This Cozy BGC Sake Bar Is Home to Fresh Sushi + a Superb A5 Wagyu Bowl

Sakagura
2/F One Bonifacio High Street, 5th Avenue corner 28th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Contact: 0956-029-4791
Instagram: www.instagram.com/sakaguramanila
Open from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. (Monday to Tuesday), 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. (Wednesday to Thursday, Sunday), 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. (Friday to Saturday)  

(SPOT.ph) A semblance of control is rare on this crazy planet, but stepping from the concrete of One Bonifacio High Street into new but very cozy sake bar Sakagura, you can’t help but feel the main character energy kicking in—like the protagonist of a Haruki Murakami novel finding refuge from Tokyo’s hustle (or the forces of the universe: you pick).

There aren’t any secret passageways or vanishing cats at Sakagura, but there is a softly lit bar where chefs are busy at work, with a wall lined with sake bottles and a playlist of Japanese jazz on rotation. It has all the bottled liquid courage of a brewery, the layout of a sleek Shinjuku sushi bar, and the intimate atmosphere of an izakaya.

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Grab a seat in one of the soft leather seats at the counter—this is less a spot to bring your whole family, and more one that's suited for conversations with a single someone or with just yourself—and watch the chefs at work slicing fresh fish, torching meat, and assembling gorgeous ingredients over hot grills.

This is the instant you see the big difference between Sakagura and its older sibling Nikkei (from the same restaurant group!), located literally across each other on the second floor of the mall’s terrace. While Nikkei champions a fusion of Peruvian and Japanese cuisine, Sakagura is decidedly more straight-laced, with a menu solidly embracing clean, modern takes on sushi and robatayaki (literally “fireside cooking”).

That said, take note: the best things on the menu are either freshly sliced behind the counter or placed on a beautiful grill over charcoal in front of you.

Check out the must-tries at Japanese restaurant and sake bar Sakagura in BGC:

When in doubt, the Hamachi Aburi (P350) is a great place to start. Each nigiri features beautifully torched yellowtail for a light but substantial bite, finishing with a welcome zinginess from the salsa and ponzu sauce on top.

For something more substantial, you've been warned: bites of the Wagyu Tataki (P1,450) may make you break character and do a happy dance, what with its perfect combination of downright buttery Saga A5 Wagyu, truffle cream cheese, toasted garlic, and crisp sauce.

When you’re ready for something guaranteed to really get your heart racing (figuratively and literally), the Miso Bone Marrow (P750) is worth loosening your belt for. A showstopper served on a robata grill, she is. Don’t be shy as you dig up a piece of gooey, smokey marrow from the massive bone on the grill and go for a melt-in-your-mouth bite—and be sure to have it with the smoky grilled onigiri it’s served with!

Still want the robatayaki experience but prefer a lighter bite? Ask for the Hotate (P420). What you get are two soft, pillowy scallops still in the shell, wrapped in the warm, loving embrace of uni butter. Squeeze a bit of lemon on top, and you have the stuff of seafood dreams.

When only the glorious call of rice will hit the spot, however, be sure to order from Sakagura’s list of donburi. For an encore of that gorgeous A5 Wagyu, there's the Wagyu Tare Tamago (P1,680), which is back with a vengeance with a flavorful egg yolk and strips of nutty nori on a bed of sushi rice. We recommend that you mix them all well with the thin strips of seared Wagyu for a chef’s-kiss worthy mouthful.

The Salmon Zuke (P890), however, is definitely a gem you won’t regret getting instead—it obliterates any fears of it being too fatty or too fishy on first bite, and presents you with an umami bomb. Here, you have ultra-fresh Atlantic salmon coated in an savory sesame-soy concoction that keeps you digging back in. Combine that with a runny egg yolk and the light tanginess of the soft sushi rice, and it all just sings with an intense flavor that will occupy your mouth (and dreams) for a while yet.

This being Sakagura, literally meaning “brewery”, your visit wouldn't be complete without a drink off the sake menu, which includes over 50 premium bottles from breweries across Japan. 

For those new to sake, fruitier styles may be more approachable. Take, for instance the lightly sweet Mutsu Hassen Ginjo Pink Label (P725/glass, P1,450/300ml tokkuri), which isn’t shy with its refreshing strawberry flavors—or the unapologetic scent of melon of the richer Masamune “Malola” Junmai Ginjo (P920/glass, P1,825/300ml tokkuri).

Those already into sake, however, would appreciate the crisp and light Hiraizumi Yamahai Junmai (P720/glass, P1,400/300ml tokkuri)—which may surprise you with its subtle creamy tones.

But if you find joy in a cocktail, absolutely no one is stopping you from picking up the zingy Sparkling Sake Sangria (P680). Its burst of ginger and citrus on the tongue makes it dangerously easy to sip and forget that there’s vodka in it, too (you've been warned).

You may not be able to bite back at the unknown forces of the universe like a Murakami character, but after a glass of sake in the intimate spaces of Sakagura, you might come out feeling like you can—maybe after you digest everything.

Find out if this restaurant is included in our Best Japanese Restaurants in Metro Manila ranking

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