Tamayaki Food Review in SM North Edsa: Discovering the Takoyaki that's Big in Size and Filling

Takoyaki (たこ焼き or 蛸焼?) is basically a ball-shaped Japanese snack made from wheat flour-based batter and cooked in a special takoyaki pan. It is usually filled with minced or diced octopus (tako), tempura scraps (tenkasu), pickled ginger, and green onion. Takoyaki are brushed with takoyaki sauce, similar to Worcestershire sauce, and mayonnaise. The takoyaki is then sprinkled with green laver (aonori) and shavings of dried bonito (katsuobushi). There are many variations to the takoyaki recipe, for example, ponzu (soy sauce with dashi and citrus vinegar), goma-dare (sesame-and-vinegar sauce) or vinegared dashi. I actually grew up eating takoyaki because my late godfather who's part Japanese introduced me to it. During that time, there was only one store that sells yummy takoyaki. It had been imitated by other takoyaki kiosks but it had never been replicated. Unfortunately, although the said takoyaki stall is still around up to this day, its quality is no longer the same. Hence, I've been in search of th kind of takoyaki I've grown to love all these years. So when I was invited to try Tamayaki at SM North Edsa Main Building, I got pretty psyched up about it! 

I first heard of Tamayaki when my college buddy Rose, who lived next to its main branch in P. Guevarra Street in San Juan City told me about it. She knew about my search for the kind of takoyaki I've had as a young child. But as fate would have it, I never had the time to visit the said place until after I've had tasted them for this food review. 

I love Tamayaki's bright and well-lit restaurants. With my favorite color purple, you could say I am biased. But it also had shades of bubble gum pink plus one of the cutest and comfy chairs in tamago (egg) shapes. Tamayaki does not only offer takoyaki in various flavors and fillings, it also has an array of bubble teas, milk teas and fruit drinks. So while I was there, I've tried on their milk teas with rice balls, pearls and popping yam balls. The rice balls tasted like what tiny glutinous rice balls (in the vernacular, we refer them as "galapong") and they perfectly complement the taro based drinks. The other bloggers liked the Macha Tea with Red Azuki Beans. I'mn ot a fan of green tea so I chose to stick to Wintermelon Milk Tea with Pearls.  The pearls are chewy and not too sweet. Oh, and just like in any other bubble teas, you can choose to have your drink from zero sugar to 100% sugar. So drinking milk teas will not be a problem for the health conscious. 

As I dig into my first basket of Tamayaki's Seasoned Octopur Takoyaki, I couldn't help but be amaazed that although this might not exactly be the kind of takoyaki I've had as a kid, this is the closest thing to it. Rich in filling (unlike other cheap 'takoyaki' stalls that only had veggies as filling), Tamayaki Takoyaki had a balanced filling inside--you could even see the 'octopus' and the seaweed when you try to sort of 'dissect' the insides of the takoyaki balls. In fact, that's probably the most effective way to see how each variety of Tamayaki takoyaki balls differ from one another. You see, when you just see them, they all look e same on the outside. But when you cut them, it's the only way to know what kind of takoyaki that is. 

What's great about these Tamayaki Takoyaki balls are its crunchyness. I find it amazing that it is crunchy on the outside but soft and yummy on the inside. The spicy herbed mayo also added some kick for those who like their takoyaki balls spicy. It had a hint of curry too at some point. 

I was very fortunate to have been able to try Seasoned Octopus Takoyaki (Php115), Kani and Shrimp (115), Kani and Mozzarella (115), Grilled Steak (125), Mussels and Cheese (125), Ham and Mozzarella, and my personal favorite, Korean Pork Barbecue (95). As their tagline says, "Takoyaki never tasted so good", they're just being true to their words. 

After eating four Tamayaki takoyaki balls, we came to point that we were surprised to feel that we're full. That's because Tamayaki Takoyaki balls are the biggest takoyaki balls I've had ever encountered on my search of my beloved takoyaki balls. 

