Revisiting Oedo Japanese Restaurant, Banawe

If it's a non-working Holiday, we make it a point to really enjoy it as HOLIDAY.  

We may still be in the Metro but we make sure to do everything in our might to finish off whatever tasks left undone and celebrate in a simplest yet most memorable manner - with the help of food of course!

One of our favorite Japanese restaurant hidden at the corner of Banawe is called OEDO Japanese Restaurant.  The first time we dined there, it took us 20 minutes to wait for our seat and it was dinner time.  So we've decided to eat during off-peak hours because we wanted to enjoy the not so crowded restaurant for a change!

 We tried to order something we never ordered before, but of course, we came back for some favorites still!  Like this Takoyaki Balls!

Takoyaki

Octopus Balls

Php100.00

It will take time for them to prepare this so make sure you order something else and leave a space in your tummy for freshly made Takoyaki Octopus Balls just like those in Japan!

 

Weekend Food Trip at: Ichiba Japanese Market, Newport Mall

I think the last time I visited Resort's World was pre-Kyle days!  Oh my, that was more than 5 years ago!

So I was there for an event at Jo  Malone London for Mother's Day, it was a weekend so I've decided to take my family with me to spend dinner.  Pre-Mother's Day celebration.

Found a new restaurant called Ichiba Japanese Market and the interior itself grabbed my attention.  I felt like I'm transported to Japan!

Though almost full with hungry customers, I'm glad the place is huge enough to cater groups yet you don't feel the "crowd".  You have your own space and area so it was a perfect place even with kids around!

First order of business, I'm craving for "rolls" so I asked for the Crunchiest of them all!  The server recommended Ichiba Roll (Php285.00) which is a roll with tempura, tamago, mango, crabstick salad and crunchy salmon skin!  I definitely got the crunch I was craving for!

Next was Mr. AMW's craving.  He was craving for Yakitori and we got a set that is perfect enough for those who do not like to make choices!

There's Quail Egg, Pork Belly, Chicken and Beef Cubes!  ALL YUMMY!  The teriyaki sauce made the cut! 

Weekend Food Trip at: Bari Uma Jr.

How's your weekend so far?

My son has been feeling extra trying out glasses in an eye store just because --- Mana siya sa akin! hahaha  Ang arte!

But anyway, I love weekends because I get to spend time with my family!  I see to it that no matter how busy my schedule gets, I give extra amount of time for my family, my husband's family then OUR OWN FAMILY!  

You can do it naman as long as you manage your time properly!

As always, our way of family bonding will always include FOOD!  As my son visits his favorite Booksale, National Bookstore (in that order), his 3rd schedule would be --- "Restaurant".  And we saw a  new restaurant at the 3rd level of SM San Lazaro called Bari Uma Jr.  

Don't ask me about the name, I can NEVER memorize it!  Thankfully they have the restaurant name printed on the bowl! (Cheating ako each time I type the restaurant name!)

Ramen has always been my comfort food of choice!  So, we gotta try them right?

Ajitame-Siroton

Php230.00

Pork-flavored soup with thick-cut chasu and egg

Kenji Tei, Lucky Chinatown

Whenever I'm tired, I always request for Ramen Dish, Ramen is my comfort food, it hugs my soul and it gives me that soothing sensation.  

Yes, Ramen gives me that :P

So after a full day of work and down with cough and colds, I invited my family to join me at Kenji Tei, Lucky Chinatown Branch.  Mr. AMW and I were discussing on whether we tried this restaurant before or not.  Thank God for AMW posts, I was able to track back our first Kenji Tei experience which was at Greenbelt branch year 2012.

So obviously, I forgot how their food tastes like but I don't mind dining again because I was craving for Ramen and there are only a few Japanese Restaurants at Lucky Chinatown.

Chashu Miso Ramen

Php375.00

I still have my heart on another ramen brand but this one isn't bad!  The broth is extremely flavorful (not really thick but just right) and the noodles is al dente.  I love the Chashu because it has the perfect amount of lean meat and fat making it extremely tender.

