I'm taking it quite slow with my Katsu adventure.   A few nights ago, my cousin and I had out girls bonding night where she mentioned Saboten as being one of her and her husband's favorite.  That made me curious and teased me to want to try Saboten.

       Saboten's latest branch is in Glorietta 5.  I think it's strategically located, very bright and welcoming so it's difficult to miss.  Saboten is actually brought to the Philippines by Raintree group whose other concepts I've encountered before.

 

       As soon as I walk in, I noticed that they have a take out counter with comfortable seating for those who are waiting.  


     While waiting, I also took my time to read about Saboten and their thick cutlets.



     The area is very spacious and they made sure that their diners are afforded a lot of space and privacy.

     Each booth had a divider see?  

Condiments

      Saboten's secret sauce is made in Hokkaido using onions, carrots, apple, tomatoes and over 10 spices so make sure to try it out.  They also have the pink Himalayan salt. 

Pour the Special Sauce in the Grinded Sesame

Food
    Katsu is best shared with a group so we ordered based on our servers suggestion for us three girls to share.  And, somehow we managed to swipe this clean. =)) 

All set meals include refillable shredded cabbage, pickles, rice and miso soup

      I noticed that they don't have any ala carte.  Everything is ordered by sets.

 Grated Radish Katsu

Grated Radish Tenderloin Set (440 php)

         We opted to go for the Grated Radish Tenderloin Set which was an upgraded version of The Original because it had grated radish on top of it and is supposed to be served with a slice of grapefruit (but we got lemons instead) and ponzu sauce.  We noticed that they pork cutlets are thicker than others we've tried.  The tenderloin is really lean and meaty.  I was expecting this to deliver a whole new experience but I noticed that the other variants were served with ponzu sauces with grated radish on it so its almost the same.

Katsu Curry   

♥ Curry Chicken Set (575 php)

       I'm glad they offered the Curry Chicken Set for people like me who want to feel healthy once in awhile and opt for chicken over pork.  I find their curry sauce to have just the right blend.  I declare it safe even for those who can't eat spicy food.
 

♥ Curry Chicken Set (575 php)

       I know I mentioned last time that I won't go for chicken anymore but I'm now retracting that because Saboten has executed this dish so well that I could hardly distinguish any difference in moisture and texture with that of a pork.   I think I finished most of this dish.

Claypot

Clay Pot Tenderloin Set (440 php)

      The Clay Pot is their version of the Katsudon.  While my friend Berylle enjoyed this, I found the sauce to be too sweet for my liking.  And, I also prefer wet and runny yolks than dry than fluffy ones.

Clay Pot Tenderloin Set (440 php)

       But, what I like about the Clay Pot Tenderloin is that it's more moist and soft than the other variants. 


Mille-Feuille Katsu

♥ Mille-Feuille Combo Set (595 php)

      The Mille-Feuille Combo Set had 130g Mille-Feuille Katsu, 1 Deep-Fried Shrimp and 1 Crab Cream Croquette.  The deep-fried shrimp is one of the best I've tried.  I also loved the Crab Cream Croquette because the flavor of the crab was brought out by the cream instead of being dominated by it.  
 

♥ Mille-Feuille Katsu

      Their Mille-Feuille Katsu was very tender and more juicy than the rest because we noticed it had a lot of fats especially at the center part.  It's a really good alternative to The Original one.  I really like their spiky bread crumbs.  It's doesn't absorb too much oil so it was not oily and the crunchiness is so light and easy to breakthrough. 

Dessert        
        After eating a heavy load of meat, we felt a huge craving for something sweet.  And, since we can't decide on what to order, we decided to try all four of their cakes.

♥ Chocolate Hazelnut Cream Cake (195 php)

      I actually voted for the Chocolate Hazelnut Cream Cake despite it being the least visually appealing (Yes! When it comes to desserts, we tend to use our eyes) because I saw a lot of blogs raving about it.

♥ Chocolate Hazelnut Cream Cake (195 php)

         Sure enough, it did not disappoint.  It was a chocolate lovers dream with its rich chocolate ganache coating and velvety hazel cream filling.

Matcha Lychee Almond Cake (210 php)

      My two girl friends seemed to be drawn to the exciting combination of the Matcha Lychee Almond Cake and insisted on ordering it.  I didn't like it because the chiffon sponge cake felt too moist as if chilled too long and the matcha, lychee and almond were all too light that I could hardly recognize it from the sweet white ganache.

Strawberry Shortcake (195 php)

      I'm a huge fan of strawberry shortcakes especially Japanese ones so I was really persistent in having this.  But, when our Strawberry Shortcake came, I was surprised that it didn't have a single strawberry slice between the layers as shown on the menu.  The taste of the shortcake was good but it failed in terms of texture as it has the denseness similar to that of being chilled too long.

