Yokocho Japanese Food Court at Victory Food Market in Baclaran

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Ever since I turned into a blogger, my shirt size grew from a Medium to an Extra Large and my waistline probably turned double since I couldn't fit in my old, but still fine jeans, anymore. In my line of work, food is everywhere, and I just couldn't help but eat everything that's new for me or devour the tried and tested culinary greats.

All events would always have something served to its guests and thus the buffet spread has kept on calling me to please myself with all that they can offer. Even the pika-pika or finger foods would always have something tasty, and for the a la carte which I adore because of the creative plating, I couldn't resist trying everything on the menu.

May it be Chinese, American, Vietnamese, etc, or the local delicacies from the different provinces and regions of the Philippines, we Filipinos could not help ourselves taking pride of how we all love to eat. Adobo, Sisig, Sinigang, Litson, or whatever, we do think about what should be our national dish but why pick one when all of them are so yummy.

This is why we welcome all new and incoming restaurateurs or chefs who invest in the Philippines to tickle the fancy of Filipinos. Regardless if there are so many competitors, what is important is you have amazing recipe to come up with fabulous dishes that will surely impress the masses, or even the most critically-discerning foodies.

We definitely turned Japanese that one fine day at the Yokocho Japanese Food Court located at the 4th floor of Victory Food Market in Baclaran which is just opposite the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help also known as Redemptorist Church but we all love and know colloquially as the Baclaran Church.

Sambo Kojin Adds New, Delectable Dishes to its Tasty Menu

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Master of Buffet Cuisine, Sambo Kojin, delights its customers by adding more delectable items in its already extensive menu. Get to indulge in the best of Japanese and Korean barbecue with a wider variety.

As the foremost “eat all you can Yakiniku” restaurant, Sambo Kojin serves only the finest quality meat, fresh seafood, and vegetable yakiniku items perfect for grilling. With its superior smokeless grilling equipment, guests can take pleasure in cooking their own food. Apart from that, Sambo Kojin also offers a wide range of sumptuous cooked specialties, an extensive sushi bar and desserts. 

Sambo Kojin kamameshi

Sambo Kojin salmon ebiko kamameshi

Sambo Kojin kamameshi

Among its spread of savory Japanese and Korean favorites, Sambo Kojin introduces new dishes for diners to enjoy. Have your fill with its latest selection of rice dishes, which include the Sambo Kojin Kamameshi, Salmon Ebiko Kamameshi and the Tori Kamameshi. 

Sambo Kojin Katai yaki soba

Sambo Kojin niku tamago curry

Sambo Kojin niku tamago

Sambo Kojin tori teppan

It’s Teppan items now include Niku Tamago, Niku Tamago Curry, Tori Teppan and Katai Yaki Soba. Have a bite of Okonomiyaki with a choice of Kaisen (seafood) or Butaniku No (pork) to suit your tastes. The Tempura menu still has all kinds including Ebi, Kani, Ika, Kisu, Nasu, Satsumaimo, and Kakeage plus new additions like Somen (Japanese noodles), Kabocha (squash), Shishito (chili pepper), and Saya Ingen. And try out the Takoyaki with Tamago Mayo Wasabi. 

Kaisen ball katsu

Sambo Kojin buta katsu

Sambo Kojin kaisen katsu

Sambo Kojin kani katsu

Sambo Kojin Katsu - kaisen, buta, kaisen balls, kani

Sambo Kojn Katsu

Take your pick of Katsu dishes from Kaisen Katsu or Kaisen Ball Katsu (seafood), Buta Katsu (pork), and Kani Katsu (crab) plus a choice of curry sauce, mayonnaise or sweet takoyaki sauce to go with it. And get ready to pile up your plates with Aburi Rolls. The selection of Sushi favorites now includes, Salmon Ebi Aburi, Ebi and Kani Aburi, Salmon Tartare Aburi, Oyster Aburi, Salmon Skin Aburi, Tuna Tartare Aburi, Kani Avocado Aburi, and Ebi Mozzarella Aburi. There’s also Salmon Aburi, Tuna Aburi and Ebi Aburi plus the addition of Tataki sushi.

Sambo Kojin chiken wasabi hot salad

Sambo Kojin aburi rolls, aburi sushi, and tataki

Sambo Kojin spring rolls (lamb, beef, pork)

Sambo Kojin also offers a variety of international cuisine which now includes Chicken Wasabi Hot Salad, Pork Buns, Pork Curry Spring Roll, Lamb Curry Spring Roll and Beef Curry Spring Roll, Seafood and Chips with Wasabi and Tartar Sauce. 

Sambo Kojin tempura -somen, kabocha, shishito, saya ingen

Sambo Kojin Tempura

What’s even better is that Sambo Kojin offers ongoing promos.

