It may not look big from the outside but you'd be surprised once you go inside.

♥ Aburi Salmon Don with Miso Soup (430 php)

♥ Seafood Tokujo Ramen (470 php)

One of the pride dishes of Washoku is their ramen.  I don't think you can go wrong with any of their ramen options because its their milky tonkotsu base that makes them so good.  

New

♥ Teppan Cheese Hamburg Teishoku (430 php)

♥ Fujisan Katsu Curry (450 php)

I've always loved curry.  It's quite interesting there are a lot of version of curry.  I especially love Japanese curry the most.  This Fujisan Katsu Curry is one of the best Japanese curry in the Metro!

Katsu

Fillet Katsu 3 pcs. ala carte (380 php)

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Washoku Musashi-tei is a well-rounded Japanese restaurant that will surely satisfy you whatever your Japanese dish craving is.  Given the food quality and portion, I find the pricing to be justified.  I believe the quality is as high as prestigious and expensive hotel Japanese restaurants.

The family rarely goes to the South so our wish list is barely accomplished.  Butamaru has long been on our list so imagine my excitement when I heard it has opened at Ortigas Home Depot.


I truly admire Butamaru for making its way from the South to North.  It gives us the chance to try their 16-hour tonkotsu broth and their special noodles.  I heard they learned the art of making noodles from Master Artisan Sugimura-san of Menko Noodle Company in Oita, Japan who had 40 years of experience as a noodle supplier for ramen shops.

Since I haven't been to their Alabang branch, I wouldn't dare to compare.  All I know is they have spacious dining area especially on the second floor.  And, they have bar on both floors as they wish to implement an izakaya concept to cater to Ortigas' night life loving people.  They are open until 1 am!

Food

♥ Curry Gyoza (150 php)

The Curry Gyoza is a must as a starter!  With or without dip, this is good!

 
I think what makes their gyoza really good is that they make them fresh upon order.  I got to try making some but my work isn't as masterful as their staffs.  I have to admit that the experience made me appreciate a gyoza more.

Katsu Gyozayaki (160 php)

This is my first time to try something like a Katsu Gyozayaki.  It's a hybrid between a gyoza and a katsu.  I still prefer the gyoza but I could have this instead of a katsu.

Kushiyaki

♥ Buta Bara (120 php/2 sticks)

The Buta Bara which is pork belly skewers is another well-executed dish.  You can tell by the looks that it is succulent and soft right?

Curry Tantanmen (370 php)

You can choose mild or spicy for the Curry Tantanmen.  I chose mild because I wanted to taste the flavor of their curry.  I wasn't impressed with it.  I kind of regret not having tried their 16-hour tonkotsu broth because I chose this.  But, it is true that their noodles are indeed good!

♥ Kaisen (380 php)

On the other hand, the Kaisen or seafood which rich taste of bonito and other ingredients mixed in.  I find this reasonable because of the huge tiger prawn served on top.  It tastes sweet and fresh.

Extra

♥ Ajitsuke Tamago (50 php)

If possible I always order the Ajitsuke Tamago to test the cooking skills of the chefs.  I would have to say that Butamaru's chef passed with flying colors!  This is the best Ajitsuke Tamago I've tried yet.  Ah the gelatinuous egg white and the wet, slightly grainy and mushy yellow egg yolk is to die for.

♥ Chashu (150 php)

And since my order didn't have any Chashu or roast pork, I ordered one as an extra.  You can tell just by the nice greasy look at it has the nice amount of fats that melts as soon as you put it on your mouth.  And, the char and sesame brings a soothing fragrant flavor that complements the rich pork and fat goodness.

I can't have a verdict for this yet until I try their Tonkotsu based broths.

But, it was conveniently placed beside Ingarden Philippines - my Aunt's world class home decor shop at Jamboree Street Corner Scout Fuentebella.

