Little Tokyo: Ryozen

Japanese food is very popular the world throughout, and Manila is no exception. In major shopping malls, there's almost always a restaurant, a food booth, or a fast food chain that has a Japanese theme to it. However, there's a little nook along Makati's Pasong Tamo that really gives a slice of authentic Japan. The place is called "Little Tokyo" and it is a collection of restaurants all surrounding a quaint little courtyard. The presence of cats along the alleyway leading to the place already reminds one of Japan :-). 

Only one restaurant will be featured by the fennel bulbs for this entry, and it's the first restaurant from the alleyway. It's called Ryozen (りょぜん) and it is quite a yakiniku restaurant, a sushi-ya, and an izakaya all packed into one. The restaurant is quite cozy, but typical of a bustling Oriental eatery, the noise levels are a bit high. One can choose to eat by the counter where one can watch the cooks and the elderly Japanese chef prepare the orders neatly while watching some NHK or some Japanese soap on the TV. 

Above is a plate of hiyayakko (ひややっこ, Php110) or a tofu appetizer. Soft tofu is used and the dressing has the right balance of saltiness (from the shoyu), and a hint of sweetness (which is perhaps from mirin). Bonito flakes, ginger, and spring onion is drizzled on top. A very refreshing and light appetizer, indeed. 

Next is the futomaki (ふとまき, Php300). It's quite a meal in itself already. The fillings are very substantial, and compared to other futomakis served elsewhere, it is very tasty! The filling consists of rolled-up egg (玉子), some cooked onions (which may be the reason why it's so tasty), cucumber, and kani sticks. Each slice is a hefty piece so it's best to use the hands to gobble one slice up, as using chopsticks would just ruin it. 

Next is a plateful of beef curry rice (~Php300). The curry tastes good and reminds one of those S&B ready-made curry formulas, but the chunks of beef used should need some more tenderizing as they are moderately tough! Nevertheless the taste made up for the failure in texture. 

Lastly, but not the least is a basic yakiniku mix (~Php350). Mostly chicken innards (gizzard, liver, intestines) plus the skins and the flesh are skewered onto the barbecue sticks, with the exception of the leeks and the shiitake mushrooms. Some Japanese mustard is served on a little plate as a condiment. The quality of the innards and the manner with which they were cooked are good, and there's no staleness to the taste, which is quite common with innards. 

Service is also very good and the waiters are attentive, which are typical of Japanese-owned establishments. Everyone was friendly and courteous, and one can just have a seat and chat the evening away with the elderly Japanese chef. 

Incredible India right here in Manila

The flavours of India have long allured gastronomers the world over. The quest for spices have considerably shaped European history and Indian holds a bounty of these spices. Indian food has become so pervasive that a variety of cultures have their own version of curry, all inspired by the Indian dish. Britain's national food is absolutely Indian, the Tikka Masala. 


Thankfully, Manila has also a sizable Indian community and a number of authentic Indian restaurants have sprung up around town. One Indian restaurant that the fennel bulbs absolutely love, have always come back to, and would be more than delighted to recommend is Swagat, along Rada Street in Legaspi Village, Makati City. It is a little restaurant on street level. Its interiors are basic and a bit tacky in places. Nonetheless, the food never fails to give the palate a most pleasing experience. 

For starters, pappadom fry (Php50 for 2 pieces) would be a delicious treat. Served together with two dips which you can use as condiments to other dishes - a coriander dip (coloured green) and a sweet and tangy tamarind dip (coloured brown). Pappadom is a paper-thin crunchy bread resembling crackers in consistency. It is light and has a nutty taste. 

Next is the Bhajia (Php110), or onion fritters. This is what would probably pass off as street food in India - and the greatest food finds are actually the ones being sold by hawkers. It is crunchy and spicy, and the flavors of onion blend well with the starches that make it crunchy. We surmise that crushed peas or lentils were most likely blended into this dish. It's meant for sharing, and makes a scrumptious snack. 

The first main entree is the Murgh Mirchi (Php210), chicken in green chillies and other spices. The sauce is most likely yoghurt-based, and the flavors are rich and spicy, without being too satiating. In Swagat, diners actually have the option to choose between mild, moderate, and spicy. Spicy would be too overpowering and leaves the taste buds too dumbfounded to discern flavours. But moderate is just enough to savour the richness of all the spices used. 

