About one or two weeks ago, I received one of the most exciting emails to date… to take a shot at “the Yabu experience”. I’ve always fancied food blogging, but never really considered it as a forte. But then again, I can never say no to Japanese food. So as soon as my schedule cleared out, I tagged my parents along for the surely one-of-a-kind experience.

Even before spotting Yabu, I already spotted a long line of customers outside (and even a couple more sitting down). Although going there on a holiday may not have been such a good idea, seeing the patience of these costumers as they wait to be seated already gave me the impression that this is “worth the wait”.

The interior is a mixture of modern and quirky, with their wooden panels on one side of the room and a blown up comic strip at the opposite wall. Deeper into the restaurant, you’ll see a bar-like structure, which reminds me of those which I see in Japanese-inspired films. They had what one would call a “mood lighting,” which makes the place feel more cozy and intimate. Although the place is small, I think for a set-up/design like this, the size is just right. Expanding it would definitely entail some adjustments to the design.


Upon my arrival, the hostess readily came to me and asked if I would be comfortable to wait and have my name listed down. And as soon as the table was ready, we were called in and were immediately seated. The packed Yabu definitely did not send their service packing. The waiters were quick to come to our tables and offer us with beverage and appetizers. Even the restaurant manager, Mr. Mon Tecson, was going around the restaurant, attending to the needs and making sure the guests were as comfy as possible.

The waiters also wore these really fun statement shirts that got me thinking of my own “Yabu-fied” statements. Hahaha! I’ve already got a couple in my head!


And for the most exciting part—the meal might have taken a while but the serving size is worth the price.


Yabu is known for their katsu (hence tagging it as “House Of Katsu”). With the head chef of Tonkatsu Takeshin (a top tonkatsu restaurant in Tokyo), chef Kazuya Takeda on their team, they really knew they wanted to bring the best to the table.

We wanted to try something different each, so I had the Kurobota Pork Set, while my mom had the Mixed Seafood Katsu and my dad had the Hire and Seafood Katsu.


The outer coating of the katsu (cutlets) had the right amount of crisp while the meat itself was very soft and easy to chew. I swear, I’ve never experienced katsu like this! I kept telling my folks how good it tasted! The secret is in the meat; sourcing it locally from trusted partners and delivered fresh and never frozen.

Aside from that,--well I personally consider this as a bonus—I was entertained by how you get to make your own sauce! You can actually have them make it for you, but where’s the fun in that? So you crush the sesame seeds (which smell delightful, by the way) until they’ve turned to powder and then you add the sauce. Yum!!





Their prices range from 165 to 500+, based on what I remember (like the Chicken Katsu set goes for P290.00 and the Rosu Katsudon is priced at P265.00, and so on). It was a set meal that included the giant katsu together with rice, miso soup, fruits, and unlimited cabbage. Yup, unlimited!

The overall experience was satisfying! Just writing about the food is already making me hungry… and now I’m craving! I would love to go back and take my friends with me soon! I know a lot of them love Japanese food as well, so this will be a different experience.

Thank you so much to Ms. Isay Roque and Mr. Mon Tecson for letting me catch the katsu craze!