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From the makers of the well-loved Saisaki and Sambokojin comes the teppan and sashimi venue, Ogetsu Hime.
The chef Isao Takada has been in the Philippines for over forty years now, starting out at a famed Japanese restaurant in the eighties called Shimazu. This is where the sushi master recalls meeting VicVic Villavicencio, who would later put him at the helm of the institutional Saisaki restaurant.
As times change and the local palate evolves, Villavicencio – who heads the Triple V Corporation – brings a new Japanese concept to the market. Ogetsu Hime, the newest teppan and sashimi destination at SM Aura’s Sky Park, translates to the name of the Food Goddess in Japan. Here, a bounty of the finest ingredients is made available to the chef Takada.
Guests are greeted by the culinary master at the sushi bar when they enter, the restaurant revealing a number of teppan tables that can seat up to 20 persons each. The restaurant caters to families and groups of friends who share in the love for Japanese food.
Ogetsu Hime also prides itself on preparing sukiyaki from scratch. Booths line the restaurant so diners have the option to see the sukiyaki made on their tables. A selection of premium meat, including the Matsusaka beef, is available for teppan or sukiyaki cooking methods.
Sushi rolls, or makimono, abound on the menu. A fine choice between the Rainbow Batera – moulded sushi rolls topped with tuna, salmon, ika, kani, shime saba, and ebi – and the Ogetsu Hime roll – furikake and sesame-crusted roll with unagi, ebi tempura, cream cheese, avocado, and unagi sauce – exhibit the fusion of traditional and modern flavours that the chef has mastered in the local market.
Takada says, “Cooking style here in the Philippines is different [from that in Japan]. The flavours here are sweet!” Without losing the authenticity of the Japanese ingredients that the restaurant imports, Takada adds the secret ingredient of garlic butter sauce to provide a familiar umami that local diners come back for.
The long and loaded menu carries many items that the diner cannot go wrong with, but the soft shell crab tempura is a must-try. The broiled Japanese silver cod, Gindara Teriyaki, adds a welcome contrast to the silky texture of the large and flavourful kaki (oysters) teppanyaki. When in season, the hotatagai (Hokkaido Japanese scallops) and amaebi (Hokkaido sweet shrimps) must be ordered.
Ogetsu Hime, Sky Park, 5/F SM Aura Premier 26th street corner McKinley Parkway, Taguig City +632.519.9740 | Photos courtesy of Ogetsu Hime
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