Next is the Baigan Bharta (Php110), a dish made from grilled eggplant, tomatoes, and spices. The grilled eggplant is smoky in flavour and blends very well with the sauce made from tomatoes and a host of spices. It is moderately spicy but not too much to overpower the smokiness of the grilled eggplant. It is also a bit mushy in texture since eggplants tend to soften when exposed to heat. 

Last but not the least is Methi Pullow rice (Php170). Pullow is the Indian term for rice cooked with spices and onions. Methi is Indian for fenugreek. Indeed one tastes the flavours of the fenugreek, as well a certain level of nuttiness due to the fenugreek seeds. Basmati rice is used, which due to its low glycemic index is also good for the health. 

Swagat is an absolutely recommendable restaurant. The service is good and the servers are trained well, serve courteously and know their menu. The prices are by all means reasonable and the servings just enough to fill two starving bellies.

Most of all, it offers a hearty sampling of Indian culture through the delicious food that it serves. 

Spanish Ties

There's a lot of connection between the Philippines and Spain, including cuisine. However, the Spanish restaurants that have become institutions in Manila are quite short of being truly authentic and a bit superannuated. One chain of restaurants that is gaining popularity among locals and tourists alike here in Manila, however, is Barcino. Not only is it a restaurant, it's also a tavern, or should it be a tavern that just expanded into a restaurant.  

The interiors resemble that of a cellar, and the vast wine collection, largely from Spain and Portugal, is stored in cooled glass shelves. A very good thing about Barcino is that its bottles of wine seem to cost cheaper than anywhere else in the metropolis. Also, the chef and the owners are Catalan; and thus the ambience and the food very much gives one a sampling of authentic Spanish food. 

One particular bottle of wine that caught the fennel bulbs' attention is the Vinho Verde. This is a Portuguese wine, and its name literally translates to green wine. However, Vinho Verde is actually a class of wines encompassing both red and white wine types, and the colour green refers to the youthful freshness of the grapes used. This bottle is a Gatao (with a tilde over the o, Php590), literally meaning cat, and thus the green cat on the bottle. Alcohol content is at 11% and it is slightly sweet, light, and refreshing. 

While waiting for dinner to be served, a basket of sliced baguettes and salsa is served. The salsa is very tasty, and the flavour of garlic is prominent. In Barcelona, they would often serve sliced bread with chopped tomatoes and whole cloves of garlic that one slices up himself! A very garlicky starter indeed!

Empenada Vegetal (vegetable pies, Php190) for appetizer. They're unlike the small empanadas or empanaditas one could buy from the supermarket. They resemble calzones more in size. The filling is largely spinach cooked in onions with what seems to be cubes of goat's cheese. 

Next in line are chistorras con huevo roto (chistorras with scrambled eggs, Php195). Chistorra is a fast-cured sausage originating from the Basque country, consisting of minced pork and beef enclosed in beef or lamb tripe. Its reddish hue comes from the salt, garlic, and paprika used to cure it. Together with the scrambled eggs, it's very tasty and rich. 

Last, and definitely the most exciting of the evening's dishes was the paella valenciana (Php550). Flavoured with saffron with copious amounts of seafood - shrimps, squid, and mussles - it's one dish to satiate both the taste buds and the appetite. However, one peculiarity that the fennel bulbs have noticed is that it didn't take much time before the dish came out, which most probably means that the chef has prepared this in advance. Usually when one orders paella in most restaurants, a good 20 minutes is the minimum before this sumptuous Spanish dish can be enjoyed.

Nevertheless, one never misses a chance to have a good time at Barcino. The fennel bulbs would

recommend the branch at city golf plaza where the staff are very attentive and know their craft quite well.

But, another good thing about Barcino is that they've opened up branches in most of Manila's nicer and 

accessible places, including ones in Rockwell, Greenbelt, and in Bonifacio Global City. 

Little Place, Big Dreams

Indeed some of the best restaurants are actually the small unnoticeable ones located in quiet neighborhoods or in places one wouldn't expect to find something like it. Over the past few months, one place, also located in the quiet Kapitolyo district of Pasig City, that the fennel bulbs come back to from time to time for great eats is Poco Deli along East Capitol Drive. 

This quaint little place is also an epicerie where one can buy different sorts of sausages, cold cuts, and homemade spreads. The place also sells bottles of wine, the selections of which are moderately comprehensive, enough to include Galician cervezas and Portuguese white wine.

