Akitaya Japanese Restaurant in Makati: Celebrating Akita Prefecture’s Specialties
Bringing you to a much closer Japanese cuisine experience, Akitaya Japanese Restaurant in Makati Central Square celebrates the distinct flavors of Japan’s Akita Prefecture.
IMAGE from Philippine Primer
Opened to the public on November 30, 2018, Akitaya emanates a warm and engaging vibe that keeps customers coming back in its branch at Makati Central Square. The interior gives a simple Japanese aesthetic with the gathering rooms as the highlight when you enter.
Akitaya in Mezzanine 1 at the Makati Cinema Square / IMAGE from Philippine Primer
Here, you might see familiar faces of customers—especially Japanese expats—who can’t get enough of their sumptuous menu.
Akitaya, Makati / IMAGE from Philippine Primer
Sometimes, enjoying good food is best paired with a bit of privacy. Akitaya added a special Japanese traditional function room that can cater to 34 customers. The room can be divided into smaller sections, perfect for smaller celebrations.
Akitaya open bar area / IMAGE from Philippine Primer
If you are eating solo, there is also an open bar table area right in front of the kitchen. You might not want to leave the restaurant without trying different sakes or liquors, including the Takashimizu Junmai Daiginjo, Akita’s local sake, and Mansaku no Hana, all exclusively from Japan. If so wished, you may also partner these with small plates of Japanese dishes, including Chirashi Maki.
Akitaya function rooms / IMAGE from Philippine Primer
Chirashi Maki / IMAGE from Akitaya Japanese Restaurant
There’s a lot of mouthwatering eats in their menu, but first-timers may try to take on their famous Curry Chanko Nabe, which is good for two to three persons. It would surprise you how they were able to put this huge pot full of attractive ingredients at first glance.
Curry Chanko Nabe / IMAGE from Philippine Primer
Curry Chanko Nabe is comprised of Japanese local ingredients: Shirataki (Japanese noodle), Maitake, Enoki (Golden mushroom), Shitake (Japanese mushroom), miso, and Negi (chicken leeks). The ingredients are mixed and curated in a perfectly sophisticated manner before it is boiled for about 5 to 10 minutes–be careful not to burn your tongues!
Another must-try dish is their Kiritanpo Nabe. While the name may hint at the overall preparation of the hotpot, it actually refers to the grilled rice sticks that are a key feature of the dish. Kiritanpo is a traditional Japanese rice cake, molded into an oval shape and grilled, adding a unique texture and flavor to the hotpot experience.
Kiritanpo Nabe (Php 1,300 good for 2-3 persons) / IMAGE from Akitaya Japanese Restaurant
Kirintanpo / IMAGE from Philippine Primer
Their curry rice dishes are also something worth a try, like their Ebi Furai Curry, made with breaded shrimp and topped with their own curry.
Ebi Furai Curry / IMAGE from Philippine Primer
Another popular dish is their Curry Nanban Udon where thick and chewy udon is served in a thick curry-based soup, topped with sliced leeks.
Curry Nanban Udon / IMAGE from Philippine Primer
This is the third Akitaya branch in Metro Manila, with others located in BF Homes in Paranaque, and Legazpi Village in Makati. Visit Akitaya branch at the Mezzanine 1 in Makati Cinema Square, and celebrate unique moments in a Japanese way!
This first appeared in Philippine Primer’s Japanese (Vol. 136) and English (Vol. 41) magazines.