Birthday celebrants get to eat for free on the day of their birthday, on exact day of birthday, 3 days before and 3 days after, accompanied by one full paying adult guest.

A Group of Ten, get one Free Buffet.

Frequent diners can get one free buffet when they complete the ten stamps on their Frequent Diner Card.

Graduates, with two full paying adult guests, also get a free buffet treat on their graduation day, up to seven days after, from March 1 to July 1, 2017.

Head on over to your nearest Sambo Kojin restaurant now and treat yourself to an authentic Japanese yakiniku and Korean barbecue experience made even better with a wider variety of choices.

For promo mechanics and other announcements, like Sambo Kojin on Facebook www.facebook.com/SamboKojin and @sambokojin on Instagram, and visit www.sambokojin.com. Sambo Kojin is located at EDSA Greenhills Mandaluyong City (Tel. 726-4466 or 726-4520) / Eastwood Citywalk QC (Tel. 421-0145 to 46) / West Avenue Quezon City (Tel. 372-8846 or 921-2873) / SM Southmall Food Street (Tel. 511-7843 or 511-7853)/ SM Megamall (Tel. no. 696-1291 to 93)/ and SM City Fairview (921-5172 or 921-5175).

UP Tomo-Kai Proudly Presents Indayog: An AcousTKafe

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Stressed out? Hibiscus in Hanakotoba means "gentle." And gentleness is something you definitely need right now!

Relax, unwind, and listen to the beat of Japanese and Filipino music at UP Tomo-Kai's Indayog: An AcousTKafe at Palma Hall Room 400 from 2:30-5:30 pm.

No money? No problem! Enjoy free snacks and unlimited coffee and tea! We'll be waiting for you!

Indayog: An AcousTKafe is brought to you by UP Tomo-Kai.

Co-presented by Zalora Philippines

In cooperation with the UP Diliman-Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts (UP Diliman OICA).

Partner Organizations: HallyUP, UP Deutscher Verein, UP KAISA (K1), UP Arirang and University of the Philippines Anime Manga Enthusiasts

Media Partners: arkadymac.com, magnetic-rose.net,DZUP, Wazzup Pilipinas, Post Your Event,AKTIVshow and 1 Digimedia Audiovisuals Inc.

Yu-Fu-In Yakiniku and Japanese Restaurant: The Very First Authentic Japanese Restaurant In Angeles, Pampanga

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The next stop on our Pampanga restaurant tour while attending the 20th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon is Yu-Fu-In Yakiniku and Japanese Restaurant. The restauramt is located at First Street, Balibago in Angeles, Pampanga. It took us a while in locating the place since Google map could not exactly pinpoint its location online but we found it after a few minutes of roaming around the area near the SM Clark mall.

The team just came from an interview with Chef Clause Tayag at his Downtown 1956 Cafe by Bale Dutung restaurant located at Nepo Center, and a quick stop back at the Holiday Inn Clark hotel for a meeting with their management, before proceeding to this Japanese restaurant. Thanks to our 12-seater Higer Executive van from Froehlich Tours, it was very convenient for us to travel around Pampanga.

According to their Facebook page, the company’s restaurant business started way back 1995 having the name of Yakiniku Tombo Japanese Restaurant. It was the very first restaurant in Angeles City that served authentic Japanese cuisine.

But with the growing needs of the market, The company decided to move to a better and bigger place  because of the growing needs of the market. At the new location, they then changed their name to YU∙FU∙IN Yakiniku and Japanese Restaurant.

Having a 3-storey building with different concepts for every floor, YU∙FU∙IN Yakiniku and Japanese Restaurant is probably the biggest authentic Japanese restaurant in Pampanga. It is indeed the perfect place for family occasions, business meetings and simple after-work get-togethers. 

Go Go Cafe of Cebu: A Truly Inspiring Story for Everyone

Wazzup Pilipinas!

An added destination to my trip in Cebu was at the Go Go Cafe owned by Go Morita, a Japanese who now lives in Cebu and is also popularly called the Tonkatsu man. He has recently partnered just about three months ago with a Filipino to setup his own restaurant in the province of Cebu.

It was so inspiring to learn that just after a few months of peddling his own creations infront of IT Park of Cebu, the construction of his restaurant was already in the works.

I went to Cebu mainly for the Sinulog 2016 festivities, but he caught my attention when he was featured at a popular local TV network.

The timing was perfect because I was on my way to Cebu for that weekend and finding out a story like his brought me to courageously look for his restaurant somewhere at P. Remedios street in Banilad.

The restaurant was simple in design yet attractive already. The big signage of Go Go Cafe was very evident and catchy. His logo represents a running man in the middle of which Go Morita explained was running towards the cafe. This was because his food was so hard to resist that people may want to rush ahead just to catch his food still available at the cafe.