunchy tempura and dipped it in the warm tempura sauce which I gotta say was the best tempura sauce I've ever tasted. The tempura was so crunchy that it would instantly absorb the tempura sauce. It was served with this steaming hot rice which was still kinda wet and sticky. I loved it eating it with the tempura. I spared not a single grain of rice, not a single drop of soup, not a single drop of tempura sauce not even the smallest tempura crumb. Not a single thought of regret. 

Aside from the sauce that came with the tempura, Katsu Cafe provides you with other condiments such as sesame oil, chili powder and their signature sauce (correct me if I'm wrong). Though the sesame oil and chili powder are the ones you find in those P88 Japanese stores (I believe), they are surprisingly good; even allowed me to make my own version of spicy tempura.

If you're like me, I try to make weird food combinations work. Even though the tempura dish didn't call for their signature sauce,it was enticing me to have fun with it. It even came to a point when I was spooning it on my plate and taking it in without anything else. You know what, I'm not even sorry!

So if you're looking to satisfy your cravings for Japanese food, head over to Katsu Cafe. I'm sure you're going to have a great time like I did.

Roku Ramen

So before anything else, I would like to warn you first that this review isn't one that's fresh from memory due to the class suspensions the past few days. I would be using images from the internet to try to make things interesting. Don't worry, proper accreditation would be given. 

5/F Oracle Bldg, Katipunan Ave  
Loyola Heights, Quezon City

The ambiance is enough to make you fall in love with this place. Since it's located on the 5th floor of Oracle, you would have a rare high view of Katipunan and Ateneo which is usually a rare one given the restrictions. The place is relatively small but cozy. It's like dining inside one of those high rise buildings in New York or Japan. 

Taken from the blog of Benjamin Padero.

Given that it's a Ramen house, I decided to order the Roku Pork Ramen for P219. The price could turn you off a little but lemme tell you that the serving is really big; enough to make you full without ordering anything else really. It's shoyu broth is one that's already good on its own but you have the Chasu pork, bok choy, nori and freshly made ramen noodles to make it score a home run. What I disliked however is that the broth wasn't that hot. I like my soup boiling hot because for me, that's what defines soup. It has to be served boiling hot and it should cool down as you take little slurps while striking a conversation with a friend. Well that's just me - probably you could just request the waiter to serve it hot.

Taken from the blog of Kristn

Next was the California Maki  P179 which you should definitely order. You could tell that it was made from the freshest ingredients; even the salmon roe is real. Just so you know, it wasn't served with the kani on top but even without it, it's definitely a must try!

Taken from the facebook page of Roku Ramen

Finally the Roku Roll P239 which had to be my favorite! The center was filled with kani and fresh salmon topped with tuna sashimi and finally drizzled with a spicy sauce. I usually don't like eating raw tuna right but the tuna on top was so fresh that there's even this lemony taste to it. Be sure to order this when you go to Roku!

Taken from the blog of Kristn

I highly recommend Roku because it stays true to its promise of serving authentic Japanese food. Who wouldn't wanna eat at a place with an amazing view, ambiance and above all else great food. The price might hurt your budget a little but I guarantee you it's worth every peso. Now I'm not saying you should eat there frequently. Go there to reward yourself like every friday or after finishing a hard exam. I assure you that you won't be dissapointed.

Chix and Treats

Chix & Treats would be one of those food establishments that you regularly pass by but really gave yourself the chance to try out. If I'm not mistaken, it goes way back which I think, is a reason why the outside looks a bit old but nonetheless, giving it  a chance is not really a bad idea.

They offer the Filipino favorites but their best seller according to them would be the chicken inasal with ubod achara which probably prompted them to name it Chix & Treats. What's probably worth mentioning is that they were able to capture that cozy Filipino hospitality by actually using the limited space to their advantage. When I got there, I've noticed that the crowd was very diverse. It was neither just centered around students from Ateneo nor Miriam but attracted the general public as well.

