Tag: Best Ramen in Manila

Nadai Fujisoba: No Ramen Here, Just Soba and Udon

Last month, I took my Nanay out to see a movie. We still had an hour to waste before the screening, so we decided to have dinner first. We headed down to the ground floor of SM North EDSA The Block because I remembered a number of restaurants are scheduled to open in February. When we got there, we saw two new Japanese restaurants standing adjacent to each other. It was a tough choice to make, but we ended up choosing Nadai Fujisoba since my Nanay wanted to eat some ramen (or so we thought).

Nadai Fujisoba Japanese Restaurant SM North EDSA The Block

When we were handed the menu, I asked the server what their bestselling flavor of ramen is. She was quick to inform us that they don’t serve ramen and that they only use udon and soba for their noodles. At that point, I still had no idea what she was talking about. It turns out, udon is a thick noodle made from wheat flour, while soba is thin and made using buckwheat. Well, I was extremely glad I learned something new about Japanese cuisine that day.

Nadai Fujisoba is a popular restaurant chain in Japan, which was established in 1966. The Philippines is only the second country they have entered after Taiwan. Now they have five branches in Metro Manila: Bonifacio High Street, Lucky Chinatown Mall, SM Aura Premier, SM Mall of Asia, and SM North EDSA The Block.

Dining Area of Nadai Fujisoba Japanese Restaurant SM North EDSA The Block

Continue reading Nadai Fujisoba: No Ramen Here, Just Soba and Udon

Sushi Master: Authentic Japanese Food in Malabon City

Whenever Mhel and I are badly craving for some quality Japanese food, Malabon City has never been the first place that comes to our minds. But all that has changed when we’ve finally discovered the newly opened Sushi Master right at our hometown.

Facade of Sushi Master Restaurant in Malabon City

Sushi Master, which opened June of 2015, stands along what I call the “foodie avenue” of Malabon City, where big-name food businesses like Nanay’s Pancit Malabon and Dolor’s Kakanin are also strategically located. The restaurant is jointly owned by the foodie couple Nolenz Evanglista and Emily Panganiban. Nolenz has worked in Japan for a few years, so he has first-hand knowledge of the flair and flavor of authentic Japanese cuisine.

They have been inviting us to visit their restaurant even before they have first opened their doors. One long weekend in August, we finally gave in to their request, and now we’ll tell you how our dining experience went.

For our drinks, we ordered a glass each of their Iced Tea, Pink Lemonade, and Mango Shake. Their Pink Lemonade (Php 50) has the right balance of sour and sweet that I particularly loved, while the Iced Tea (Php 30) was not too sweet or bland. It was a cold day but it didn’t stop our Nanay from enjoying their perfectly refreshing Mango Shake (Php 75).
Beverages at Sushi Master Japanese Restaurant in Malabon City

I’ve heard only good things about Sushi Master’s Gyoza (Php 95) when my friends visited a few weeks earlier, so I was really curious to get a taste of it. The wrapper was a little thicker than most gyozas from other Japanese restaurants, but the filling was one of the most flavorful we’ve had.

Continue reading Sushi Master: Authentic Japanese Food in Malabon City