I've really fortunate that my family and relatives have always been supportive of my hobbies and ventures.  Knowing that I loved photography, my cousin offered me the opportunity to try product photography by having a photo shoot of her items.

Of course, I was delighted with the project.  While food is the reason why I got into photography, I wanted to learn more than just food photography.   Because of blogging, I  got to try some Fashion Photography, Events Photography and Travel and Landscape Photography.  I also sometimes do Kiddie Party Videography and Photography with my sisters.  But, I've always had an enthusiasm for other types of photography.

Aside from the photography experience, they also bring me to new food places that I've never been to before such as Zipang.

Food

Teishoku

♥Nikatsu Set Meal (270 php)

My cousin ordered the Nikatsu Set Meal which was a hefty serving.  My cousin couldn't finish this on her own so she shared it with me.  The katsu was delicious!  The appetizer varies but I think we were lucky because during our visit, it was a salmon dish that was amazing!  We both agreed that this set was a bang for the buck.  Not only was the katsu serving generous, it also included a high quality and special appetizer, miso soup, salad, Japanese rice and  pickles.

Donburi

Gyu-Don (345 php)

My typical order from a Japanese restaurant is the gyudon.  I wanted to try the gyudon of all restaurants I visit if possible.  Zipang's Gyu-Don is good but it wasn't extraordinary enough for me to order again.  Moreover after seeing the generous serving and features of the Teishoku Set, I felt that the higher pricing of the Gyu-Don isn't justified.  

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Would we come back to Zipang again?  Definitely!  The dishes are authentic and of quality.  But, definitely go for the Teishoku Sets if you want to get the most out of  your money's worth.  The service is great too!

The family has been looking forward to trying out Kushikatsu Daruma.  We've tried kushikatsus from local Japanese restaurants and we're epicurious how those hold in comparison with Kushikatsu Daruma that originates from Osaka Japan.


Kushikatsu Daruma's interiors really stand out even from the outside.

Perhaps this branch is even more extravagant than the one in Osaka. 

The staffs are very attentive and eager to suggest what to order.

Everywhere you'd find a reminder of "No Double Dipping".  But, I doubt that everyone understands that.

My little sister confessed she didn't get it until we told her. ;D

Food

Kushikatsu

Kushikatsu

It's the cooking frying technique and quality of the basic ingredients.  I was surprised to discover that Kushikatsu Daruma's chefs all trained in Japan just to master the craft. 

Pork Kurobuta (179 php), Camember Cheese Kushikatsu (59 php), Scallop Kushikatsu (59 php)

We had so much fun and kept on ordering for more sticks.  The quality

After seeing our bill, we realized we should be more keen on our budget.  And, again remember not to double dip!  

So what did we like about their kushikatsu?
1. Variety
2. Consistent quality
3. Delicious sauce

What did we not like?
1. It's difficult to keep track of our expenses as we kept on ordering for more sticks.  And, some of the sticks were really expensive.
2. We couldn't get comfortable with the one dipping container for all.
3. It was a bit oily. 
4. Quality isn't the best I've tried.  For the beef roll, I actually liked the one in Shabu-Shabu Ichiban more.

Small Plate

Karaage (Ala Carte) (320 php)

The Karaage has what I'm looking for.  The skin is crunchy and the meat is tender and juicy.


Rice Bowls

Gyudon (320 php)

Aside from their Kushikatsu, their rice bowls are good too.

Gyudon w/ Egg (340 php)

I'd definitely order the Gyudon w/ Egg again.

Gyudon w/ Cheese (340 php)

Chicken Teriyaki (295 php)

If you're looking for something sweeter, there's the Chicken Teriyaki.

Tip: You can now avail of Kushikatsu Daruma lunch meals for more savings.  For only 265 php, you get your Rice Bowl, Daruma Iced Tea, Miso Soup and a scoop of ice cream.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
No doubt that the Kushikatsu Daruma offers an authentic Osakan experience for kushikatsu.  We also enjoyed  the Rice Bowls which were all served piping hot.