Tales From The Other Side (Part 2): Mensakaba Geishu

In the first part of this series, I spoke of the tales from beyond, the other side of the long stretch of Aguirre Avenue.  This lesser known section is a haven of multinational cuisines: Japanese, Korean, Italian, Spanish, and even Swiss and Greek.  Tucked away from the chaos and traffic of the more famous end, the far side of Aguirre flourishes silently on its own.

Already legendary simply by word-of-mouth, this small ramen nook is unassuming and nearly oblivious.  The brainchild of a husband and wife team, Mensakaba Geishu, just by its sheer tiny size, reminds one of cozy street-side ramen stalls in Japan.  Or that corner stall from the movie The Ramen Girl.  Devoid of any Japanese themed decorations, the only things that exude Nippon in this shop are the food and its chef-owner.

With only a short counter table and a few stools, the place inevitably gets packed by the hungry lunchtime crowd.  We arrived just a half-hour before they closed their lunch service, so the place was nearly empty already.  The menu is limited, even down to just 4 basic ramen variants and a few rice bowl choices.  The off-the-grill snack sticks are also quite limited.  And there is no sushi nor sashimi.  Nevertheless, food is guaranteed fresh and cooked to order, as one can waft the tantalizing scent emanating from the traditional Japanese grill and a big cauldron of broth.

Torikawa (Chicken Skin), P35 per stick

Not being a fan of ramen, I proceeded to order from the grilled items.  I particularly enjoy watching Tori-Q's automated grill machines back when I was in Singapore, and I was missing that distinct yakitori taste.  I picked two sticks of Chicken Skin, and I was amused by their small dainty aluminum grill.  It took quite some time for this order to arrive, because it was as fresh as it could be.

The scent of the Torikawa was cloying.  There were some parts that were not charred to my liking, but the smokey flavor was definitely present.  The skin was crisp on the charred areas, fatty and greasy in some.  The sauce complemented the skin well, with its saltiness and a hint of sweetness.  For some, this would pair well with a bowl of hot white rice.  I know I would have done the same.

Shoyu Ramen, P250

Being nearly ignorant of ramen choices, we asked the chef's wife which one was their best-seller.  The Tantanmen apparently sold like pancakes, but this was obviously too spicy for my mom.  Instead, we ordered the mellow Shoyu Ramen.  This huge bowl arrived piping hot and fresh off the cauldron.

Generous slices of chashu were tossed into the mix of clear broth and noodles.  The noodles were firm and perfectly cooked.  The broth was heart-warming, with a tame salty taste.  The pork belly was glorious, with just the right amount of fat marbling.  The sliced egg, I presume, was supposed to be more runny though.  Despite a less colorful appearance, this bowl of ramen was filling for both the heart and stomach. 

Miso Ramen, P250

Just to be a little different, my dad ordered the Miso Ramen.  Served much the same way in a huge bowl, it looked dirtier than the other ramen.  The black stains were actually garlic oil, adding a distinct dimension of flavor.

Thick and generous cuts of pork belly were also a part of this mix, as with the sliced eggs. There were a few chopped cabbage and carrots and a handful of bean sprouts added to give the soup some body.  The garlicky taste was unmistakable, but the broth was still light and tangy.

I did the unthinkable by ordering a non-ramen dish in this ramen place.  Still, it was surprising that this rice bowl was also an apparent best-seller.  Or perhaps, for lack of a wide array of choices, this must be the default.  Nevertheless, it was worth a try.  What with those thick cuts of pork belly.

Chashu-Don, P150

Like most dishes here, the rice bowl was huge!  Six ample cuts of thick pork belly rested peacefully on top of a heaping serving of white rice.  Sprinkled with chopped Japanese seaweed and green onion leeks, the bowl was then smothered in the same sweet yakitori sauce.

