Tokyo Drift: Haru Sushi Bar and Restaurant

Dining at a Japanese restaurant has become almost customary for us whenever there is a special occasion.  Nothing beats the crisp flavors of the tempura and the savory-sweet mix of teriyaki.  But then, Japanese joints are dime-a-dozen, so selecting the right place is an adventure in itself.   A precarious one at that too, especially for a special date night.

Can't go wrong with tempura.

Scouring the web for delicious yet affordable Japanese cuisine, with a good ambiance of course, I stumbled upon a few blog posts about this relatively new establishment in the foodie center of Kapitolyo in Pasig.  The brainchild of the owner of Cafe Juanita, Haru Sushi Bar and Restaurant was an intriguing suspect.  Curiosity led us to try out this joint to see for ourselves.

On a Friday night the Kapitolyo area turns into a food street.  Going down West Capitol Drive and the United Nations of cuisine welcomes you - Asian, American, Mexican.  It's a virtual journey across the globe.  But Japanese was the craving for the night, and as early as 6PM Haru's parking lot was packed!  I guess the only drawbacks in Kapitolyo is finding a good spot to park so as not to get too tired (or too hungry) from walking from your car to your foodie destination.

Outside, the restaurant is imposing with its glimmering red signage and a Japanese gateway column welcoming you.  The interiors are well lit and somewhat off-theme with chandelier fixtures.  A few lanterns should have set the mood better.

This small bridge crossing is easily a favorite photo spot.

Despite the off-theme tables, the wooden panels and sliding doors are in tune.

The cat is way cuter.

Nevertheless, the restaurant's other parts seem to transport you instantly to Tokyo.  Sections are divided by wooden panels reminiscent of quaint Japanese houses.  Colorful traditional kimonos adorn the corners of the shop, along with cute little Japanese dolls.  There's even a small wooden bridge crossing a man-made indoor river to replicate the iconic image of bridges in rural Japan.  Haru manages to bend the seams of time and space and warp you into this mini representation of Japan.  I've yet to visit Little Tokyo in Makati, which boasts the same authenticity, but Haru is a class on its own.

The food, though, still had to prove itself worthy.  With a backdrop as charming as this, the chefs behind Haru had the daunting task of keeping in step with the genuine Japanese experience.  We skimmed over the menu and pretty much ordered our favorites - except for one little detail.  We were craving for Asparagus Bacon wraps, and lo and behold, our eyes nearly popped out when we saw the exorbitant price!  Almost 400 bucks for an appetizer?  Is their bacon made of gold?  We never found out since it was highway robbery ordering it anyway, so we sadly skipped it.

Tori Teba Nanbanzuke, P188 (+5% service charge)

We picked another appetizer instead, the Tori Teba Nanbanzuke.  These were deep fried chicken wings doused in a sweet-sour vinegar sauce.  Despite wallowing in the vinegar, the skin remained crisp and crunchy, while the meat within was tender and cooked thoroughly.  Surprisingly, I enjoyed the vinegar taste which paired well with the wings, much like the way mayo dips matches well with buffalo wings.  Sliced pickled onions and carrots were added into the mix too offer a contrast in texture and color.  The dish was highly addicting, in fact it could stand alone as a viand with rice.  Seriously.  Chicken wings value meal!

Dynamite Roll, P269 (+5% service charge)

The Dynamite Roll is a favorite among Japanese sushi bars, but so far I have tasted only a few who got it right (Omakase is one).  This version was large and plump and stuffed to the brim with fresh raw tuna and pink salmon spiked with hot spices and all sorts of shrubbery.  You know how one can predict if a roll is executed perfectly?  The roll should not crumble.  

Ah, but Haru's Dynamite Roll succumbed to the lightest of tension using my chopsticks, rendering it difficult to grasp and dunk in our specially requested spicy mayo dip.  The rice was fragile and the roll either broke apart or slipped into the wrong parts of the table.  Thankfully though, the raw seafood tasted fresh and plump, and had the ample amount of kicks.  If not for its inadequate construction, this would have been atop my list.

Yakimeshi, P80 and Gohan, P49 (+5% service charge)

In preparation for our feast, we ordered each a cup of Japanese fried rice (Yakimeshi) and plain rice (Gohan).  The fried rice was quite good, not too oily yet retaining its flavor.  The only drawback was the seemingly small serving size for that price.

US Beef Yakiniku, P276 (+5% service charge)

For the main offerings, we ordered one beef dish, the US Beef Yakiniku.  I loved the half-moon dish it rested upon, breaking the mundane symmetry typical of Japanese joints.  The beef strips were sliced just right, neither too thin nor too thick.  

The meat was soft and tender and not sinewy, with a cloying amount of fat in most of the pieces.  The yakiniku sauce was savory with mild sweetness, the flavor seeping into the meat lusciously.  The cabbage offered a break from the greasy goodness of the beef.  With the quality of the dish, I almost regretted not ordering my favorite gyudon, expecting the same perfection as the yakiniku.

Shake (Salmon) Teriyaki, P389 (+5% service charge)

I firmly believe that the Salmon Teriyaki makes or breaks a Japanese restaurant (along with the Ebi Tempura).  So I simply had to try it out to gauge Haru's competencies.  The fillet was long but thinner than what I've had, but it still had enough meat to it.  The teriyaki glaze was light yet flavorful, temptingly sweet and salty.  The salmon was grilled perfectly, leaving a few char marks towards the fatty end.  The meat itself was briny and firm, not too crumbly and flaky.  Although I'm used to heftier servings of such a dish, their version stood out simply because it was executed superbly.

Ebi Tempura, P278 (+5% service charge)

Of course, the star of the night was no other than the prawn tempura.  For less than 300 bucks, you get five pieces of prawns deep fried in a light batter.  The prawns were rather small, as these obviously were not the larger tiger prawns.  

In spite of its diminutive size, the prawns were fresh and sweet, with succulence gushing out with each bite.  Fortunately, the batter was also light and crisp and not too oily.  The dish was commensurate for the price tag, and should be a favorite for those craving for a quick tempura fix yet are tired of those buffet joints that churn out oily tempura like an assembly line.  At Haru, you can peacefully and deliberately enjoy each piece of deep-fried prawn in an equally serene environment.

Kiwi Shake, P79 (+5% service charge)

To douse off the intense flavors of all the courses, the Kiwi Shake seemed a refreshing sojourn.  But, the shake was too dilute to fully enjoy the cool flavor of the kiwi fruit. 

Haru achieves the perfect vibe for one unforgettable experience.  It was indeed a night to remember with a little anecdotal event.  A VIP was arriving just as we settled down to our reserved table.  Apparently he was a really important person that throngs of bodyguards and security personnel surveyed the place in advance, and then politely requested us to transfer to another table.  It was no less than the President of our republic who came that night!  So if he likes dining at Haru, then there must be no pork here (political satire intended).

Still, somehow the quality and taste of the food lagged behind the authenticity of the place.  The makimono is suspect, while the tempura just barely average.  Good things going for Haru though is the quality of their grilled dishes, namely the salmon and beef.  The prices are reasonable but the ambiance is exceptional.  So for a lovely date night and an idyllic experience, drift towards Tokyo in the middle of Kapitolyo, with Haru serving as your portal.

Jones

Haru Sushi Bar and Restaurant

9 West Capitol Drive (beside Cafe Juanita)

Kapitolyo, Pasig City