Of all the Japanese restaurants I’ve been to, this next restaurant has offered me the most unique and enjoyable Japanese dining experience ever. It’s not your usual “overbreaded” Tempura with Maguro and Salmon Sashimi. This next place is actually like a time space warp of sorts because the moment you step through the gateway, you feel as if you’ve been transported to Japan. Little Tokyo is a “small restaurant village” in the heart of Makati. It’s a bit hard to find but it’s worth the trip. The strip is designed as if it were really Japan – complete with the lamp posts, pebbles, archways, and yes – the various Japanese restaurants located inside the compound. Mich and I decided to go to Urameshi-ya, as per the recommendation of our good friend from VCF, Bu.

QUICKIE FACT SHEET
Name: Urameshi-ya
Location: Little Tokyo, Makati
Type: Japanese Restaurants
Price Range (per dish): P150 – P700

Find out why I’m such a huge fan of this place after the jump!

As you enter Urameshi-ya, you’re literally stepping out of the Philippines and into Japan. The waitresses, despite being Filipina, are all wearing Japanese outfits. Yes, I’m talking about the very short skirts that Japanese men are very fond of, lol. The look and feel of the restaurant is really authentic, and the waitress who’s attending to us even goes on to explain that the furniture, food, and owners are all from Japan. Actually… even the menu is in Japanese and the TV is hooked up to Japanese cable.

When you eat at Japanese restaurants, you usually just flag down a waiter, get the menu, and order your Katsudon or something. Here, it’s totally different. With Urameshi-ya, you order certain cuts of pork, beef, or seafood and you cook it in a specialized grill which is located at the center of your table. You’ll be given various sauces which you can use to spice up your meal as well. Note that the meat you’re getting here is really good in terms of quality. It’s not your everyday porkchop that you can get from the grocery or the local market.

We ordered Pork, Beef, and Fish for the evening. The price range is around P300-P500 for the meat and you can get the fish at around P150-P200. My only problem with this place is that the rice here is so expensive! Their fried rice is priced at P280 while their normal rice is at P100+. By the way, the fish tastes so great that I actually ate up the entire thing except for the head, lol. It is by far the tastiest fish I’ve had in a long while.

With restaurants like this, you’re paying for the dining experience. It’s good to go here once in a while, especially if you have extra cash. I don’t see myself dining here like every month but I’ll definitely think about celebrating special occasions here. Dining at Little Tokyo is an unforgettable experience and it has completely changed the way I view Japanese food.

SUMMARY

Rating Card
1 – Waste of money
2 – Satisfactory – just okay. Nothing special
3 – Wow, something to remember.
4 – OMGWTFBBQ I WANT MOREZZ PLZZ

FOOD QUALITY: 4
DISH PRICES VS QUALITY: 3
CUSTOMER SERVICE: 4
RESTAURANT CLEANLINESS: 4
RESTAURANT OVER-ALL RATING: 3.75

I would have given it a 4, but the P280 price tag on the rice kinda hurts too much.

To end, let me just share a few more pictures that I took.

Hope you all enjoyed this review as much as I did when I was eating, hahaha!

Our good friend from Victory Christan Fellowship, Bu, recommended us this place for our Valentines date. Mich and I went here last February 15 and it was a really unique Japanese dining experience unlike what we’ve ever experienced before. I’m currently writing the review and it should be up sometime Monday. I can’t wait to share with you guys this restaurant because it really rocks! Take a look at this – the menu is even in Japanese. Lol.