CHECK IT OUT: Nanbantei of Tokyo at Bonifacio High Street Central
Yakitori, anyone?
Nanbantei of Tokyo
7th Avenue, corner 31st Street, Bonifacio High Street Central
Taguig City
Tel. No. 377-2636
Open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily
Clean, light flavors on skewers. Click for more.
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(SPOT.ph) It was a 14-year wait, but yakitori fans can finally celebrate the opening of Nanbantei’s long overdue second branch-this time at the upscale expanse of Bonifacio High Street Central. It may have taken a while, but good food, after all, takes time.
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Nanban which means "foreigner" and tei which means "tea house" come together to describe a place where guests can unwind and relax after a long day of work. No offense to the Japanese language, but here, anyone, tired or not, won’t have trouble enjoying a stick (or five) of delicious yakitori.
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Since its initial opening in 1998, Nanbantei has been known for making authentic yakitori. Some of their more popular offerings include the Tebasaki or chicken wings (P110/two sticks), Aspara Maki or bacon-wrapped asparagus (P80), and Yaki Niku or thin slices of beef (P180)-all gorgeously grilled and served on wooden skewers. As with any other Japanese dish, the flavors are clean, light, and simple-seasoned only with salt, pepper, and occasional hints of vegetable. It’s that seemingly uncomplicated setup, however, that makes Nanbantei so comforting-and consequently addicting.
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Though they predominantly use Japanese culinary techniques, several items on the menu tug at the Filipino palate. The Kawa (P65), for instance, is just a fancier way of saying chicken skin-a favorite local pulutan; other options could be the Leba or chicken liver (P60) and the Suna Gimo or chicken gizzard (P70). To save yourself from the turmoil of decision-making, we recommend just ordering the Bestseller Platter (P875). For dessert, we’re partial to the Green Tea Ice Cream (P100)-two cups of exquisite, olive-colored ice cream that packs an earthy-minty punch.
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Photos courtesy of Raquel Hizon