First Bite: Pepeng Hapon

I'm a purist when it comes to Japanese food and I usually automatically dislike Japanese fusion dishes as soon as I see it or get a whiff of its strong aroma. But all that changed when I got to savor Ooma's crazy good dishes. And when a Filipino-Japanese restaurant reached out to me, I quickly said yes.

Hello, Pepeng Hapon. 

Pepeng Hapon is a Filipino-Japanese restaurant in Malate offering pocket friendly maki, takoyaki, and more. With some of its dishes at under PHP200, it isn't surprising for this place to become a popular spot for students and workers in the area. 

I was up for a treat when Pepeng Hapon delivered some of its bestsellers last Saturday for me to try. 

The dishes were delivered via Grab Food and sadly, the takoyaki pizza box was probably tilted while in transit hence it was a bit deformed when it arrived.

I first tried its Sriracha Adobo One Punch Wapak (PHP350) and found it too spicy for my liking. It had that heat that lingers which I am not very fond of. I had to stop after one bite. (Note: I have very low spice tolerance.)

I enjoyed the Takoyaki Cheesy Bacon Pizza (PHP320) which had this delectable snappy texture. And did I mention that it was really cheesy? 

The Pinoy makis are great too! I sampled Tapa Maki (PHP200, 8 pieces) and Adobo Maki (PHP190, 8 pieces) which were both rich! Tapa Maki made me want to grab a bowl of rice as each roll was topped with generous serving of tender marinated beef bits. 

Adobo Maki wasn't as flavorful but it offers more texture than Tapa Maki. Do take note that both are quite heavy in the belly! And if you want two flavors in one plate, Pepeng Hapon offers Maki Salo which is a combination of two kinds of maki. 

And if you fancy noodles for lunch or dinner, its Sisig Pancit Hapon (PHP150, solo | PHP700, medium | PHP1,400, large) is ready to please your taste buds. The crunchy sisig toppings were addictive!

I'll surely swing by Pepeng Hapon if I find myself in the area to try its other dishes. 

Pepeng Hapon is located at 879 Dagonoy Street, Malate, Manila.