Kubiertos

I am in a Japanese food mood lately that I keep craving for anything even remotely japanese, be it fastfood or authentic japanese. And even if I am hesitant about buying sashimi at a local fastfood because I know its really frozen rather than fresh, sometimes the craving is overwhelming.

My hubby and I felt that craving one weekend ago and wanted to see if Little Tokyo was actually open during weekends. I asked around but could not really confirm. We went anyway. We figured we could always go somewhere else if the place was closed.

True enough, most of the establishments found inside the Little Tokyo compound were closed. Surprisingly though Oishinbou was the one place that was open that Saturday. Longing for something new, we left the compound and went straight to Kikufuji.

The place was filled with an assortment of types from the truly Japanese (in suits – big time!) and some locals probably from nearby condo’s wanting to have a delicious filling lunch. The area near the entrance was filled with small dining tables and there was a bar (shall I say sushi bar) to the side. My hubby continued to walk past the tables towards the back of the restaurant and I wondered if he made a reservation without my knowing. He passed by several low tables (Japanese style) and immediately sat down at the next free table. He took off his shoes, sat down on the floor and crossed his legs like he had been doing this for the longest time.

I looked around and sat down myself. Several low wooden tables accompanied by cushioned, leg-less chairs. Imagine! I was so envious of the chairs they had. You see I love sitting on the floor but hate having to sit up with no back support. What a joy to see a chair made for sitting on the floor with an actual backrest.

You would probably hate when I tell you what we ordered but to distinguish between food establishments that offer the same cuisine, you just have to make sure you order what you love. If the place messes it up, then you have no hope to try the other items in the menu you are not familiar with.

Futomaki Php 220.00

Our choice – Futo Maki, Shake (Salmon Sashimi), Prawn Tempura, Gyudon (Beef bowl). It counts like a few dishes but is really quite a filling fare.

The Futo Maki here is bigger in size and actually tastes better than the one we had at Oishinbou. And I now know for sure that the distinct sweet and tangy flavor of futomaki comes from the kampyo. Initially I thought it was some kind of smoked fish but I was wrong.

Gyudon Php 270.00

The Gyudon was one of the best I have ever tasted. The thinly sliced beef is so tender it was such a joy to chew. It was mixed with shirataki noodles which I found out was believed to be the only carb that makes you lose weight. Interesting. The noodles absorbed the slightly sweet flavor of the mixture of dashi, mirin and soy sauce. Its soo good! I want to go back now just to get a fill of this dish again.

My hubby and I cleaned up our plates of all the food although we left bending slightly backwards as our stomachs felt like they weighed a ton from all the yummy food. And having spent just about Php 1K for fresh sashimi and great Japanese food makes it super worth it.

Kikufuji
2277 Pasong Tamo, Makati City
Tel. No.: 893-7319/893-6131