More than the awesome takoyaki balls, Tamayaki is one creative restaurant that's gaining popularity for its wide range of innovative set or flavors of milk teas, refreshing fruit juices and takoyaki balls. It's the first of its kind  to operate in the Philippine market (other takoyaki are either stalls or kiosks only), targetting the busy working set and youngsters who wants to satisfy their cravings for Japanese takoyaki and milk teas.

Visit a Tamayaki Branch :

SM City North EDSA

SM City Fairview

Fishermall Quezon Avenue

P Guevarra Street, San Juan (Main Branch)

Check out their social networking sites:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TamayakiPH/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/tamayakiph

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tamayakiph

Clucky's Korean Fried Chicken: Authentic, Fresh and Affordable

Joining the roster of restaurants in SM City North Edsa-Annex is Clucky's, a casual dining place that serves comforting flavors of Asian fusion (mostly Korean food). A family-run restaurant, Clucky's is bright, fun and comfy resto, the kind of place that everyone enjoys, be they having lunch with friends or colleagues, a family enjoying a weekend out or a couple on a casual date. 

Clucky's is a partner of Mad for Chicken--one of the most famous Korean fried chicken brands in the US. Clucky's proudly serves their dishes flavored with Mad for Chicken sauce--an authentic secret sauce recipe made only from the finest ingredients found only in Korea.

Clucky's burst into the local restaurant scene like a breath of fresh air, giving diners especially the Korean foodie enthusiasts something to be happy about. Expect to spend a few minutes trying to figure out exactly what you want from their menu, as the choices are many, and each one is equally enticing. 

You know that your dining experience is off to a wonderful start when you're personally welcomed into the restaurant and attended by its own owners. After a brief chat, we've discovered that Clucky's is owned by MJ and K which meant Multiple J's (the three owners' initials starts with letter J) and their cousin Kirby which obviously stands for the letter K. And just when you thought the conversation couldn't get any better, then came the food.

Must try dishes include the Clucky's signature dish: the juicy yet flavorful and perfectly seasoned Korean-style fried chicken in either soy or spicy (a choice of wings, drums or tenders). After my first few bites, I stared tenderly into my plate all cleaned up. I didn't know what happened but it felt like I'm some machine gun and Clucky's chicken is my ammo. 

If you aren't a fan of strong sweet and tangy flavors on your protein, you can skip Clucky's chicken and go for healthier choices like the vegetarian fare of Clucky's House Salad (fruits in season on a bed of greens and sesame vinaigrette) instead. 

For those who's on-the-go and would just simply grab a bite, go for Clucky's yummy chicken or fish burger. A choice of chicken or fish patty marinated on the same Mad for Chicken secret sauce (available in soy or spicy) sandwiched between immaculate fluffy buns, greens with all the trimmings--it is best paired with a side of Clucky's fat and addicting New York style Parmesan fries served with spicy mayo dip. Or you can choose to pair it up with aioli or honey mustard dip instead. Oh, all these foods will lull you right into the zone after such a comforting meal! 

For something more protein-packed, there's Clucky's special signature omelette. Omelettes are especially pleasing to the eye, their spicy mayo were drizzled on top of scrambled eggs and the fillings were carefully placed inside but you can see them oozing out because Clucky's do not scrimp on ingredients. It is another outstanding dish with a choice of Corn and Mushroom omelette, Tomato and Onion omelette,  and Kimchi omelette. Yes, you read that right! There really is a kimchi omelette.

