By Khris Marc Ronquillo
Modern dining is making a shift toward more authentic experiences. Even in the midst of multinational fast food franchise expansion, the restaurant experience with friends and family still remains a solid institution. Filipinos after all are well known for having food as the centerpiece of any social gathering.
The Teppanyaki experience at Diamond Hotel’s Yurakuen is a good place to take a load off with loved ones; it combines food, fun, and flair to give you multi-sensory satisfaction. This is definitely not your barkada’s Japanese fast food chain.
Like participants in a poker game, Yurakuen’s personal chef wows the diners with dexterous cuts, juggles, lightning fast food presentation, and a blazing flambé, dealing soul satisfying portions to the diners around him.
For starters, nibble on delicious appetizers of your choice from California rolls to seaweed salad. On the side are three dipping sauces: ponzu, miso, and light Japanese soy sauce with the option to use sesame oil made from freshly crushed sesame seeds.
Then drool over unlimited servings of fresh seafood such as scallops, shrimp, squid, and salmon. The squid nigiri was especially memorable as the squid was silky, creamy, sweet, and tender, blending well with the Japanese rice. The shrimps were, of course, a must-try as well as the very filling and meaty salmon.
Move on to the succulent meats like sirloin, lamb chops, and more, all beautifully marbled high grade cuts seasoned with professional restraint to let the full meat flavors shine through. A truly melt in your mouth experience.
The rice eater in you need not despair, a side of fried rice is available prepared the way you want it, with beef, seafood, or even mixed.
Make sure you have a lot of time set aside for the Yurakuen Tepanyakki as the satisfying meals, hearty conversation, and the chef’s stellar culinary entertainment will keep you pleasantly occupied for two hours easy.
But before you go, top it all off with seasonal fruits or ice cream drizzled with azuki beans—for a well-rounded meal (though you might end up coming out well-rounded in the middle as well).
Yurakuen’s Teppanyaki All-You-Can-Eat is available for lunch and dinner for P2,980 nett per person from Monday to Thursday and P3,300 nett from Friday to Sunday, inclusive of one unlimited standard drink of your choice.
For reservations at Yurakuen, call 528-3000 ext. 1121.