Sesame Sansrival Cake (210 php)

        The Sesame Sansrival Cake is my second choice next to the Chocolate Hazelnut Cream Cake.   It was not overwhelmingly sweet like most sansrival.  And, the black sesame in butter cream was quite evident.

Drinks

♥ Ripe Mango and Passion Fruit (195 php)

       I highly recommend the Ripe Mango and Passion Fruit which was the drink I got to try.  It was very sweet and refreshing that it mellows down the palette in every sip.


Promo

        Collect all of these by purchasing for 295 php or dining in every Rain Tree Restaurant with a minimum of 1,000 php.


Other Katsu Reviews
Ginza Bairin
Katsu Cafe
Kimukatsu
Tonkatsu by Terazawa
Yabu 1 | Yabu 2

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Saboten offers its own distinguishing katsu experience that is sure to satisfy any katsu craving.  The thickn but tender pork cutlets, exquisite crisp of the breading and flavorful sauce is worth coming back for. 

During our Kapitolyo Christmas food trip, we got to try Mad Mark's Creamery & Good Eats.  But, only the ice cream. 

So when I saw it open in Glorietta 5 just beside Kichitora, I knew I had to complete the experience.

Our visit was a weekday afternoon so we're lucky there wasn't a long line by the counter. 

Compared to their first branch, this is more spacious.  They have tables on the outside too.  They get packed on weekends. 

For ice cream, they have the same chalk board menu.

Compared to the one in Kapitolyo, this branch has more flavor availability.

Food

Man Sandwiches

Mariner (180 php/Half)

The Mariner is a filled with fish fillet, lettuce, tomatoes and marine sauce.  I rarely go for sandwiches because I don't like the dryness but this one has awesome crunch, softness and sauciness that I couldn't stop digging in.

Mad Mark's Grill Works
For the Mad Mark's Grill Works selection, there are three steps:
Step 1: choose your Grilled Entry
Step 2: choose you Grilling Sauces
Step 3:  choose 2 Side Dishes

♥ Signature Steak Regular (200g) (285 php)

Grilled Entry: Signature Steak Regular (200g)
Grilling Sauces: Cream Mushroom Sauce
2 Side Dishes: Smashed Potato and Grilled Corn on the Cob (apparently off the cob)

I'm quite surprised with the price of their Signature Steak.  We had ours cooked medium and it was cooked perfectly so.  We enjoyed the oozing juiciness of our USDA Angus Striploin steak.  This is now on top of my list to go to for steak cravings while on a budget.  (Surpassing Bugsy's Siegel) I don't think any other mall establishment can offer a quality steak at the price they offer.   

Creolle Grilled Chicken (195 php)

Grilled Entry: Creolle Grilled Chicken (200g)
Grilling Sauces: Roasted Nut Sauce
2 Side Dishes: Garden Grains and Bacon Potato Salad

The Creolle Grilled Chicken is a healthier option but as satisfying.  The chicken meat was tender and moist.

Ice Cream

♥ Apple Saigon Cinnamon (85 php/single scoop)

If you're a fan of apple pies like me, you'll surely fall in love with the Apple Saigon Cinnamon.  This is the best flavor at Mad Mark's for me!

Banoreo (150 php/double scoop)

Being an ultimate Oreo fan, I also enjoyed the Banoreo which is banana ice cream with Oreo bits.

Half-Baked Madagascar (150 php/double scoop)

The Half-Baked Madagascar was not mixed nicely so it had inconsistent texture... Surely, I'd love to give it a second try though.

♥ The Rolling Dutchman Ice Cream Sandwich (150 php)

The Rolling Dutchman Ice Cream Sandwich flavor that day was nutella and cookie butter with madagascar vanilla bean.  Wow!  It was really good!  The bread is warm and soft.  This makes the ordinary pandesal ice cream sandwiches seem like the lamest thing.  And, what better spread could there be then nutella and cookie butter right?  They complement the madagascar vanilla bean wonderfully.

Other Reviews at Kapitolyo Pasig
Bullchef
Lia's Cakes in Season
Nav Modern Thai Cuisine
Silantro Fil-Mex Cantina

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Mad Mark's Creamery & Good Eats is a place I could dine at over and over.  The food is great and everything is unbelievably priced! 

Ever since our previous visit at Kichitora of Tokyo, I've been yearning for their Shibuya Tokyo originated ramen.  So it's great news that they opened a branch at Glorietta 5.  

At first glance, I knew that this is bigger and better than their first. 

