OUT-OF-THE-BOX. Yabu treats its customers to a one-of-a-kind dinning experience that’ll surely fill appetites and warm hearts. (Photo by Stef Rivera)
Remember how Remy the Rat from Disney-Pixar’s ‘Ratatoullie’ felt when he took his first bite of gourmet gruyere cheese? Suddenly, a colorful wave of music appeared as he closed his eyes and savored every bit of cheese. Then, he took a bite of the juicy strawberry, which also produced another wave of music. But when he combined the two flavors, there resonated a symphony that he didn’t want to end and that’s exactly how I felt just a few weeks ago.
Growing up, I’ve been exposed to many dining cultures. From the humble Filipino eats like Tapsilog, Chicken Pork Adobo and Tuyo’t Kanin to the Italian classics such as Salmon and Asparagus Risotto, Parmesan Gnocchi and Pizza Margarita, it’s pretty much obvious how wide-eyed and open-minded I am when it comes to discovering unique cuisines. But there was something I love about Japanese food in particular.
The Japanese are known for their elegant presentation of cuisines. Probably that’s what makes them stand out from the other cultures. They have the traditional bento boxes and the recent invention of pepper steak pans that retain its heat longer than your usual sizzling plate. The way they eat looks almost like a ritual and they give great importance to dining etiquette.
When eating at Japanese, I usually order Crazy Maki, Tuna Sushi and Tempura. Sometimes, a bowl of Miso soup and a serving of rice teriyakidon would do just fine. But one dish that I would probably have a hard time forgetting would be the “Katsu” I ate at Yabu.
“Katsu” or “Tonkatsu” is a Japanese food which consists of a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet. There are two main types, hire and rosu and it is often served with shredded cabbage, miso soup, and rice. It originated in Japan in the 19th century (Tsuji, 2007).
‘Yabu,’ on the other hand, is a new Japanese restaurant which highlights serving different kinds tonkatsu located in several shopping malls here in the Philippines. A normal serving of a katsu usually comes with cabbage salad, miso soup and rice, all of which are served unlimited.
Apart from the common tonkatsu, this one that I was able to taste for the very first time, was tender, yet crisp on the outside. And honestly, it was the best tonkatsu I have ever eaten! The panko (breadcrumbs) they used to coat the prime pork cut was golden brown, while the meat was like a bite of heaven.
What I love about it so much is that it’s interactive and you never feel bored waiting for your order to appear in front of you. While waiting for the dish, you get to pound black and white sesame seeds for your tonkatsu sauce. Then, just when you get caught up with pounding, your katsu appears. Tah-dah!
Then, the journey begins.
You take your first bite and forget about where you are or what day it is. And I’m exaggerating on how good it is because it deserves much praise and appreciation. Combine it with a bowl of miso and cabbage salad and it’s a match made in heaven. I personally felt like I was floating on a cloud.
Sure it may look quite expensive for a piece of porkchop, but frankly it’s definitely worth it. Again let me repeat, they have unlimited servings of organic brown rice, cabbage salad and miso soup, for free.
At the end of the day, you can surely expect happy stomachs and satisfied souls after finishing one plate of gorgeous golden tonkatsu heaven.
Just a simple tip: Reserve early because there’s going to be a long queue behind all those hungry customers! You wouldn’t want to be waiting with that grumbling stomach don’t you?
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