March 15, 2021

Culinary Travel: 7 Japanese Restaurants To Visit In Bonifacio Global City

If there’s one thing other cities in Metro Manila envy about Bonifacio Global City (BGC), it’s their countless world-class restaurants. That’s why this March, the Philippine Primer tours you around more Japanese restaurants to visit in BGC.

Saboten

Saboten’s dish/IMAGE by Philippine Primer

Since the opening of their first restaurant in Shinjuku in 1966, Saboten has remained very popular among diners. Now, it has about 500 branches worldwide, including Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Canada, and this time, in the Philippines. The dressing on the shredded cabbage that they use is the same type that they use in Japan.

Address: Ground Floor, Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Phone: 0917-891-6879
Business hours: 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. (Mon to Thu, Sun), 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. (Fri to Sat)
Facebook: raintreesaboten
Website: www.raintreehospitality.net
Pickup: Yes

Maisen Tonkatsu

Tonkatsu meal/IMAGE by Philippine Primer

Maisen is a tonkatsu house famous for their tonkatsu that is so tender, you can cut it with chopsticks. One can choose the founder’s secret sauces, which have been passed down from one generation to another, for their dishes. Aside from the pork cutlet sets, cutlet sandwiches, pocket sandwiches, and katsu sando are also very popular in this restaurant.

Address: Shangri-La at the Fort, 30th corner 5th Ave., 1634 Taguig, Philippine
Phone: 02-8810-9514/0956-189-3784
Business hours: 11:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Facebook: MaisenPH
Instagram: @maisenph
Pickup: Yes

Yabu

Kurobuta Tonkatsu/IMAGE by Philippine Primer

As the head chef of Tonkatsu Takeshin in Tokyo, Michelin Bib Gourmand starred-chef restaurant Kazuya Takeda has generously passed on his knowledge of katsu to his chefs, ensuring that each and every katsu they make is delicious and perfect. This restaurant uses kurobuta meat in its signature kurobuta tonkatsu. Its golden crispy batter, juicy and tender pork, and flavorful sauce is to die for. Diners will be delighted with Yabu’s free refills of rice and cabbage.

Address: 5/F Sky Park, SM Aura Premier, Taguig City
Phone: 02-7791-7921
Business hours: 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Facebook: yabuhouseofkatsu
Website: www.yabu.ph
Pickup: No

Yayoi

Spicy Chicken Nanban/IMAGE from Yayoi

Yayoi is a popular set meal restaurant in Japan. They mostly use ingredients imported from Japan, including the rice. Aside from set meals, they also offer a la carte dishes. One of their best-sellers is Sukiyaki Teishoku, a beef hot pot with assorted vegetables stewed in sukiyaki sauce.

Address: 2F One Bonifacio High Street, 28th St. Corner 5th Ave., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Phone: 02-8242-2792／0917-8636-6958
Business hours: 11:00 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Facebook: yayoiphilippines
Pickup: Yes

Menya Kokoro

Menya Kokoro is the Philippines’ first mixed soba specialty store. It is located in BGC’s Uptown mall. The founder, Chef Takuma Ishikawa, opened his first store in Kanto, after training in Nagoya, Kanto, the home of the original Taiwan Mazesoba.

Taiwan Mazesoba is a soupless noodle dish made by putting Taiwan minced meat (soy sauce-flavored spicy minced meat seasoned with pepper and garlic) on extra-thick noodles.

To enjoy it even more, mix the eggs and add kelp vinegar according to taste. Stir it well after, and enjoy the delicacy. When you finish your noodles, you can ask for some white rice and have it with the remaining sauce.

Address: 3/F Uptown BGC Mall, 8th Avenue, Taguig
Phone: 0919-001-9392/02-7758-6493
Business hours: 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Facebook: menyakokoroph
Website: www.menyakokoroph.com
Pickup: Yes

Marugame Udon

Udon specialty dish/IMAGE by Philippine Primer

Marugame Udon is a Japanese udon specialty store that opened in August 2017. They make their udon using their in-house noodle-making machine, ensuring that you can enjoy freshly-made noodles.

You can try their dishes starting at Php 200, making it very affordable. They have adopted the same self-service style like the stores in Japan. When you receive your udon at the counter, you can take any of the side dishes displayed there, proceed with the payment, then bring it to your table.

Address: B7, Bonifacio High Street, Lane P, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Phone: 02-7799-9184/0915-589-4682
Business hours: 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Facebook: marugameph
Pickup: Yes

Wasshoi

Wasshoi Funamori /IMAGE by Philippine Primer

Wasshoi’s Interior/IMAGE by Philippine Primer

A cozy Japanese restaurant that has been serving for seven years now. Aside from yakiniku, Wasshoi also offers a wide-range of dishes such as set meals, sushi, sashimi, fried food, and rice bowls. Funamori (Php1,800), a platter of fresh salmon, tuna, squid, horse mackerel, shrimp, and sea urchin, is one of the best-sellers.

Hidden under the wooden boat-shaped container is dry ice which adds a cool vapor effect. We recommend Wasshoi for their affordable food.

Address: The Fort Strip, 7th Avenue corner 28th street Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Phone: 02-8808-7608
Business hours: 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Facebook: amiyakiwa
Pickup: No

Have you been to any of these restaurants before? Tell us in the comment section below!

This first appeared in Philippine Primer’s English and Japanese Magazines March 2021 issue.