Yabu, House of Katsu: Take Advantage Of Authentic Japanese Dishes In The Philippines

Outside Yabu Restaurant.

     My sister had been badgering us to go to Megamall before my brother and sister-in-law left for New Zealand where they have been based. Besides, a very special occasion needed to be celebrated: it’s my birth month. Finally, we agreed to go to Megamall to have lunch because it was the most accessible for us, coming from Laguna. This time we went Japanese. The restaurant of choice was Yabu: House of Katsu. From what I gathered, katsu is short for ‘katsureku’, Japanese for breaded and fried pork cutlet.

Image: Pounding the 'gomashio'.

                Before we were served our orders, a staff briefed us about the menu. Other service crews were very attentive to our needs, as well. To authenticate the Japanese experience of eating, we were made to follow certain steps. I remember that we dutifully pounded the ‘Gomashio’ (sesame seeds with sea salt), as suggested (above), maybe, to bring out the aroma of the toasted sesame seeds. They also added crunch to food.

Image: Adding the tonkatsu sauce.

                Then, we added this ‘tonkatsu’ sauce to the sesame seeds (above).

Bottles of dressings and spices to add flavor to the food (lower L).

     Dressings and spices were available to add flavor to the food (above). I love their spices and dressings, specially, sesame oil for fried foods.

Image: Black Tiger Prawn Set.

     We ordered the Black Tiger Prawn Set (above). This had four pieces of Japanese Black Tiger prawns covered in panko (Japanese bread crumbs) and fried to perfection while retaining its translucent and soft texture. Yabu recommended that we dip it into Yabu's special tonkatsu sauce or sweet tempura sauce for complete satisfaction. This set was served with unlimited Japanese rice, miso soup, Japanese pickles, unlimited cabbage with sesame dressing, a bowl of watermelon fruit and their house blend iced tea. The cost per set was ₱495.00. When this was still called Ebi Tempura in other restaurants, it was easily one of my favorite Japanese dishes. Today, this panko-covered-prawns are on top of my list.

Image: Chicken Katsu Set.

     We also ordered the Chicken Katsu Set with ¾ inch thick deep fried and panko-covered chicken breast fillet served with unlimited Japanese white rice, miso soup, Japanese pickles, organic cabbage, a bowl of watermelon fruit and their house blend iced tea. The cost was ₱385/180g or ₱350/120 g per set. The chicken was tender and the freshly made panko added crunch to the dish. Mixed with the other side dishes, I definitely would come back for this perfectly prepared Katsu set.

                      Image: Family bonding. 

     Yabu: House of Katsu specializes in breaded deep fried foods. It emphasizes the practice of pounding toasted sesame seeds, using sesame dressing with the fresh cabbage and, of course, serving the meal with miso soup. The menu was authentic Japanese. They hired a Japanese chef to make the dishes taste Japanese. Moreover, the chopsticks and the hot/cold towel made this a real Japanese experience. Aside from these, the best part was being able to bond with family through food. I hope to bring my husband with me next time.

     Yabu: House of Katsu is located  at the 2^nd floor, SM Megamall, Julia Vargas Ave, Wack Wack, Mandaluyong with telephone no. (02) 631-1192.