Tenya TEN Card, For an Absolute Tempura Tendon Steal

For almost five years already, Tenya has given all Filipinos the chance to experience Japan's #1 Tempura Tendon and have been become a favorite from among foodies and gourmands alike.  No wonder they have grown bigger with nine branches nationwide.  If you're still unacquainted with this brand, Tenya offers its signature deep-fried battered seafood, meat and vegetables laid over a bed of steaming Japanese rice and drizzled with their special dontare sauce.  It has since then given everyone a reason to indulge in Japanese cuisine.

Hakata Ton-Ichi Dishes Up Affordable Yet #EssentialRamen

On certain occasion, slurping your food is encouraged, even when the tita in you says listen to your values teacher when she says eat quietly, lady-like, so no slurping.  Japanese slurps their noodles like it's a must.  According to ramen chefs, when you slurp, you inhale the aroma of the soup and noodles while the taste explodes in your mouth. This is because humans detect taste not just on the taste buds but also through sense of smell, hence, slurping.  It is the best way to combine these two, especially when one feasts on bowls of ramen.


Let the ramen-slurping begin!

Spring into the Season with Tenya’s Buy 1 Take 1 on Classic Tendon this April 10 and more

In Japan, spotting pink soft petals floating on the ground only means one thing - it’s sakura season. During this time of the year, people enjoy hanami, the tradition of viewing the beauty of cherry blossoms. It is a short-lived yet magical moment for everyone to enjoy.

Just like the cherished passing season, don’t get to miss out on these limited edition dishes at Tenya Tempura Tendon branches from March 28 to May 31, 2019.

Saboten Express With the MommyBFFs

Saboten, purveyor of the world's favorite pork cutlet has gotten affordable. This is just the perfect news for North-based foodies as they have branched out in MegaFashion Food Hall, in SM Megamall.

When I heard the news, I made it a point to check it out.  As we all have known, Saboten is a world-class brand serving the Tokyo-famed pork Katsu, which have a branch in G/F Serendra, Bonifacio Global City and G/F Glorietta 5.

This time they have opened in favor or SM Megamall goers and made the brand more affordalicious! 

Cherry Blossom Feels with Tenya's Sakura Tendon

Japan's sought-after season, the “sakura” or cherry blossom, symbolizes spring time, the season of the year
have been celebrated for centuries in such art forms as haiku, ukiyo-e (woodblock prints), and traditional music. In a culture deeply imbued with Buddhism, the bloom of the beautiful sakura are a natural symbol of the notion of impermanence, a yearly reminder of the transience of all life.

This makes the season at its busiest, what drives thousands of tourists to Japan yearly.

Saboten Means Perfect 10 Katsu for My Family

One gleeful Sunday - not like any other Sundays, a Sunday we would rarely have, as my daughter, Danielle went with us to attend church service at New Life the Fort.  Before we went to hear more good news about the Lord, we went to Saboten.  

Here are a few reasons why we decided to dine here for the nth time, this too after having found out that Stella is no more.  For five years of indulging us with soul food, they bid farewell and is embarking on a new concept, still under Raintree Restaurants group.

Shinsen, Simple

After watching Jiro Dreams Sushi, we gained a much higher respect for the sushi chefs and then this gave us a hankering for sushi, I mean authentic, traditional Japanese sushi. 

Jiro Dreams Sushi is an American documentary film directed by David Gelb. The film follows Jiro Ono (小野 二郎 Ono Jirō), an 85-year-old sushi master and owner of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a Michelin three-star restaurant. Sukiyabashi Jiro is a 10-seat, sushi-only restaurant located in a Tokyo subway station. Jiro Ono serves a tasting menu of roughly 20 courses, for a total of 30,000 Japanese yen ($281 USD). (words for Wikipedia).

However, you can't just go to Japan with just one click and taste its finest culinary offering.

A First Look at Rolls Republic's #SpeedyRollsFestival

You may have not known this but, I do have a love affair with my bed on Sundays, thus, waking up early isn't on the day's list of "To-do."

Please, let's not be too quick to judge, coz I'm a Christian too, but I'm sure the Lord does not mind coming to church on an afternoon service.  Like many parents, my husband and I wake up early every day to take care of the kids as they go to school, then gardening and household chores begin when they leave.  Then, I'm one headless chicken running around the house to do as many chores I could while planning for my blog posts.

Going back to my Sunday morning routine, I would like to make way for this particular Sunday when my husband and I drove on a Sunday morning to check out the Rolls Republic which is located at Avenue of Arts Building, a little over at Roxas Boulevard.

Pay Less Eat More, Even Luxuriously at Raintree Restaurants

Many would argue that food shouldn't be a luxury especially when you're a Foodie.  That "effin" F-word really gets you ha!  Being a foodie, food categorizing should not bother you at all, whether it's gourmet, a street food, fancy or just plain, traditional, food is food, and you can always get on the bandwagon of trying out trending food.  And you just don't care of being judged.

