Mother’s Day at Nihonbashitei

Ah, finally- a foodie place review outside of Marikina City! I guess I loved the place too much that I almost forgot there are lots of other awesome places out there. Next up, is a famous izakaya (居酒屋) or sake sit-down shop in Makati City called Izakaya Nihonbashitei!

The fam-bam initially intended to go here to celebrate Mother’s Day, but alas, mom didn’t feel so well so we celebrated at home, and then had a post-dinner dinner here with my brother, sister and Paul, her boyfriend.

The restaurant’s interior certainly brings out that authentic Japanese dining ambiance- almost everything has a wooden finish and each doorway would greet you with a ‘noren‘- that pieces of cloth they hang on doors.

They have quite a number of tables for four in the main area, along with ten comfy chairs that spans in front of the cooks. You can watch them first-hand as they prepare your food. They also have private rooms for groups and individuals alike who wish for a more intimate gathering, as well as a separate smoking area where you have to take off your shoes. TVs are scattered around the area showcasing Japanese channels.

Smoking Area

Considering this place as a restaurant offering authentic Japanese cuisine, prices of their dishes are sure to be not on the affordable and cheap side. At minimum, one person would be spending around 150-300 for one full meal. We decided to order around 2 for person to try out most of their food, so our bill spiked to around 600 per person including the service charge. We tried thinking that it’s almost just as much as dining at eat-all-you-can buffets Yakimix, Sambokojin and Vikings, but I guess the ‘authentic’ factor weighs more at Nihonbashitei.

Enough chit-chat. Japanese foodie photos and prices, incoming!

House Tea – Free at request

Tekka Maki (6 pcs.) – 120 PHP

Toro Spicy Maki (6 pcs.) – 200 PHP

Miso Ramen – 280 PHP

Ebi Fry (3 pcs.) – 250 PHP

Gyoza (10 pcs.) – 150 PHP

Ebi Tempura (5 pcs.) – 280 PHP

Japanese Rice – 50 PHP

I believe that with their a little bit more expensive food, you still get what you pay for- their sushi have really big fillings in it (more sashimi, less rice), a piece of the big Toro Spicy Maki can last up to two bites, the Ebi Tempura and Ebi Fry are really huge, btw! The Japanese rice is tight and sticky, Gyoza are both crisp on the outside yet tender inside, and the Miso Ramen can be shared to at least two to three people. They’re all winners!

The only bad experience we had here, I guess, is that it took a really long while for the waitresses to write down our order (almost five follow-ups), as well with our other requests like water, hot tea and the bill. But not so much with the Japanese people dining beside our table- they were pretty swift with everything. Coincidence? Let’s just give them the benefit of the doubt and say we just weren’t so lucky that time since a lot of families dined there prior to our arrival. We’ll see on our next visit. :)

IZAKAYA NIHONBASHITEI
806 Arnaiz Ave., Pasay Rd. Makati City
Tel. No. 818-88-93, 818-88-57, 893-67-39
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