Restaurant Love: Mangetsu

It’s finally a few days before my birthday again! It means lots and lots of eating and planning lunch and dinner dates with the people I love. I just love celebrating birthdays (even if it’s not mine). 

I’ve been wanting to try Mangetsu for quite some time now and since some of my friends and I finally found a date where we’re all free, I took it as a chance for us to all go to that Japanese restaurant.

 Konnichiwa, Mangetsu!

 

I was a bit scared that we might not have seats given we're meeting on a Saturday so I made sure to reserve a table for 6 the day before. I was expecting a full house but there were still a few tables left vacant when we arrived. 

I love that they welcomed me by first name. It made me feel like a regular customer. :D

It took us quite some time to decide on what to order as there were a lot to choose from. I noticed that they even have a menu for cheese dishes! *Calling all cheese lovers!*

After a few more minutes, we finally ordered the following: Deep-Fried Breaded Prawns (PHP490), Karaage Fried Chicken Thighs (PHP380), Cheese Gyoza (PHP320), Salmon Sashimi (PHP430), California Maki (PHP250/wrap roll, PHP150/hand roll), and Shoyu Ramen (PHP230).

First served was the salmon sashimi. I was impressed with how charming the sashimi was plated. It sure made my non-sashimi eating friends try it out and eventually love it as the salmon was fresh.

 The California maki cuts were pretty big and I just love the fresh roe.

The cheese gyoza on the other hand didn’t really taste like cheese. Or perhaps they made use of cheese that is rather bland in flavor. Nonetheless, it was a bit chewy and it reminded me of mozzarella.

The Karaage fried chicken thighs were a hit! It was a crowd favorite as the skin was crunchy yet the meat inside was tender and juicy. Adding those three types of salt made this dish even more superb. Plus the different colors made it so enticing to eat.

The deep-fried breaded prawns were great too as they made use of bread crumbs than the typical flour. It added crisp and more texture. The prawns used were huge too so there won’t be a bite with just breading.

The shoyu ramen on the other hand was my least favorite. The soup was darker than what I am used to and it was a bit saltier as well. I like my shoyu ramen salty yet slightly sweet but this one isn’t it.

Overall, the dining experience was great. I love how the dishes were served and it sure made us hungrier each time a plate is served. I’ll definitely try the other dishes next time such as the cold noodles and the chicken skewers.

Mangetsu is located at 38 Jupiter St., Bel-Air Village, Makati City.