Enticing Flavors Added to Izakaya Sensu's Menu

Just a couple of days ago, hubs and I were serious about trying out  a couple of listed sushi bars in Manila.  This happened after watching Jiro Dreams of Sushi, a documentary movie about an 85-year old Japanese sushi master.  The master Jiro Ono, owns a Michelin three-star restaurant - Sukiyabashi Jiro located in a subway in Tokyo which we dream of trying out in the future.  Our first take on this project did not start out so well, this one was in Ortigas.

Experience the taste of Japanese Food, Music at Buddha-Bar Manila

Buddha-Bar’s Corporate Chef Shigeki Iimura, to serenade customers with the exquisite Japanese Cuisine

Buddha-Bar-Manila, a world-class resto-bar-lounge that offers fine dining and entertainment experience, is bringing the best of contemporary Japanese cuisine as Chef Shigeki Iimura, Buddha-Bar’s Japanese Corporate Chef, visits Manila this July 7 for a meet-and-greet with lovers of good food and entertainment.

A night of gastronomical delight will follow on July 8 as the renowned executive chef showcases his culinary skills as he prepares choice Japanese dishes through a live kitchen demo.

Izakaya Reinvented by Raintree Restaurants

Conventionally, an izakaya is meant to be a pub, where Japanese would stay for affordable drinks. The "I" in izakaya is for "to stay" and "sakaya," a sake shop.  For non-drinkers and fussy foodies like us (me and my hubs), places as such might not dazzle us over.

Get More Bang for Your Buck at Terraz' Payday Buffet

So, I was like asking some friends over at Messenger about payday.  It has been a long time that I haven't experienced a full-pledged salary on a regular basis so I'm not so adept on how it is when the 15th or the 30th of the month come. I mean if I remember it correctly, when I was working full time at a company, our salary fall on the 10th and the 25th, so duh!  Most of them, wasn't actually excited about it as it may meant bills to pay, some though are happy whenever those dates are on as they can purchase stuff they have planned for.  One of them, in such a surprising manner, happened to give me a Pinterest link to which a collection of funny memes about salary and payday were listed - Pinterest.com/explore/pay-day-humor.

Mr. Kurosawa's Teishoku Trays Are Now Available During Weekends at RWM

Cheers to us Japanese food lovers!  Mr. Kurosawa, a fusion of European and Japanese taste has extended it's Teishoku trays during weekends.

You can not only enjoy Mr. Kurosawa's dishes, but at the same time you can make sure you stay within your budget for a hefty and healthy meal.

Ultimate Buffet Dining Experience at Sambo Kojin, SM Fairview

WORDS and PHOTOS by Christian Melanie Lee of MatakawnaBata.com

When I learned about the opening of Sambo Kojin’s SM City Fairview last August, I was excited to try their wide array of Japanese and Korean cuisine.

The Youngest of the Pack is Now Eleven

Eleven...

I'm not talking about the inexplicable character in Stranger Things, the trending Netflix series.  It's now my daughter's age.  As she turned a year higher than ten, I can see that she will achieve what she aspires for even at an early age.  Being the youngest, she had been "the" go-to girl for everything. You know as in all her siblings order her to do this and that - from getting their stuff, cleaning around, and yes, down to the intensely emotional act of injecting insulin to her older sister (well in an exaggerated manner of me telling).

Kikkoman's Oriental Journey Master Class

After attending Kikkoman Soy Sauce' first Oriental Cooking sesh at 25 Mushroom Kitchen, I make sure that we never run out of Japan's No. 1 soy sauce, Kikkoman, and its Teriyaki Sauce.

When you want authentic Japanese taste in your home, never settle for something less specially with how you season your dishes.  I want mine to be as natural as can be, so it's not harmful for my family's health.  I make sure that what I'm serving my husband and kids are top quality products made with passion and never compromising with tradition, after all, that's how we should savor life.

Teriyaki Boy for Dana's 12th Birthday

After having the most enjoyable afternoon at Miracle Art and Star City, the whole fambam had dinner at Teriyaki Boy, which was walking distance to Star City.

The place holds dear to me as this was Bhogs and I had really known each other well on occasional early morning jogs.  I also remembered having to practice our dance routines with my high school classmates at the very ground where restaurants now were built.

Kantori Yakitori

When a restaurant wall speak of something else...

I love seeing artworks in restaurants and murals are just some of the thing we can also marvel at inside common dining establishments nowadays.

But more than that, what I fancy is how they put art in the menu.  Because that is really possible and this blog have proved that countless times.  

BF Homes- Aguirre is not new to this kind of players.  A group of friends, a chef, mixologist and businessman had transformed a meager lot into a quaint tambayan for a fusion of street food and Japanese food, paired with craft beer and unique cocktail mixes.

Epic Dining by Visa's Launch at Hide Yamamoto

I just love it when I hear or even read the word epic, especially when we are talking about eating. This word certainly have been one of the most uttered word in history in the last decade, for one it meant very great or impressive.  Merriam Webster even defined it as extending beyond the usual or ordinary especially in size or scope.  

What could have been  a better word to use for Visa's new dining program for Visa card-holders. What delighted diners in its last year's run, will also delight Filipinos who deserve to indulge in good food and the good life.