MANILA, Philippines — I beg you to send me a list of your recommended dining places in Metro Manila. If you could, I hope you could specify which ones serve good Japanese Wagyu steaks. I would also like to know if you have your own restaurant. Thank you very much. Your friend and admirer,
Miriam Defensor- Santiago It is a privilege to be read by you, Madame Senator. I no longer have a restaurant. The last was at Shangri-La many moons ago, where, I recall, you were once our guest. On places to enjoy Wagyu (a term referring to all Japanese beef/cattle, from "Wa," meaning "Japanese/Japanese-style," and "Gyu," meaning "cattle"), I indulge myself only in two places. I haven’t done the Wagyu rounds since I’m extremely satisfied with these two places. It is a matter of whether I’m loaded or broke; I remain a purist on the subject. If I cannot have the real deal, I will settle for an excellent US prime steak which is no less delicious or satisfying. But since you want a range of options, I asked my colleagues for a well-sorted list of restaurants that serve Wagyu. My thanks to chefs James Antolin, Sau del Rosario, J. Gamboa, and Ed Quimson for their inputs. Source: www.wakeuphils.wordpress.com

"There is good reason why this popular Japanese eatery is named after Japan's best known fish market. Their seafood is flown in from Tsukiji market three times a week ensuring diners of the freshest possible sushi and sashimi. The restaurant has been around for 15 years and remains a firm favorite among those who come here for authentic Japanese specialties not commonly found in Manila - like Kobe beef, which is best eaten grilled. Diners can choose to be seated at the izakaya (bar), teppanyaki, or grill area."

MANILA, JULY 19, 2008 (STAR) By Scott & Therese Garceau BEST JAPANESE Food-loving Japan-ophiles dream of eating the catch of the day at Tsukiji, the world’s largest fish market in Tokyo, Japan. You can get that dream experience without ever leaving Philippine shores at Tsukiji restaurant in Makati, which actually imports produce from its namesake three times a week and flies it in chilled to maintain the utmost freshness. Foodies, return to Tsukiji time and again for their delicious crab salad and hamachi, buttery-soft slices of yellowtail fish. Meat lovers can worship at the altar of Wagyu beef — Tsukiji is the only restaurant that serves Omi Wagyu, the singular beef served by the Japanese imperial household, according to general manager J. Gamboa. Though Gamboa is an accomplished chef in his own right, Tsukiji boasts its own Japanese chef, ensuring authentic, exquisite, and yes, pricey-though-worth-every-peso food that is a favorite among Japanese nationals and loyal Pinoys alike. Tsukiji is located at the Milky Way Bldg., 900 Pasay Rd., Makati City, 843-4285, 812-2913. Also check out: Sugi at Greenbelt 2 and Greenhills, a bastion of Japanese cuisine thanks to its genuine flavors, consistent quality and accessible prices (try the Japanese pizza, chicken wings and cold soba). Another institution is good old reliable Kimpura in Greenhills for its gindara, tempura and Angus rib-eye teppanyaki. A new contender is Kikufuji along Pasong Tamo beside Makati Cinema Square — fresh seafood (like huge, grilled tuna heads) at reasonable prices keeps crowds coming back for more. Source: www.newsflash.org

