Dinner at Sushi-Ya

Hello! 

We know that during WW 2 Japanese Empire sided with the axis power (Italy, Germany) and with bombing of Hiroshima, Japan forced itself to isolation.

Kamikaze - Military tactic used by the japanese forces at the latter time of the war. These are pilots that do suicide attacks toward their enemies (as see above)

Who could forget the very famous anime that made our imagination filled with fantasies: Doraemon.

Iconic, magnificent and glamorous Geisha. Listen, Geishas are not prostitutes. They are considered celebrities / artists at that time, although the maikos (apprentice geisha) perform the mizuage it is abolished during the 50s / 60s

Gong Li as Hatsumomo in Memoirs of a Geisha

Mt. Fuji and Cherry Blossoms

Besides the wonderful and rich culture, Japanese cuisine is something that many people like. Btw, Sushi-Ya is not authentic as the japanese restaurants that sprung up like mushrooms here in Manila but Sushi-Ya is affordable and close to authentic japanese food :)

California Maki (P85) Not bad for it's price (if your looking for affordable maki) but of course if you are able to taste high quality sushi from some fancy restaurant, you will know the difference. I have to commend the rice though, it's sticky and smooth but short in taste.

Tempura Udon (P145) noodles are firm and okay. Tempura is okay. The soup is not that tasty, lacks that umami taste of a ramen soup. But then again, given it's price no complain. 

Ebi Tempura (P148) crispy, medium sized deep fried prawns in japanese flour. It's quite nice actually, the shrimp is not that small and you can taste it's meat but the negative side of this is that the tempura are a little oily. 

Miso Ramen (P150) Of all the dish we ordered, this is the highlight. I love the tender chicken (w/c by the way, generous serving!) it has that umami taste that you find in a ramen dish. The bean sprouts and other veggies are quite crunchy which is good and gives the dish more texture and flavor. I added more spicy seasoning for best taste. I can't believe that their miso ramen is good given that it's cheap. Must try!

Gomoku Ramen (P150) I'm raving about their miso ramen however it's the opposite for this one. After 2 spoonful, I stop eating. It's bland, it's weird, and didn't taste like ramen (more like hototay soup) 

Verdict:

5.5/10

Although there are inconsistencies with their products, I will still go back and dine here. For one, it's cheap and I know what dish are good and not. Btw, I must say their ambiance is really nice especially their branch in SM Megamall. If your in a budget and want something that is not very cheap in price and quality but within suggested budget, then this is the place you must go. Asking questions to the waiters or to the manager won't harm you. As far as I can remember, Sushi-Ya is one of those japanese restaurants that put up branches in malls even before the fancy ramen restaurants spread out like fire here in Manila. I just wished that Sushi-Ya had adopted the upgrade that many japanese restaurants are doing because of the ongoing ramen craze (just like Jipan: soon to be re-visited)

Sushi-Ya
Bldg B. SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City
631 - 9998