I normally don’t rave about restaurants but today, I will make an exception, because I lovveee loveee Yabu sooo much they deserve a very OA review from me! Haha. It has been only a little over 1 month since Alia introduced it to us and I visited the place 3x already!
My first visit was last December, while having a short meeting with my sis, Alia and cousin BEBE MITCHITA. I haven’t heard Yabu prior to that so I was reluctant to try it at first. When I arrived there, ohmaaay, there were a lot of yuppies lining up in queue. Insanely loooong line! Anong meron!? Good thing Alia called ahead of time to reserve seats for us so we didn’t have to wait. So if you’re planning to visit during lunch time esp. in Megamall branch, make sure to call their hotline to make a reservation.
Yabu Branches:
SM Megamall
2nd Flr, Mega Atrium
(+632) 576-3900
Robinson’s Magnolia
Lower Grnd, Robinsons Magnolia
New Manila QC
(+632) 961-4975
SM Mall of Asia
2nd Flr, SOuth Arcade
Main Mall Atrium
SM Mall of Asia
(+632) 511-7202
True to the Japanese culture, there are manga comic strips decorating their walls.
True true true! The meat is sooo soft they melt in your mouth. Oh maaay panis ang pork chop!!! I could eat this forever! LOL
Condiments – sesame dressing, sesame oil, hot sauce and Himalayan salt fresh from the Himalayan Mountain Ranges!
Their interiors are modern and elegantly simple! Superb lighting, ganda sa picture even when you’re only using phones. They have free wifi connection!
A lot of yuppies eat there during break time.
I’m not sure if they’re serving mineral water….tastes like tap water kasi. I could be wrong. Or maybe ganun talaga ang lasa ng Japanese WATERRR? LOLSS
Wet towel provided in case you decide to “pack, pick and push” your food.
Special Yabu sauce and sesame seeds. This is the perfect sauce for your Rosu and Hire!
Deep fried Rosu (porkloin, with fat trimmings). Another version is Hire (tenderloin, without fat trimmings). This is a MUST TRY! When you visit the first time, try this and you’ll not regret it. Hindi complicated yun lasa…and not oily.
Closer look of Rosu. Now I’m hungry. This comes in 2 sizes, 120 and 180 grms. The meat is sooo tender. Yummy!
Yabu Special Katsudon Set. Served with unlimited Japanese rice, miso soup, Japanese pickles, unlimited cabbage with sesame dressing and a bowl of fruit.
Yabu katsu, drizzled with a light and sweet miso-based sauce, accompanied by nori, bonito flakes and a fried egg on top. A hint of shiso, or Japanese basil, is also found in the dish adding an unexpected freshness.
Closer look. Walang wala ng katsudon ng Tokyo Tokyo and Teriyaki Boy! Hugeee serving too! I almost couldn’t finish the entire bowl of goodness!
Hire and Seafood Katsu Set
A piquant mix of pork and seafood. Hire, Black Tiger Prawn, Cream Dory, Scallop and Eggplant & Pepper.
I ordered this on my 2nd visit. Huuuuge serving, nakakalula! More than 500Pesos per order but really worth the price. Waaaaah the prawn tastes soooo beautiful! I can still remember when I first took a bite. My eyes are popping out because it tastes glorious! HAHAHA napaka OA lang ng review ko! But seriously, this dish is MADE IN HEAVEN!
I never thought devouring on cabbage can be this good! This is not your ordinary cabbage. They’re perfectly shredded by manual tearing! Joke! One of the staff told me they use organic cabbage from Benguet. Nice. Their sesame dressing is very nice too.
I have yet to try their curry and menchi dishes. Sabi ni Ruthie and my boss, hindi masyadong masarap yun menchi…so I wont take chances the next time I visit.
Overall, I really had nice experience in all my visits to Yabu! My friends say the same thing. The staff are very consistent and accommodating and very attentive. When I called to reserve, Mon the manager even remembered me. Superb customer service!!! The ambience is very cozy, not very stressful and not very Japanese. I have to say their CR is very fun! The prices are a bit expensive but all worth it. Prepare 350 – 500P when going there. They don’t have a lot of food choices but it’s ok! Food = WIN! Plating is nice too. Yes it’s a little expensive than your regular Jap resto, but Yabu offers great value for your money! Next time you plan to eat out in a more expensive resto, try Yabu! They truly truly serve happy food!