Above is a plate of thin-crusted pizza topped with mozarella cheese and bits of Jamon Iberico (Iberian ham), about 350Php. The pizza dough is cooked well, not being too crunchy or burnt on the edges. Iberian ham resembles prosciutto in taste, but the texture is harder and coarser than its Italian counterpart; overall it is more robust.

Since this is a little deli restaurant and not a full-blown speciality restaurant that focuses on one cuisine, the selections of pizza and pasta are quite limited. But this doesn't mean that what's available doesn't live up to standards. Above is a plate of Spaghetti Aglio Olio (Php 190), which is the fennel bulb's favorite spaghetti. Topped with fresh parsley and grated pecorino cheese, it is as good as it can be. 

Besides pasta and pizza, Poco Deli also has a small selection of entrees, their goodness compensating for the restricted menu. The Irish beef stew (~Php 300) is a hearty dish made with softened chunks of beef (most likely shanks), potatoes, and a rich brown sauce redolent with the flavor of beer. The servings are good enough for two on a reduced appetite, and more than enough for a hungry soul. 

Lastly, a bowl of home made strawberry yoghurt (~Php80) to cleanse the palate. It's natural,

moderately sour, and the hint of sweetness about it is just enough. 

Poco Deli is indeed a small, quiet place (poco is Italian for 'small' or 'bit'). However, what draws one to the place is the kind of homeliness it has about it - the lack of pretension in its interiors and its honest selection of great food. Most importantly, one feels the passion whoever owns the place has for good food and their desire to make their customers happy. 

Tokyo for Happy Palates (part 3)

Shibuya is probably the hippest and most vibrant place in Tokyo. It's here where lots of people, mostly young but yes, some elderly people too, hang out, meet each other, shop, and eat. A very famous landmark where people would usually meet each other is the Hachiko exit where one would find a statue of the dog known for his unwavering loyalty named Hachiko as well as murals of the animal.

Just a stone's throw away from the Hachiko exit is the bustling Shibuya Marks Square. A lot of restaurants can be had here, including the famous Midori Sushi-ya, which unfortunately will not be featured here because of the long queue and the fennel bulbs' unbearable pangs of hunger. 

Failing to eat legendary sushi brought them to Brasserie Ginza Lions, which turns out to be a discovery worth noting. The restaurant serves some Japanese dishes and some continental dishes, with a Japanese take on Western cuisine, known as Yoshoku (洋食). 

Above is a picture of a sizzling plate of sausages, potatoes, bell pepper, and onions (~Y800). Some spring onions are sprinkled on top which is quite a Japanese touch. The dish is just as hearty as it seems to be. 

Next is a slender (but still quite for the hefty appetite) plateful of seasoned rice topped with tender garlic beef (~Y1400). The taste is reminiscent of beef teppanyaki, with the typical seasonings of soy sauce and sesame muted a bit giving the garlic more authority over the flavor of the dish. 

Lastly are oyster croquettes (かきコロッケ, ~Y1000 with rice and soup). Croquettes are quite a simple dish, but the quality of ingredients can turn the otherwise taken-for-granted croquette into an exquisite piece. The oysters are fresh, tender, almost purifying in its flavor. The croquettes are fried perfectly without burning the oysters inside. 

After a day soaking the sounds and bustle of Shibuya, it would be lovely to have a dinner in a bit more upscale place. Still part of the Tokyo metropolitan area, the city of Kawasaki offers a lot to those looking for electronics and is only a short train ride away from the port city of Yokohama. La Zona is a sprawling (and very nice) mall located next to Kawasaki station, and has a lot of culinary delights to offer with its restaurants. 

A place the fennel bulbs would love to recommend to those looking for a very nice (rather chic) place, and to those who are not in a very tight budget, is S teppanyaki, located on the top floor of the mall. This restaurant has dim and understated interiors and would be perfect for those on a date. 

A quaint appetizer that would get one going is a small rice bowl topped with rarely-cooked and seasoned Wagyu beef (Y900). Yes, this is just an appetizer as the servings are indeed, meant just to put something into an empty belly. The beef is perfect and melts in the mouth. The spring onions add a bit of tanginess to the dish. 

The piece de resistance for the evening was King Crab teppan (Y2600). The crab is fresh as it can get, and the meat from the thighs and the claws is just delicious. The seasonings, which seem to be limited to salt and pepper, are minimal, and all there is to taste is pure luscious crab. 

S Teppanyaki also serves dessert, which is by no means of negligible quality. Set on a frosted glass dish is strawberry tiramisu (Y650), which made the fennel bulbs very happy.