Birthday Food Trip at: Uma Uma, S Maison

Whenever we celebrate birthdays, I am sure to gain a couple of pounds because there will always be celebration for --- my family, husband's family, friends and more friends!

And my way of celebration will always be in a restaurant stuffing our faces with great food because that is how I celebrate since birth! :P

Since my birthday falls on a weekday and my hardworking hubby usually stays in the office until late, I've decided to look for a restaurant nearby (which is SM MOA) but I wanted a place less crowded.

S Maison is the answer!  Thankfully, there are more restaurants to choose from and I went for Uma Uma Ramen!

There were only a few items on menu but what the heck?  I LOVE my ramen and I call it my comfort food!  So what's the best place to eat but a restaurant that specializes on Ramen!

Thankfully, for non-Ramen eaters (are you from outer space? :P), they also serve 2-3 rice dishes which is equally good and worthwhile!  No wonder for a boring weeknight, the place was actually packed!

One-Bite Gyozas

Php140.00

Mini gyoza designed for eating in just one bite, especially for women so as not to ruin their lipstick. The gyoza is tasty but sticks together.

They mean it when they say ONE-BITE.  I can even stuff 2 of these at a time! :P  But so far, this doesn't fail!  I've had gyozas so many times in my lifetime and when I say they are good, they are good!

Weekend Food Trip at : Gyu Kaku

So I kind off fell in love with Restaurant Booking Apps like Booky and Eatigo.  I am so addicted in searching good deals most of the restaurant I dine in have at least 10% discount just because I'm #tita like that.  

One restaurant I always see and pass by whenever I am at the Shangri-la Plaza Mall is called Gyu Kaku.  I've read positive reviews from Food Bloggers so I finally cave in and booked for the family on a Sunday night.

Assorted Mushrooms with Butter

Php295.00

This dish may look like something you wouldn't order because who would pay almost Php300.00 just for mushrooms?  Ahm... ME!

Weekend Food Trip at: Mitasu Charcoal Yakiniku

It was a quiet Sunday evening when I brought my son to JP Bear (one of his favorite play area) at Banawe area.  Since his preschool is within the area and we always meet up with my parents in the same area, we kinda scoured and tried most of the restaurants.  

Thankfully, Mr. AMW passed by Mitasu Charcoal Yakiniku which is near Macao Imperial Tea and Ichiban restaurant (I think they are owned by the same group of owners as you can find all 3 menus in 1 restaurant!)

I checked the place first making sure it is Senior Citizen friendly before I gave my brother directions to meet up!  It was a packed restaurant but thankfully we didn't have to wait for long!  We got our seat at Mitasu Charcoal Yakiniku (adjacent to Ichiban Hot Pot) and sat comfortably and ordered these.

We started with Donburi (Rice Toppings) because we wanted to try each of everything!  (Ganyan ka-Foodie family ko!)

Gyudon

Php250.00

Really tasty this dish, most restaurants serve Gyudon with raw egg to give smooth texture to the dish, I was surprised Mitasu didn't have the egg but the texture of the meat and rice is still smooth and tender I don't mind I lost an egg for this! :P

Weekend Food Trip at: Ryu Ramen And Curry

Whenever I have a long day of work, I always end up craving for something warm and fuzzy for the tummy!  And that is definitely a good bowl of Ramen noodles for me! 

So after a full day of shoot, I met up with the family at the restaurant in Quezon City called Ryu Ramen and Curry.  We were originally aiming for the next door Korean restaurant but it was packed!  Second choice or not, I'm just happy I got to eat this ramen bowl.

Miso Butter Corn Ramen

Php320.00

A specialty of Hokkaido, this ramen is miso-based broth with sauteed vegetables, ground pork, topped with corn kernels and special butter mix.

I love Miso-based ramen (just in case you want to surprise me with a bowl), it's always love at first MISO!  Then, corn kernels are definitely a lovely sweet surprise!  I always ask the server to lessen the butter mix because I dislike how some restaurants made the soup base into butter soup!

This one is actually just a perfect blend of everything!  Love how crunchy the vegetables are while the noodles are soft and chewy.