The pork belly was roasted to perfection, retaining its smoothness and tenderness while adding a little crunch to the edges.  The meat to fat ratio is amazing and cloying to the tongue.  The sauced adds some spunk, but the dish might be good either way.  The chashu-don deserves to be the best-seller, and not just because it's one of only two rice dishes.  That pork belly is indeed heaven, whether swimming in ramen broth or lying gloriously on top of steamed rice.

The secret is out, the legend is true.  Where else can you enjoy authentic ramen without even breaking the 300 peso mark?  Where else can you greedily gobble thick slices of chashu for less than 200 bucks?  By keeping its menu limited, Mensakaba Geishu managed to perfect its craft and concentrate on the authenticity in the details.  

Service is impeccable, in-your-face, and personal.  It feels much like your friendly neighborhood stall - or even eating at the comforts of your own home.  My only reservations are these two: the menu might be too limited for some, especially those craving for other Japanese staples like sushi, tempura, and teriyaki.  And secondly, I hope they don't grow too famous too fast, following the way of Kenji Tei.  Keep it simple and stay on the other side.

Jones

Mensakaba Geishu

Southland Apartelle, Aguirre Avenue

BF Homes, Paranaque City

https://www.facebook.com/MensakabaGeishuPH

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The Hidden Gem: Yaku

There are a number of reasons why some restaurants remain relatively unknown.  For some, it is by choice, to perpetuate the public's curiosity and add an adventurous charm.  For others, it's just a bad location.  In the case of Yaku, it's a mix of both.

Remaining in the business for ten years now, it is remarkable how Yaku has kept itself under the radar of both foodies and the common hungry diner.  With nary an advertisement to make itself prominent, it still has maintained a loyal following.  Blame it on Feng Shui, some would say, since the first thing you notice as you finally discover where it is on the third floor, is that large silver column obscuring its facade.  It supposedly blocks the good vibes and blessings.  Blame it on the building: nobody goes to Podium to stay there for even an hour.  People just pass through going to Megamall.  At least I do.  Or blame it on the name: one wrong letter on Google Search and you end up browsing a katsu place instead.  A very famous one too.  Heck, even the word "yaku" in the bastardized vernacular means "don't want".  Go figure.

Whether by intent or by accident, Yaku has managed to instill an air of interest, a worthy reputation by word of mouth.  And I finally got to see for myself.

Indeed, Yaku is difficult to spot for those who aren't actually looking for it.  Sandwiched by a Chinese restaurant and a toy store, the tall silver column conceals its entrance.  Only a lonely menu card out front gives any indication that you're at the right place.  Inside though, is a totally different matter.  The place exudes a peaceful vibe, blending  rough stone fixtures and modern lighting into an indoor Zen garden.  In fact, Yaku's spot is envious.  The glass window panels provides ample view of the tall buidlings of Ortigas and the busy streets below, like a swanky hotel fine dine.

Concrete slabs and panels and a few bamboo shoots decorate this indoor Zen garden.

Tradition meets modern with its simple lighting on a bare ceiling background.

For the uninformed, Yaku started out as a dedicated yakitori grilling spot, hence its name.  Through the years though, clamor for a wider Japanese menu led to its expansion.  And the rest is history.  We were not too crazy for yakitori types, but we were here to sample their Japanese offerings overall.  The menu book was tattered and torn, another encouraging sign that this was  a frequented place.  After picking our orders, we could not help but notice their unique call buttons for the wait staff.  An ingenious method, a definite indication of good service.

Press button for tempura.  Now that's a button I'd love.

Straightforward menu, easy to choose, easy to love.

Can I have a cup of rice with this?

It would be a travesty not to sample their grilled specialties.  But we wanted room for a lot more, so we picked just one.  And it was the perfect choice.

Kawa, P69 (+10% service charge)

Three sticks of chicken skin perfectly grilled to a light crisp, the Kawa was sinfully addicting.  Each piece was crunchy like chicharon, yet with a hint of a typical fatty and smokey grilled taste.  A testament how Yaku has perfected its grilling technique and thus made its name as a grilling station.