Their best seller, the chicken inasal with ubod achara got me with its simplicity. I've eaten in other joints who like to serve their chicken inasal fancy with sauces like annatto oil, rubbing with spices and herbs that doesn't make it authentic anymore. Just paired with calamansi, toyo and that addictive achara which I will get to in a bit, were enough to make me come back. Now for that ubod achara, let's just say I was pretty apprehensive eating it a first because it kinda looked funky...(white and orange seriously?) There was a part of me that secretly wished that the achara could have been the main dish because it was just too good.

I'm not that much of a fan of sinigang in general, but boy was their salmon belly sinigang good! It could be something right out of those cooking shows on TV. First, it had just the right amount of sourness to it; something I never expected to like. Second, the ingredients were plentiful. Aside from the typical veggies you'd find in some restos, this seemed to have more. Lastly, its taste! Though its veggies didn't really taste that well, its Salmon was a winner for me; it had just the right amount of oomf and it wasn't that overwhelming at all. After saying all that, I guess I'll just leave it for you guys to decide. IMO, if you're looking for something tasty, healthy, because their dishes they say don't have any preservatives in them, and something under 120 pesos, than this is the dish for you.

 So the chicken fingers were just right. They were like any other, but the sauce was amazing! The thing was, the amount of sauce was a joke. The sauce was the game changer for that dish. And yes, I can imagine how just the sauce and a cup of rice can be served as a meal, It’d probably an inexpensive hit. But the sauce was limited! Because of the mediocre taste of the chicken fingers without the sauce, and the amount of sauce that was served with it, I offer my most sincere disappointment to this dish. 

 I was ready to leave when this old lady (I'm assuming the owner) offered free pandan iced tea (one of their specialties also). She reminded me of one of those grandma's who serves freshly baked cookies to her grandchild.

It's taste was very similar to gulaman but there's this slight cooling sensation you feel after drinking it. It's worth trying I would say.

So what can I say about Chix and Treats? Well like I said above, if you're the type who just ignores it as you pass by, there are good reasons not too. It's an established restaurant that successfully satisfies your Filipino food cravings. On top of all that, management is very hands on and generous, I'm not saying you're going to get free pandan iced tea but yeah...

Eat! Great Food

I think you would agree as well that Eat! Great Food is probably the least creative name for a restaurant. However despite the dull name, there are several reasons why you should or probably should not try it out.

First, the area was poorly lighted and to a certain extent, it was very disorganized. I couldn't find a nice place to sit since there was always a reason not to pick a certain spot for reasons such as it was very close to the restroom, you would end up blocking the refrigerator, the table was very small, etc.

What I didn't like/found really confusing as well was the fact that their menu wasn't pretty straightforward. If you look around, there will always be signs and tarps that offer dishes that weren't displayed on the main menu. Aside from this, you would feel as if you were eating along EDSA since the walls are bombarded with other signs that clearly have nothing to do with food whatsoever. To me, it made the place look really cheap and placed management in a very bad light which is kinda funny since the place is terribly lighted as well. #mgatakotumitim

I dunno if I'm the only one that notices this but whenever the place looks this messy, "tipid" and above else, trying to post as much side businesses as possible, more often than not, a Chinese owns the establishment.  I'm not generalizing them but more importantly I have nothing against them but Seriously, they could make the place more creative. IT'S A RESTAURANT FOR CRYING OUT LOUD NOT YELLOW PAGES. I think that they are still under the impression that abstract is still a big hit.

Ok now for the good stuff. Despite the really unorganized menu/had a harder time ordering than going there, what really caught my attention was the fact that the prices were really really affordable.