Weekend Food Trip at: Akira, Shangri-la Mall

I frequent Shangri-la Mall a lot for meetings and get-together with friends, but seldom do I go there with family because Ortigas area has always been known for the crazy traffic!  But when I've decided to take my mom and dad out (with my dad using wheelchair), I've decided to take both of them to Shangri-la Mall because it is one of the most Senior Citizen friendly mall to date (that I know of!  Let me know your other mall choices!)

Note: All the guards and staffs at the malls are extremely helpful so I'm very thankful since I had to take care of both my mom and dad and I was alone that time!

So anyway, back to taking my parents out, it's really not about shopping but us catching up on our lives by dining in a restaurant and maybe stopping again for dessert or coffee at a different place!  Since it was lunch time that time and I wanted both of them to try a restaurant they haven't tried before, I've decided to take them at Akira.

Akira restaurant offers Japanese dishes, from Sashimi to Sushi and Sushi Rolls, you get the usual noodles, appetizers and rice bowls!  

Weekend Food Trip at: Ramen Shokudo

Ramen has always been my to-go-to dish whenever I'm tired, cranky or just plain hungry!  It's my super comfort food.  To prove that, I even bought packs of Japanese Ramen during my Bangkok Trip (and I'm fully aware I'm not in Japan!  lol)

Since the Booky app has been my ultimate bestfriend when it comes to searching for new restaurants to explore (by area), I've seen Ramen Shokudo popped and it's just within the area where I always bond with my family --- Banawe.  I've tried this restaurant 3x total as of the moment because the first experience was great I had to return.  Unfortunately, the last one wasn't as great as the first one (personal opinion, different Chef?) but it was still a good place to try but please do not go there hungry!  There are people lining up for their seats because the place is small!

Toriton Miso

Php380.00

A Japanese soy base.

I love how flavorful the soup is and rich (miso).  The strips of Chashu is one of the best I've tried because I am usually not a "pork lover" when it comes to Ramen.  With this particular bowl of goodness, I devoured everything --- from noodles to meat, egg and bamboo shoots.

Gyoza

Php149.00

Just like regular Gyozas you have in other Japanese restaurants.  Nothing special but not bad for an appetizer.

Weekend Food Trip at: Tenya Tempura Tendon

Aside from Google and online Food Apps, the people I trusted most when it comes to good restaurants are Mr. AMW's colleagues!  They are definitely "foodies at heart" and whenever they rave about something through my husband, I make sure to visit the said restaurant.

One of the most raved restaurant for the season is --- Tenya Tempura Tendon.  The group traveled to Japan, tried the same restaurant there and came back and visited Tenya Tempura Tendon at SM Mall of Asia and gave the seal of approval.  

So I had to schedule our own visit with the family!  And so far, if you want me to keep it short, the experience was good!  What makes this unique?  The sauce that comes with EVERY meal!  

All-Star Tendon

R 200g rice Php295.00

L 250g rice Php325.00

Black Tiger Prawn, Squid, Salmon, 

Kani Stick, Green Beans and Mushrooms

Asakusa Special Tendon 

R 200g rice Php295.00

L 250g rice Php325.00

3pcs Black Tiger Prawn and Green Beans

Weekend Food Trip at: OEDO Japanese Restaurant

I live in downtown Manila so you'll definitely find me and my family in areas such as Banawe, Retiro and Ongpin.

One of the things I love to do before we head out is to search online for Restaurants to try!  Mr. AMW and I love to food trip on various restaurants because we are Foodies-at-heart!  One restaurant that we've always been wanting to try is Oedo Japanese Restaurant located at Banawe.  The thing is, the place is always packed and we cannot even book for reservations.

Because of that, my interest with the restaurant grew more!  So finally, one FATEFUL Sunday + Good Mood Toddler, we waited in line (30minutes to be exact) and we finally got a seat!  If you want a quick and honest review?  The WAIT is Totally Worth It!

Takoyaki

Octopus Balls

Php100.00

The taste is almost there (comparing to the ones I had in Japan) but, there are more cabbage inside than octopus bits!  Still, the sauce and flavors are really like that from the ones I had in Japan!

Aspara Bacon

Php50.00/stick

Bacon-wrapped asparagus tastes really good! 