The Kimchi Omelette was a revelation--even those who had never even had kimchi in their lifetime might like kimchi omelette. A fellow food blogger who hasn't truly appreciated kimchi before instantly loved it! He became a convert all because of this awesome omelette I've been raving about. Even if you aren't a fan of spicy food, (it's not too spicy anyway) you'll definitely enjoy it.  Clucky's Kimchi Omelette is extremely satisfying. With kimchi and the creamy texture of the egg and cheese mixed together to form a rich combination, the whole thing on a blanket of egg--it's a pretty intense dish, one guaranteed to start your day on a good note. It'll even perk you up what with a mild spicy kick. OMG! I just got hungry writing all that down. Speaking of kimchi, you can also find a rare Kimchi Fried Rice at Clucky's, as well as sumptuous Bulgogi Rice topping (at P139 each). 

We ended our meal with a chorus of a hearty burp! As we polish off the last morsel of food on our plates, we tried Clucky's premium homemade gelato. It comes in different flavors such as Dark Chocolate, Oreo Cheesecake, Banoffee, Coffee Choco Crunch and Salted Caramel. At P69 per small cup, it's a bit expensive. But then with texture so rich--bursting with flavors that melts in your mouth upon spoonful, you're bound to get some more. Its creamy rich texture made such an indulgent treat. And I like the subtle sweetness of milk and cream, Clucky's gelato stole my heart. I've always said I'm not fond of sweets, but it's such a perfect way to cap off a great meal at Clucky's indeed. 

Come and visit Clucky's at the Upper Ground Floor of The Annex--SM City North Edsa, Quezon City. You could also visit their first branch in Rockwell Business Center, Ortigas (near Meralco). 

By the way, Clucky's has an ongoing promo where they'll be giving away gift certificates once they reach their first 1,000 likes on their Facebook Fan Page. So if you'd like to win some freebies, go ahead and click that Like button for Clucky's. 

For more info, please call 351-3368/0905-2842479

Like them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ilovecluckys

Follow them on Twitter: @cluckys

Disclaimer: I am not compensated for this post. Opinions are 100% my own.

King Katsu: Delicious and Affordable Tonkatsu

Tucked within the SM North Edsa Skygarden’s row of establishments, King Katsu may be something you’d easily miss. But if you’ve been jonesing for some flavorful tonkatsu in town, then King Katsu will certainly satiate you. Tonkatsu has a passionate fan base next to Ramen. I bet one day it will even become more popular. At King Katsu, Tonkatsu—breaded and deep fried premium pork on top of steaming white rice, served with shredded cabbage, which they fondly call as “angel hair cabbage”, a cup of miso soup with my favorite Wakami (seaweed) leaves and soft Japanese tofu cubes are enough to make my day.  Fried pork + hot rice: two Filipino staple foods indeed! It’s not surprising that Tonkatsu had become so dear to us and so appealing to our appetites.

Miso Soup with wakami leaves

Chicken Tonkatsu with Angel Hair Cabbage and Sesame Dressing

From the same company behind Big Better Burger comes King Katsu, which had just opened in June 2013. Apparently, business has been booming since it has opened its doors—a need has been fulfilled, a more affordable tonkatsu for the masses without sacrificing its quality and taste.

King Katsu's Katsudon with Shiitake Mushroom

For non-foodies, Tonkatsu is simply just a breaded pork chop. But at King Katsu, the pork is amazingly fork tender, with sealed flavor, juicy yet non-greasy. It has an irresistible crunch and the golden brown color after deep-frying perfectly creates the meal. The King Katsu meals are complemented with unlimited rice and refillable sauces. Carb-loving Filipinos will surely enjoy this refillable rice, and to refresh the palate, the coleslaw-like angel hair cabbage salad goes well with the creamy sesame dressing.

At King Katsu, just like in most katsu joints, they have mortar and pestle sets where you pound the sesame seeds first and add the katsu sauce from a pot.

Mortar and Pestle Grinder for sesame seeds

King Katsu’s Pork Tonkatsu is available in two sizes: regular is sold at P149 while the large one is at P169 (both are reasonably priced and served with angel hair cabbage, miso soup and unlimited rice) Chicken Tonkatsu (better known as Torikatsu in Japan) is at P152 and for a healthy option, Fish tonkatsu is at P159.