MANILA, Philippines – In one of the opening scenes of the Japanese movie "Tampopo," an old man demonstrates to a young lad how to eat ramen: "First, observe the whole bowl. Appreciate its gestalt. Savor the aromas... jewels of fat glittering on the surface... shinachiku roots shining... seaweed slowly sinking ... spring onions floating..." I was reminded of this scene last week when I visited Ukokkei, a Japanese noodle house along A. Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road) that was recommended to me by Leica Carpo. After finally deciding on a chashu miso ramen, a miso-based ramen with pork slices, I found myself looking directly into the bowl of ramen just as in that opening scene in "Tampopo." The noodle master in the movie instructs, "Concentrate on the three pork slices. They play the key role but stay modestly hidden. First, caress the surface with the chopsticks tips... to express affection... Then poke the pork... What's important here is to apologize to the pork by saying, 'See you soon.'... Finally, start eating the noodles first... While slurping the noodles look at the pork. Eye it affectionately." Such romanticism for a bowl of noodles made me realize how barbaric I've been with my own noodle habits. Like any normal human being, I skip the pork poking and go straight to noodle slurping, and give far more attention to soup quality than pork appreciation! After all, even in the movie "Tampopo," it has been said that "it is the soup that animates the noodles." My visit to Ukokkei spun off my week-long ramen marathon. It began because I found the ramen in Ukokkei to be a little oily and I wondered if it was just me since there was such high praise for this ramen house, aside from the fact that I was very much taken in by the restaurant's interiors, which literally oozed noodles, albeit plastic/ceramic, from a giant bowl that hung from its left wall. Or could it be that the oil was from the "jewels of fat glittering on the surface," i.e., the pork slices? I decided that I needed bases of comparison. So I visited Tsukiji (also on A. Arnaiz/Pasay Road) the following day, with only ramen for company over lunch. Tsukiji is an expensive Japanese restaurant whose success is attributed to the quality of the ingredients it uses (hence the table for one!). I still hadn't mastered the art of noodle appreciation the "Tampopo" way by this time, but there was a definite difference between Tsukiji's ramen and that of Ukokkei's (I placed exactly the same order at both restaurants: chashu miso ramen). At Tsukiji, the miso soup is outstanding, with the taste of the miso making its impact. Unlike in Ukokkei, where the noodles and pork were the main event, at Tsukiji, even the soup blew me away. And burned me, I actually burnt my tongue starting with the soup, and quickly realized why the Japanese begin their ramen experience with the noodles (hello!). I also noticed that instead of the bean sprouts used in Ukokkei (and in Nihonbashitei, whose ramen I tried a few days later), Tsukiji uses leeks, which does not upstage the noodles with its crunch. Sitting by my lonesome, I observed other tables appreciate their ramen. I was especially fascinated by the father on the table to my left, who bent his head close to the bowl and slurped the noodles so loud it almost crossed over to gurgling. He had such a savage appreciation for the ramen and an almost animalistic method of devouring it that I suddenly understood the ramen rage that was depicted in the movie. Good noodles, dough cooked in precisely the right amount of time, are meant to be slurped. The following day I tried Sakura in Glorietta 4. The ramen here reminded me of the young Tampopo, who had no clue that her noodles needed help. The soup tasted like the water was not brought to a boil, the noodles were lackluster, and the vegetables seemed flat. The words of Tampopo's "mentor" could be applied here: "They (the noodles) ... lack guts." The day after that, I found myself in Nihonbashitei, which is gaining a reputation for its great sukiyaki. This izakaya offered very good ramen as well, with very tasty soup that one can finish to the last drop and tasty noodles as well, although interestingly with ground instead of sliced pork. Now I'm ramen'd out! But quite happy with the week's slurpy, soupy, noodley, delightful ramen ride. Source: www.inquirer.net

Cherry the Manic Shopper would say that again and again whenever I put something in my mouth during our lunch at Tsukiji. I couldn't help but smile while savoring the glorious food. Tsukiji, named after the biggest fish market in the world that is located in Tokyo, is one of the most authentic Japanese restaurants in the Metropolis. According to owner Chef J. Gamboa (the same group behind Milky Way and El Cirkulo), three times weekly, they actually have someone go to Tsukiji, Tokyo in the morning to buy seafood. Sometimes, Chef J goes there himself! The fresh goodies are then brought to Manila the same day via Japan Airlines where it remains chilled, not frozen! By lunch, they can be on your plate! (Chef J.'s tip: for the adventurous ones, make sure you go to Tsukiji on a Friday for lunch or dinner! Unique seafood products are brought in Friday mornings!) Source: www.shopcrazy.com.ph