The narrow dinning area from the entrance extends to an ever wider part.  The black motif with kimono patched walls are still carried over.  And, as the name Kichitora means lucky tiger, there is an evident tranquil looking tiger amongst cherry blossoms printed on its wall. 

This one also has a bar by the open kitchen area.  

Each table has a set of condiments. 

Food

Ala Carte

♥ Gyouza (150 php / 5 pcs.)

I can still remember the magical sensation when we first tried their Gyouza.  This time around I'd still say its the best one I've tried  with its juicy and tasty ingredients: vegetable, ground pork, spices and herbs.  But, the skin was not as crisp and silky thin as I recalled. 

♥ Chicken Karaage Single (150 php)

The Chicken Karaage is another impressive option to try!  It's golden brown batter with a hint of ginger is fried to perfection.  The juicy and tender chicken meat is also as stupefying.
 

♥ Ban Ban Ji (195 php)

The Ban Ban Ji with toasted tortilla, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, lettuce and its glorified moist and tender chicken chashu slices served with sesame dressing was another hit!  I swear this dish will make you fall in love with their chicken chashu slices.

Ramen

♥ Chicken Paitan Shio Ramen (395 php)

No one should ever leave Kichirota without having their Chicken Paitan Ramen.  During our first visit, they didn't offer the option for Shio or Shoyu neither the option for Chicken or Pork yet.  Since we had this with chicken before and loved it, we had that again.   As we want to appreciate their original special broth which took 8 hours of preparation, we choose the Chicken Paitan Shio Ramen.  As I've heard, this is the road less taken as most prefer the Shoyu or soy sauce based.  Upon first sip, I was enshrouded with glee over this!  This simply incomparable to any ramen!  In terms of noodle texture, I've mentioned this before and I'll say it again.  It is exemplary as it is firm and chewy! 

♥ Paitan Ramen Zenbu no Se (395 php)

To try something new, we ordered the Paitan Ramen Zenbu no Se.  One slurp was all it took to be blown away by its bold smokey meaty flavor.  Its Ajitsuke Tamago or egg is cooked runny just the way I like it.  The smoky pork chashu slices was really tender but it had a lot of fatty parts and the skin was thick!  I know I praised the classic Paitan Ramen already but this one has its own X factor to make it a must try too!

Tan Tan Mien (395 php)

The Tan Tan Mien is the same paitan broth with pure sesame paste topped with minced pork, sesame seeds, bokchoy or pechay, spring onions, fried garlic oil and spicy oil.  This is good but not in the league of the previous ones. 

Nabemono

Hokkaido White Miso Nabe (Good for 6 bowls)

The Nabemono selection is their latest menu additions.  As the usual nabe or hot pot offerings I've encountered are Sukiyaki, Curry or Kimchi based, I was quite thrilled to try something unique like the the Hokkaido White Miso Nabe.  It had a subtle tasting miso broth with tender beef strips, tofu, mushrooms and vegetables.  

Desserts

Almond Jelly (150 php)

The Almond Jelly is a light dessert of slightly wet almond jelly toppd with mango cubes and strawberry slices.that's perfect as a meal-ender.  Despite feeling heavy and full, I finished this with ease.

♥ Coconut Pudding with Matcha and Azuki (150 php)

I enjoyed the Coconut Pudding with Matcha and Azuki more because it was not sweet at all.  It was also something unusual so it allured my adventurous taste buds.


Update (January 25, 2014): Visited this branch again.  The Gyouza and Chicken Karaage was not cooked well. =( The Ban Ban Ji has better presentation and had more ingredients! =) The new Soy Ramen was a huge hit among us.  The Nabe selections are not on the menu so ask the servers for it.  It runs out quickly during weekends.


Tsinoy Foodies Other Ramen House/Shop Reviews
Akira Restaurant 
Curry Bee Japanese Curry Shop
Hanamaruken Ramen 花丸轩  
Hokkaido Ramen Santouka
Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen
Kitchitora 1
Kokoro Ramenya
Menya Genki Tonkotsu Ramen
Miso-Ten
Mitsuyado Sei-Men
Moshi Koshi 1 | Moshi Koshi 2
Rai-Rai Ken Ramen House
Ramen Bar
Ramen Cool
Ramen Ichiban-Kan
Ramen Nagi
Ramen Sora
Ramen X (Closed)
Ramen Yushoken
Ukkokei Ramen Ron
Wrong Ramen

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
I'm so glad that Kichitora of Tokyo is headed in the right direction (getting bigger and better) because I've always been routing for it!  I have recommended this to all my relatives and friends and so far, I've been receiving positive feedbacks.  I look forward to my next visit!