According to them, their best seller is the baked cream dory. Honestly, I never expected Eat to have anything of the sort moreover, I got surprised you can even get something that good with just 90 pesos. Thinking about it, I guess they tried to lower down the cost by not giving a relatively large serving of it, but weirdly enough, I still ended up  full at end. It might have been the cheese or it might have been the tender and flavorful baked cream dory but regardless, I have to give props to them since that was one heck of fish dish they served. Oh and did I mention it was all for 90 pesos? I'll let the picture say the rest. Anyways, if you happen to pass by Eat, I highly recommend, go and try their baked cream dory, you'll soon find out why they call it one of their best sellers.

Their Hainanese chicken wasn't really that authentic or possibly they just added their own twist. The good ones that I've eaten tasted mild and subtle but had the very distinct flavor of ginger. Theirs sad to say tasted too bland even with the two sauces that came with it. Sad to say, the chicken looked disgusting. They should consider removing it from the already cluttered menu because the soup way better than this disastrous take on Hainanese chicken.

Would you like some fries with that? NO! I beg you not to even consider ordering their "fries" because that would be the equivalent of throwing away your money. You can choose from the different flavors but I cannot recall all of them (not that they deserve to be even remembered). I ordered the BBQ fries but what I got in return was enough to make Gordon Ramsay say "PUTANGINA!" THE BBQ FLAVORINGS BARELY STUCK TO THE FRIES! It all dropped to the bottom so ordering the plain one wouldn't make any difference.

Their sisig was actually pretty good and enough to make me come back. There was this mixture of sweet and savory flavors that accompanied the soft but kind of crunchy pieces. It was a memorable dish and by memorable I mean in a good way unlike their "french fries."

So what can I say about Eat! Great Food....Hits and misses for the most part. When they hit, they hit real good but when they miss, they miss real bad. What really turned me off was the awful look and feel of the place. No good reason to really go there.

Kamirori

After I destroyed Ra Men Oh, it's about time I move on to the next Japanese restaurant which is Kamirori. So what can we say about Kamirori....Well, in a nutshell, Kamirori is a lot like Ra Men Oh but more expensive so it's probably made with more quality ingredients.

First thing you have to keep in mind is that parking is very limited because Kamirori shares its location with Petron, Jollibee, Starbucks, etc. So if you think that it's worth trying, be there really early.

Pardon the blurry pictures above. So this is I guess, what Kamirori is known for - their rice bowls. A typical one would probably set you back around P200-250. The cheapest one and probably the weirdest one as well would be this rice bowl which is basically rice topped with two eggs...Why on earth would you go here to try that?

Don't let looks deceive you, Kamirori's Katsudon packs some punch. Looking back on how it tastes, I describe it as a step up compared to Ramen Oh's version of the same dish. What Ramen Oh's version lacked, Kamirori's Kastudon had, with the exception of looks of course. The dish packed more hits than misses but If I were to have it my way, the sticky rice from Ra Men Oh would make me die a happy man . Having said that, it's nothing a little tweaking can't fix. Now, if you guys are looking for a good and tasty Katsudon, just a bit pricier than Ramen Oh's, this is what you might be looking for. 

Do you know how Japanese food is really affordable? Well, I don't. 210 pesos for a gyudon may seem expensive, but it's actually a bit more affordable than other Japanese places over here. Plus, The mix was great! Other than a lower price, I can't differentiate it from other gyudons i've tried. There seems to be a mainstream taste to this dish and I hate that. I'm foodie hipster. I hate mainstream. People need to make something novel about their dishes - something others can't offer.

Though it doesn't look very pleasing, the ebi tempura tastes much better than it looks. Did I mention that 5 pieces would just cost you P130? It was definitely better than the tempura of Ra Men Oh not to mention that the one of Ra Men Oh's was just 3 pieces; what a scam. What made this dish a victory would probably the sauce which is actually more like soup since I couldn't stop drinking it even without the tempura. 

Anyway, Kamirori seems like the ideal place to go to since it's more affordable than other Jap places, and the meat dishes taste the same anyway. Until I find a more affordable or novel alternative, I'd consider going back there. T'was indeed money well spent.