MANILA, PHILIPPINES - It is only recently that we were able to try those Yakiniku-styled restaurants in the metro. You may be asking what took us so long right as restaurants like these abound here in our country due to the undeniable presence of Japanese and Koreans here? Well, prior succumbing, we had this notion that Yakinikus are somewhat pricey for their minute quantity and we initially thought that we could not possibly get full by these as we, as a family, are naturally big eaters. Our appetites resemble a big mountain that could not be dismissed easily; we need a good, hearty meal to be able to attain a state of contentment.

The time we had our first Yakiniku experience was during our trip to A-won, which is a Korean restaurant along Macapagal Avenue in Pasay. That restaurant permanently shattered our preconceived notion about Yakinikus being expensive and the main reason why we are more open now in trying more of these kind of restaurants. The second trip we had to a Yakiniku restaurant is in Little Tokyo in Makati. It was an unexpected coincidence that we ended up sitting inside Urameshi-ya Yakiniku as we were planning to eat at an adjacent establishment but find ourselves more drawn towards the Yakiniku restaurant beside it. We could not be any happier about our decision (from what we will be seeing on the next photos and paragraphs)!

We got the Wagyu Tokutoku Set (Php 3350) which is a set meal consisting of 6 plates of different types of Gyu Yakiniku as recommended by the waitress who assisted us. Fearing that the order would not be enough for us, we told the waitress that my brothers will also avail of the unlimited buffet good for an hour (which they also have by the way and worthy of consideration if you happen to go here!), priced at around Php 600 each. The waitress was shocked upon hearing that and immediately suggested that the set meal we ordered was already enough for all of us and maybe more! We gave her an equally surprised look but proceeded with her suggestion anyway!

While we were waiting for our order to arrive, they served us this yummy bowl of fish cake which I deeply adored in an instant. I found the tofu-like texture of the dish so appealing, minus the bland taste of the tofu, which prompted us to ask for another serving after consuming it. Good thing the waitresses here are very generous and accommodating that we got what we asked for!

This is the first that I tried this variant of Spicy Tuna Sashimi and I can say that I like it too but I had better ones before.

We bought these octopus balls, fondly called as Takoyaki, for only Php 150.

Since we are die-hard fans of Spicy Tuna Sashimi, we also asked for an order of it. Another great thing that I like in Little Tokyo is that the restaurants there allow their clients to cross-order from another restaurant. Not only that it shows how much they value customer satisfaction but it also shows the harmonious relationship the restaurants have in that little compound. These two were cross-ordered from another restaurant in the block but I forgot to ask the waitress where she got it. I am quite sure though that the Takoyaki was ordered in Hana. Nonetheless, if you want to order a dish but they do not seem to have it, you can be assured that they would know where to find it, so do not be afraid to order away!

Prepping up our grill for some Yakiniku action!

Of course with restaurants like these, the tea is always on the house! You can just take your pick between having a cold or a hot one. After a while of waiting, the main entrees finally came! I am not sure anymore what these different beef parts are called but I could tell you that they are delicious and filling that we almost did not finish the whole set! Would you believe it? The six of us? That would be a first in history! What I greatly remembered was the distinct taste of each one and that made my heart fell for Urameshi-ya in an instant. All the meat were equally amazing I only have to take a teeny bite of each, followed by a spoonful of rice to complement it and for the taste of the beef to explode in my mouth. We also had a great and fun time cooking the meat too!

VERDICT

FOOD: The quantity of their dishes may not be its outstanding feature but the quality of their meat and the taste greatly compensated this particular weakness. All the lack in quantity were made up for by the quality. All the food they served is outstanding that every bite will leave you speechless.

AMBIANCE: The place was a little too dark for me and a little run down inside that I believe it already need some renovation. A place does not have to be dingy to be able to maintain its long-established look; a little updating every now and then would already do. The exhaust also needs some cleaning or improving as some of the odor got stuck in our skin.

SERVICE: Good thing the waitress assigned to us executed an exemplary service which made me forget about all the minor deficiencies. Not only did she make a great recommendation by pushing us to have the set to get a greater deal but she also suggested that we forego the buffet because the set would already be enough for us. A very honest and selfless recommendation!

TABS: Prepare to expend Php 600 to Php 750 each for a group of six (higher if your group is smaller). Be wary that a cup of their amazing rice costs Php 100 each!