 The asparagus are fresh and the bacon has a bit of the crunchy texture.

Weekend Food Trip at Coco Ichibanya

So I have tried Coco Ichibanya the first time in Shanghai more than 10 years ago!  I remembered my brother (who's working there) taking Keith and I, my mom, dad and my brother to this "Curry Restaurant" because it is extremely yummy.

Then, I opened the menu and said: "What?  It's all curry lang?"
Duh? Obviously, it's a CURRY RESTAURANT.

Obviously, it isn't just a curry restaurant, it is one of the yummiest Curry I've tried!  I loved the restaurant so much I made it a point to visit and dine there whenever I go to Shanghai!

Then, the most impossible thing happened, just when I always message my brother how I wish this restaurant would be available in the Philippines, it finally happened!  And I can't believe why it took me THIS long to finally visit Coco Ichibanya!

(Note from author:  All food photos won't look exactly the same as how they would regularly serve because we asked them to separate the curry sauce!)

Pork Cutlet Omelette Curry

Php380.00

Soft and fluffy omelette curry with steaming Japanese rice inside is a wonderful surprise!  It goes so well with the crunchy Pork Cutlet!  You also get to choose the spicy level of your curry sauce!

Pork Cutlet Curry

Php340.00

Because I wanted to share this dish with my son, I went for plain steaming rice with the same yummy pork cutlet that's oh-so-tender and soft on the inside.

Tomo Japanese Dining Restaurant Review

So I love meetings, especially with people whom I'm extremely comfortable with.  I've met Dra. Janina (yes, this gorgeous lady has the beauty and brains!) when she learned how much of a Girlstuff Polish user  I am.  After a couple of meetings and several projects and events later.  Our relationship bloomed into a super nice friendship!  That's why it is always a good excuse for us to set a date for "meeting" but it always ended up a "chikka session".

We've decided to dine at Tomo Japanese Dining Restaurant which I am actually excited about!  The first time I dined here was for a Highschool friends get-together for Christmas and all the food I had were amazing!  I knew I had to go back.

Now it's funny I forgot to take a photo of the Ramen we ordered, and the RAMEN (shown on photo above) was our favorite among other dishes we ordered!  It was split in 2 so I didn't take a photo of it, but if you are a Ramen lover like I am, go for Chashu Tonkotsu (Php315.00).

Help! I can't remember what Janina ordered, but this one is okay but a bit too "loose" for me, I wish they roll it tighter.

Nadai Fujisoba Lucky Chinatown

We have been to LCM for so many times we almost worry about where to eat!  I mean, yes, there are so many restaurants out there but not EVERY restaurant has HIGH CHAIR!

Once we were craving for Japanese food and we passed by a restaurant called Nadai Fujisoba, the restaurant isn't big but it has our requirements --- high chair and cute interiors!

Now let's talk about the food, it was a super busy and ngarag day so we weren't able to take photos of "Each" dish!  But here's the overview!

What we ordered ---

Katsudon, Ebi Tendon and Aja Fuji Soba

Weekend Food Trip at: Sandaya Japanese Yakiniku Restaurant, FisherMall

Whenever I visit my Mom and Dad back home, we  try to take them out for simple dinner!  And that's when we try to be adventurous in trying out different restaurants just for the sake of my mom and dad --- they have sacrificed so much when we were young saving up every single cent!  Now that we are older, and obviously, earning on our own, I guess that is just the smallest way of saying: "Thank you"

As always, month of December + Saturday night = Horrendous Traffic

So we've decided to stay close-by, near my mom's place, we went to Fishermall.

There were a couple of restaurants we wanted to try but decided otherwise because they don't have high chair.  Paging restaurant owners --- PLEASE!  Not everyone bring their yayas to a mall so I badly need high chair so I can eat peacefully! 

So back to looking for restaurants, we saw Sandaya Japanese Yakiniku Restaurant.

We were extremely hungry so we've decided to go for their set meal.

Regular Assorted BBQ Set

for 900g good for 4-5 persons

Php1,700.00

A platter of US Beef, local pork and local chicken.