If you haven’t been to Circuit Mall in Makati now is the right time as it is becoming a new food haven. More and more restaurants have been sprouting during the last few months and it’s a mixture of different flavors. Circuit Makati is dominated by Western and Mediterranean cuisine, it was a relief to have found a Japanese restaurant to counter them all.
Ori Japanese House was on soft opening when we visited so I lowered my expectations a bit. The place has the biggest floor area and seating capacity there is Circuit Makati and it also has a VIP section for those who needs privacy and an al fresco seating for those who are claustrophobic :). A cherry blossom tree is placed inside the restaurant to add a Japanese vibe and a perfect element for your #OOTD posts.
Now the food. I like Japanese cuisine but there are only a few restaurants that made it to my list of places I would return to with my family and friends. For those who have not visited Japan yet, their food tells a lot about their culture. Japanese food looks simple but are really very complex and it requires a lot of patience and expertise to the get that authentic Japanese taste.
Of the many Japanese dishes, I only have a small list of what I order most of the time. The must have in my every Japanese restaurant visits are Gyoza, Tempura, Ramen, the rest nice to have as well.
Ori Japanese House’ dishes are mostly for sharing but don’t expect me to share them with you coz it’s good. Starting with the Gyoza, it was how my taste buds expected it to be. The dip and the pickled ginger was the add on that made he difference. Some people ignore these and thought that it was just for show. It actually goes well with gyoza.
Tofu Butayaki is, I believe, the Japanese version of tokwa’t baboy. I like it. I don’t know which one came first, that for food historians to discuss while I eat ’em.
Ori Maki is their signature Maki that’s made up of chopped pieces of soft shell crabs served on a nori wrapper base with aligue mayo sauce and melted cheese. Ori Maki was torched before being served, but we got the chance to see how it was done.
Tuna and Salmon Nigiri – I really am not a fan of raw fish. So I had to skip these two, but if you’ll ask my friends who were with me they said that it was fresh and sweet and does not have the fishy taste.
With all the different type of Maki, the Dragon Maki is what I like the most. It’s variety of ingredients make it flavorful – Ori Japanese House’ Dragon Maki has soft shell crab, ebi tempura, crabstick, salmon, tuna, tamago, ripe mangoes and cheese(torched, again).
Tamago is a fluffy omelette roll, nothing special.
Who does not like Ebi Tempura? Even kumagcow, who is allergic to shrimp risks his life to eat tempura. My daughter loves it and my wife, who up to now, tries to perfect the art of making a tempura to make his handsome husband happy. #HappyHandsomeHusband
Okonomiyaki is made with flour, eggs, shredded vegetables, protein and topped with a variety of condiments. It texture and taste reminds me of takuyaki.
Rice bowls are also available at Ori Japanese House if you’re in to something heavy, savory and quick. You should try the Beef Bowl.
Tonkotsu Ramen is the only ramen hey have, for now. They say it’s good for sharing but you know me, this isn’t even enough to satisfy my ramen cravings especially if it’s this good. I can always add a spoonful or two of shichimi togarashi to get to my preferred level of spiciness.
I’m glad Ori Japanese House opened at Circuit Makati. A lot of offices are to open soon and a high-rise residential buildings are to be filled up with foodies and I’m sure they will love the variety of Japanese dishes that Ori Japanese House has to offer.
Cocktails are also served by the way.