Aspara Bacon, P109 (+10% service charge)

Another grilled favorite, the Aspara Bacon was a sure-fire hit.  These asparagus stalks were lightly charred and drizzled with a special marinade, wrapped lovingly in strips of heavenly bacon.  There was the familiar smokey taste, even penetrating the usually resistant asparagus.  The bacon was savory and chewy but not tough.  Still, the stalks looked thin and shabby, and I've tried stouter ones in other places.  Nevertheless, the grilled taste is so distinct and prominent that I have to coin the term, "the Yaku taste" in all my blog posts from here on.

Spicy Shake Maki, P145 (+10% service charge)

Yaku also offers a collection of maki and sushi / sashimi, to round up the Japanese menu.  But don't get too excited though.  The Spicy Shake (Salmon) Maki consisted of 6 rolls of fresh pink salmon showered in spices.  The rolls were flavorful and filling, but there was nothing spectacular in both taste and presentation.  A bit ho-hum but still a good choice for those craving for rolls.  I wonder if their other maki selections were as ordinary as this.  

Gyudon, P199 (+10% service charge)

I couldn't pass up on the Gyudon, my ultimate comfort food.  The Yaku version was simple yet savory.  Each slice of beef was tender and juicy, although a bit on the leaner side. I usually preferred slices that had a sliver of fat or tendon.  Curiously, the beef also had a hint of the Yaku grill taste, which was a good perk-up.  The mirin sauce hit all the right notes, neither too sweet nor salty.  The onion slices offered a contrast in texture and a hint of zest.  Missing in action though were the shitake mushrooms that would have added a bolder quality to the dish.  A serving of fresh egg yolk though made my day, since I missed mixing up the whole concoction into glutinous chunks of meat and rice.  Happily, the serving was just right for a very reasonable price, in fact, one of the most affordable yet better tasting Gyudon in the metro.  

Chicken Teriyaki, P189 (+10% service charge)

A staple of any Japanese meal, the Chicken Teriyaki was sweet and succulent.  Each slice was tender and superbly grilled with hints of charred skin.  Yet again, the Yaku grill taste was bursting forth in each bite.  Although I have tried more adventurous and bold versions of this classic, this version stayed true to its familiar taste.  Nothing really extraordinary but good and filing nonetheless.  And a steal at less than 200 bucks.

Beef Yakiniku, P215 (+10% service charge)

As if we didn't have enough of grilled dishes yet, we still picked yet another one.  The Beef Yakiniku was similarly grilled impeccably, again exuding that now familiar smokey taste.  Each morsel was  tender and easy to chew, although it was not typical of the cubed slices of other yakiniku joints.  The taste was almost similar to my Gyudon, and ordering this might have been redundant.  Still, for meat lovers, the Beef Yakiniku is an easy pick.

Ebi Tempura, P249 (+10% service charge)

Rounding up our Japanese feast of course is the ubiquitous Ebi Tempura.  These amazing prawns were huge and plump, lovingly covered in a thin crispy and crunchy breading.  I love tempura breading that bursts like a flowery and spiky explosion, as it often heralds a delicious secret within.  And that's exactly what it is here at Yaku.  The prawns are big and fat, juicy and sweet, as if oozing with the flavors of the sea.  Four pieces for roughly 250 bucks?  It's definitely a steal, a well-kept secret.  I now have another Ebi Tempura ranked up there with the likes of Jozu-Kin.

Another happy customer.

Yaku has stood the test of time.  It has proven that you don't always need a good location to reap the rewards.  You don't even need to advertise or promote a lot just to attract hungry customers.  All it takes is good food, fresh ingredients, and heartwarming service.  Despite some of their offerings just bordering on average, nonetheless the grilled dishes are critically acclaimed, and the tempura one of the best.  A hidden gem in a posh mall, Yaku seems blithe in its rightful podium among its more well-known competitors, remaining oblivious yet consistent in offering great tasting and affordable Japanese food.

Jones

Yaku Japanese Grill

3rd Level, The Podium

ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center

Mandaluyong City

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Yaku-japanese-grill/201990269950862

  

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