Dinner at HIDE YAMAMOTO Manila, City of Dreams, Philippines

Date attended: 9 October 2016 Style: Restaurant/Teppanyaki Cuisine: Japanese What to look out for: The sashimi on ice and Black Angus sirloin

“I don’t normally start the verdicts on a conclusion, but let me first say that I was not disappointed with my overall service and food experience at HIDE YAMAMOTO Manila.”

This was my second time travelling to the Philippines within the span of 10 months. I was pretty hellbent on visiting HIDE YAMAMOTO Manila this time round seeing as I wasn’t able to the first time.

Hidemasa Yamamoto is a well known Japanese Chef and although raised In Japan, his culinary background is Italian and French. He has a number of restaurants around the world titled many different things, but only 2 of his restaurants hold his namesake HIDE YAMAMOTO – in Marina Bay Sands, Singapore*; and City of Dreams, Manila.

*- Upon review in Oct 2017, it looks like HIDE YAMAMOTO is permanently closed in Singapore.

And so, I dragged my reluctant group of friends to try it out.

Decided to spoil myself with sake

And ordered the Umeshu as a starter

Salmon Sashimi on Ice

Assorted Sashimi on Ice (forgive me, a friend and I ate into the Salmon and Tuna before the shot)

Egg Omelette – so simple, yet so deliciously tasty

All Sashimi/Sushi comes with freshly grated horseradish

Chicken Katsu – look at that shine on their sauce

‘Fried Chicken’ Sushi Roll

My absolute favourite dish of all time – Roasted Silver Cod Fish, Marinated with Saikyo Miso

My friends considered this dish as the pièce de résistance – USA Black Angus Beef with Grilled Vegetables

A closer look at that Angus Sirloin

What Lexxie Says: I don’t normally start the verdicts on a conclusion, but let me first say that I was not disappointed with my overall service and food experience at HIDE YAMAMOTO Manila. And although my friends are not as picky or opinionated on food as I am, they also enjoyed the experience that HIDE YAMAMOTO Manila had to offer. Granted, I was in another country where the customer service culture is above and beyond, but the food… Although the true Japanese cuisine connoisseur may say the dishes in the photos look simplistic, the flavours and textures of each dish were well and truly there.

I think this place has instilled a standard within me now, and now I’ve become a sashimi snob in that I only accept eating sashimi if it’s on ice. The sashimi was fresh and melt-in-your-mouth soft, and definitely had some bite to it. This can only be achieved by having fresh produce and it’s safe to say that they source the freshest onto our table.

I love Egg Omelettes (tamagoyaki). I know it’s a simple dish charged at an exorbitant price. And I admit, it looked simple at first. But don’t be fooled. It was firm, yet soft to the bite. The embedded shallots added to the flavour and had the right amount of sweetness to the egg dish.

The Chicken Katsu was the most surprising dish to me. Beautifully crumbed and well balanced with the sauce. But it did not beat the Angus Beef. Cooked to perfection with the right amount of fat rendered. We savoured every piece.

To end it all off, the Roasted Silver Cod Fish marinated with Saikyo Miso. It was so soft; easily cut through with chopsticks. And most importantly, melted in your mouth mellowed with the the saikyo miso flavouring. It was truly a dish worth ordered.

Overall, I would definitely go back again. And my friends also agree that they would go back again.