Watami: Revisiting for its Affordable Lunch Sets

Ever since I became a holder of the The Bistro Group Premiere Card, I try to frequent The Bistro Group restaurants to maximize its perks.  Watami has always been my favorite about their concepts.  I've been visited Watami several times within a span of a year since its opening.  When I heard that it introduced new lunch sets, I just couldn't pass up the chance to check it out too.

My last lunch at Watami was at its Glorietta 1 branch.  It's actually my second time to dine there.  It's not as spacious as the SM Mall of Asia branch which I've shared before, but the interiors are substantially the same.

Food

Salad

♥ Watami Salad (350 php)

I've said this before and I'll say it again.  The Watami Salad is one of the best salads I've tried and I've never pass up a chance to order this when dining at Watami.


Sashimi

♥ Salmon Sashimi (225 php)

♥ Scallop Sashimi (395 php)

Having tried all their Sashimi variants, I have now settled for my favorites which is the Salmon Sashimi and
Scallop Sashimi.  I'm really glad to share that they've consistently served them with the freshest quality.

Tempura 

Assorted Tempura (295 php)

The Assorted Tempura has a generous serving of four pieces Ebi Tempura and an assortment of vegetables.  The quality of the batter and the prawns are better than average.  

Skewers

♥ Pork & Enoki Mushroom Skewers (135 php)

I've also ordered again the Pork & Enoki Mushroom Skewers which is my top pick among the other Skewers selection.

Ramen

Tokyo-Style Ramen in Shoyu Flavored Soup (380 php)

During my previous visits, I've always passed out the chance to try their Ramen.  So this time I was determined to try one.  I initially wanted to try the Watami Ramen but unfortunately it was not available so I settled for the Tokyo-Style Ramen in Shoyu Flavored Soup.  It had a very light soy based soup which was pleasant to sip.  But, the texture of the noodle fall short of my expectation especially for its price which is the same with other famous ramen shops. 

Lunch Sets

♥ Chicken Cutlet with Scrambled Egg Sauce with Rice (375 php)

I was really impressed with the Chicken Cutlet with Scrambled Egg Sauce with Rice before so I ordered this as a Lunch Set.  I noticed that when you order this as Tokyo Don (topping with rice), it is priced at 295 php.  But, as Lunch Set, it comes with a salad and miso soup for an addition of 85 php.  I guess with the Lunch Set, you now have the option to decide the set up you want with this delicious dish.

♥ Roasted Mackarel with Rice (355 php)

I think the Roasted Mackarel with Rice is the best option among the Lunch Sets.  If you order this ala carte, it is at a bigger portion but priced at 425 php.  I assure you that the serving size of this lunch set is more than satisfying for a solo eater.  The Roasted Mackerel is cooked flavorful and juicy too!

♥ Black Pepper Beef with Rice in Stone Pot Set (275 php)

The Black Pepper Beef with Rice in Stone Pot is a must order at Watami!  Whoever I'm with, I always recommend them to try this.  Up to this day, it has never failed to impress everyone.  

Beef Sukiyki Rice in Stone Pot Set (395 php)

We were quite surprised with the Beef Sukiyki Rice in Stone Pot because it was dry unlike the one in the ala carte section.  It was not as generous too in terms of ingredients so it was a bit lacking in taste and overall impact so for this item, I'd rather order it ala carte style.



Dessert
Out of all my attempts to order the complete Maccha Collection, this is the only time the three items were all available so I ceased the chance to try and compare them with each other.

♥ Maccha Tiramisu (155 php)

I really loved their Maccha Tiramisu.  It's the best among the Maccha Collection if only they could consistently serve this in its chilled condition.  I'm quite disappointed that this is always either unavailable or if it was, it was served with a gooey consistently.  I also noticed that this last one had lesser maccha powder on top.  


Update (December 7, 2013): The Maccha Tiramisu is now consistently chilled based on my last two visits. =)

Maccha Ice Cream with Anmistu Dumplings (135 php)

The Maccha Ice Cream with Anmistu Dumpling is good because the Anmistu Dumplings were fun to eat with the red beans and the maccha ice cream.  But, I'd definitely choose the Maccha Tiramisu over this.

Maccha Parfait (195 php)

The Maccha Parfait is similar to the Maccha Ice Cream with Anmistu Dumplings with the addition of maccha syrup and corn flakes.  Eat this like the halo-halo and you'll love the play of textures complemented by the strong maccha taste.

Other Bistro Group Restaurant Reviews
Bulgogi Brothers
Italianni's Restaurant
Krazy Garlic
Ma Maison (closed)
Modern Shanghai
SikLab Filipino Favorites
Tonkatsu by Terazawa
Village Tavern
Watami 1

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Watami is still the best Bistro Group concept for me.  I really enjoy the quality for the price value.  However, I still believe that they need to work on improving their service.  No doubt I'm expecting that on my return.  And, I'm still craving for the Maccha Tiramisu as I'm writing this.  Hope they do something about that too.  I really like the Lunch Set idea.  Now, diners like me can choose the set up of their meals especially when they want to eat on solo serving and avail of some savings.   

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		Watami Menu
Ambiance	★★★★	Salmon | Appetizer | Sashimi |  Sushi | Tempura | Seafood |  Meat | Skewers | Teppan | Cheese & Egg | Pizza | Stone Hotpot | Rice | Lunch Set 1 | Lunch Set 2 | Ramen | Udon | Alcoholic Beverage |  Beverage | Dessert |
Taste	★★★★
Service	★★★
Price	★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

Watami
Branches	Glorietta 1   G/F, The New Glorietta Mall, Ayala Center, Makati City SM Mall of Asia 2nd Level, Entertainment Mall SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City, Metro Manila
Business Hours	10am-10pm (mall hours)
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge	5%
Budget/Person	200-500
Free WiFi	Yes
Unlocked Foursquare Perks	None
Contact	(02)  808-0475 (Glorietta 1) / (02) 511-7572 (SM Mall of Asia)
Other	Facebook Fan Page

Watami Glorietta 1 Map  Like This Post? Subscribe here Follow @crumpyblog