MANILA, Philippines - If 2006 was all about foie gras, 2007 is all about Wagyu. Of late it’s been Wagyu here, Wagyu there, with many a restaurant bragging about their Wagyu steaks or Wagyu burgers and convincing many consumers to purchase burgers for over P200. So what’s up with the Wagyu? I stopped eating meat in 1996 and have only recently begun appreciating it again in fulfillment of my job description, so I’ve been getting dizzy trying to understand the differences between Wagyu and Kobe and Snake River and USDA Prime. Tell you the truth, all I need to be happy is Bulacan pindang (carabao beef tapa). But a serious carnivore should be clear, not confused, about her beef, so here’s the lowdown. Wagyu is a breed of cattle (Japanese). Kobe is a place (in Japan). All Kobe beef is Wagyu, but not all Wagyu beef is Kobe. Wagyu cattle are bred in different regions or prefectures in Japan, one of which is the Hyogo Prefecture, the capital of which is Kobe (hence the term Kobe beef). Here, the cattle are raised according to strict traditions and methods that result in the production of beef whose marbling is so remarkable, it has gained a reputation for surpassing US prime beef. Prime is a grade of beef. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has eight grades, prime being the highest, having the highest marbling content. Marbling is the pattern of fat that is considered when grading beef: higher marbling content produces beef that is juicier, more tender and more flavorful. Now before this Wagyu business came along, we relied on the American grading system and preferred certified American steaks, such as the Certified Black Angus (Angus is also a breed of cattle, originally from Scotland) or the USDA Prime. But the Japanese, instead of simply grading their beef after breeding, bred their cattle for best marbling. So, based on Japanese standards, using their 12-point marbling-score scale, while the most prized beef from Kobe would rank a 12, USDA prime would only have a ranking of 5 to 6. Hence, the Kobe beef craze. Quality always finds recognition. With Kobe beef, the marbling is so dense that there is 90% fat and 10 percent meat (apparently that’s a good thing). Suddenly everybody wanted a taste? Now what do you do when everyone wants Wagyu? Well, the cattle made like Starbucks and multiplied around the world. See, the “Wagyu beef” designation can legally be applied to the meat from any cattle of the Wagyu breed; it refers to genetics, not to a place nor to how the cattle were raised and fed. So now there’s Wagyu in the United Kingdom, Wagyu in the United States, and guess what ... Wagyu in Bukidnon. In most cases, these Wagyu are cross-bred with other cattle. This could be a good or a bad thing, depending on the cattle you cross-breed the Wagyu with. With the Snake River Farm company in the United States, it’s a good thing. They marry the Wagyu with US Black Angus to produce what they call American Kobe Beef. Like real Kobe beef, the quality of this beef is beyond USDA prime. So soft, they call it “butter knife steak,” meaning you can cut it up using a butter knife instead of the regular steak knife. Melt in your mouth yum, it’s endorsed even by Wolfgang Puck and used by no less than the Four Seasons Hotel. The good news is that in this country, we actually have a range of these different kinds of steaks. I can tell you where to find them, too. Snake River Farm steaks are used by Chef J Gamboa in Cirkulo on Pasay Road, by Chef Carlo Miguel in Mezzaluna in Serendra, at Nanohana in Salcedo Village, and at the following hotels: the Hyatt, Manila Diamond and Mandarin Oriental. If you want to cook some at home, you can visit Terry’s Deli or call Alternatives Food Corporation (tel. 631-7228 to 30). For USDA Prime Beef, there’s a new little steakhouse on Dela Costa Street in Salcedo Village that serves amazing steaks. The name of the place is Elbert’s Steakhouse (as in Elbert Cuenca of the late Restaurant 12). There is no sign out front, you will have to find the secret red door on the 3rd floor of the Sagittarius Building (shhh don't tell the owner or staff you read about it in SIM, they want to build a rep first by word of mouth but it's too good to keep a secret!). It looks like an elite gentleman's club with leather armchairs and a good selection of single malts. They are only in their opening stages and I have been there only once so I'll have to save the review for another day. But in the meantime, I can share that their rib-eye was juicy, flavorful and had intense marbling, with a richness and depth that reflects the quality of their meats and the expertise of their kitchen. (But the richness and depth of your pocket will also have to be of best quality. The rib-eye costs P2,200!) For Certified Black Angus, there's Myron's in Rockwell (order the Myron rib-eye and savor the certified marbling!). And for Wagyu burgers, well, they're all over the place: Burger Bar by Massimo's in the Cliffhouse in Tagaytay, Myron's, Malcolm's Place in Salcedo, and Palm Court at the Diamond Hotel, to name a few Wagyu lovers. Be warned though, some (not all) of these Wagyus are half-Pinoy by way of Bukidnon! (Not necessarily a bad thing, if you ask me, but if you're particular, well, there's the heads up.) But the Japanese don't burger their Wagyu. The Kobe beef burger is an American indiginezation of a Jap delicacy. So if you want to appreciate Wagyu the traditional way, hit Tsukiji on Pasay Road. Tsukiji goes the extra mile to do it right: they fly in their Wagyu from Japan. (In Japan there's Kobe, Ohmi and Matsuzaka beef. Tsukiji uses Ohmi). Here it is appreciated shabu-shabu style in thin strips that are cooked before your eyes. And you know it passes even Jap standards as you look around the restaurant and see the all-Jap clientele. At Tsukiji it's simply the real thing. (Tsukiji is located at 3/F, 900 A. Arnaiz Avenue cor. Paseo de Roxas, Makati City. Tel. nos. 843-4285 / 812-2913.) So what's the best beef? The snob would say dry-aged Kobe at $200 a piece, maybe more. He would fly to Hong Kong to savor such sirloin. Meanwhile my peasant taste buds remain partial to Burger Machine: thin, greasy burgers that bring back memories of carefree college days and cost less than 50 bucks. No Kobe can beat that! Source: www.inquirer.net