Pork Tonkatsu with rice, sesame dressinng and angel hair cabbage



King Katsu’s take on Japanese curry is also delicious but it’s a little mild for me. I was expecting an added kick on my meal since it’s curry based, but there’s none. I guess they had tweaked in their Katsu Curry meals to suit the Filipino palate. It’s quite easy to understand since not everyone likes to have their meals spicy. I strongly suggest that they either make two variants of the dish: one mild and one spicy or they could put in the menu that guests can request how they’d like to have their dish.

King Katsu's Curry chicken

I had enjoyed the Pork tonkatsu, chicken tonkatsu, katsu curry pork and katsu curry chicken, but I am partial to the chicken katsudon (P152) and pork katsudon (P149). With thin slices of shiitake mushrooms and egg simmered to perfection in some soy and sake wine sauce, I’d certainly come back to King Katsu again and again. I will definitely recommend katsudon (regardless if its chicken or pork) at King Katsu for everyone to try.

One could also try King Katsu’s shrimp pork fry (P179), Shrimp fish fry (P249), King curry (P139), Niku Dango (Pork balls glaced with sweet teriyaki sauce, 3 sticks per order) at P119, Yakitori (Skewered and glazed with King Katsu’s special marinade) such as pork tenderloin, chicken thigh and eggplant.

Surprisingly, I had asked for a second helping of their angel hair cabbage. I loved these thin shredded greens and drench them in sesame dressing for a perfect way to cap off my meal at King Katsu. In my case, since I am currently on a diet program, I even used this angel hair cabbage as an alternative to rice.

My King Katsu experience can be summarized in eight words: Come for the delicious pork at affordable price.

King Katsu is located at the SM North Edsa Skygarden (if you’re going to SM Annex, you’ll surely pass by King Katsu).

Security Blanket thanks King Katsu’s Mr. Miguel Teotico and Alexis Mendoza.

Disclaimer: I am not compensated for this post. Opinions expressed are 100% my own.

 

Gimme Four Fingers Crispy Chicken: Tasty and Crunchy Chicken Goodness at Every Bite

Four Fingers Crispy Chicken with their signature rice with Nori bits.

Okay, so it looks exactly like the more popular Korean soy/spicy chicken that has hit Manila by storm. But the Singaporean brand, Four Fingers Chicken may also be one of the fastest growing chicken-based restaurants in the country today. 

Not exactly a copycat of its Korean counterpart, Four Fingers has an awesome list of menu on its own. I love their twice-fried chicken because it’s really crispy and tasty, just right. I also like their rice with bits of Japanese Nori wrap or Japanese seaweed.

Friendly staff and well-lighted counters are what makes 4 Fingers Crispy Chicken better.

The only thing I don’t seem to like from Four Fingers Chicken was the metal-thing they used as plates. I know it’s supposed to make the meals stay warm, but it sometimes looks as if you’re eating on a dog’s plate. I still dine at Four Fingers Chicken because of their delicious meals; I just do not like the plate they are using. I just wish they could find a different alternative to that. 

A wide variety of choices to choose from--not just chicken.

The signage will make you stop and enter this restaurant. 

Fashion and lifestyle bloggers frequent this place. 

Even lovers would hangout at this cozy place.

But apart from that thing, I see nothing wrong with Four Fingers Crispy Chicken. The ambiance is good, the place seems so relaxed and it’s a great place to actually hangout with a couple of friends. Nice bright lights, graffiti walls and clean interiors—not to mention great, healthy foods + friendly food attendants (who knows exactly how to help customers as they know their products and the food they have—again, to me that’s an added customer service!), Four Fingers Crispy Chicken is the newest addition to my favorite places to eat out in SM North Edsa. Overall, I'm giving it a two thumbs-up!

Disclaimer: I am not compensated for this post. Opinions expressed are 100% my own.