IZAKAYA KENTA: A Taste of Japan in Malate, Manila

Monday, December 04, 2017

Japanese cuisine has always been a favorite of mine. Tasting ramen, yakitori and sushi gives excitement as I remember during younger years I’ve watch my Japanese cartoon or anime characters eat and devour their favorite Japanese food.

Finding a place where authentic or close to authentic Japanese food in Manila can be hard if you don't know where to look.

In the heart of Manila, Izakaya Kenta in Malate is one of the Japanese restaurants that offers a close to Japan experience in food and in ambiance. Its customer base is made up of 80 percent Japanese and 20 percent local/Filipino customers. That speaks highly of a Japanese restaurant in Manila where most of the customers are Japanese and looks for food that is close to home.

What's another great thing about this Japanese restaurant is not only their food and the vibe of the place but the promos they offer as well. We got a chance to taste the food included in their Happy Hour promo which offers selected food and drinks at half the price! You can double your order to have a completely filled meal or if you're in budget, you can go from 9pm to 12mn to get the 50 percent off promo and still eat quality Japanese meals.

My top favorite was the spicy ramen called Geki Kara Ramen which originally costs about 350 pesos but you could get it at 175 pesos during Happy Hour. It is a big bowl of ramen goodness so the price is reasonable. The noodles are al dente, the broth is rich and perfectly spiced.

Geki Kara Ramen (Php 175 on Happy Hour)

Second on my list was Tako Potato which is a deep fried potato balls filled with octopus. It was our common favorite and talked about balls during our dinner because of how good it was! You'll taste the octopus meat and the every time you bite, there's a harmony of textures with the soft potato and the gumminess of the octopus meat.

Okonomiyaki

Tako Potato (Php 90 on Happy Hour)

Third on my Japanese food in Izakaya Kenta that I enjoyed was the chicken yakitori platter with different parts of the chicken in the skewers. I love barbecue chicken and anything that is grilled. The chicken heart and chicken skin were my favorite on that platter. I love the simplicity of the yakitori, just a drizzle of calamansi extract is enough to unleashed the flavors of the chicken yakitori.

Chicken Yakitori Platter (50% off on every Chicken Skewers)

Shochu Pinacolada is my top choice of drink that's also included in their Happy Hour promo! The sweet taste of pineapple juice and the creaminess of the coconut cream mixed with the alcohol from shochu gives you a reason to be happy and merry after drinking this. Careful though, you might consume and order more shochu pinacoladas and be tipsy if you drink too much. It is that addicting of a drink!

Shochu Pinacolada (Php 85 on Happy Hour)

Here are also some of the food and drinks that is included in their Happy Hour promo:

Zaru Soba

Gomuko Ramen

Yakisoba

Ebi Tempura

Chicken Yakitori

Shochu Cocktails available on Happy Hour

And if you're still craving, you can check out their other meals not included in their Happy Hour promo:

A food discovery, Unaju (grilled eels usually topped on steamed rice) can be eaten with a large portion of wasabi but you'll not taste the spiciness of the wasabi. The Unaju counteracts the hot taste of wasabi! Only found out when the owner told us to try partnering the Unaju with wasabi.

Unaju

If you're near Malate and looking for an authentic Japanese restaurant, come check out Izakaya Kenta. If you're like me who want get the best deals with the best food to offer, go there from 9pm to 12mn to avail of their Happy Hour promo (50% off on selected dish and drinks). This promo is valid until December 30, 2017.