I went to Rosanjin Japanese Restaurant located at the Mega Fashion Hall of SM Megamall recently to check out their Kaminabe and Tobanyaki offerings. While it was my first time to dine at Rosanjin, it was not really my first encounter with Tobanyaki and Kaminabe as I was previously introduced to these way of cooking and serving food by a Japanese friend.
Tobanyaki and Kaminabe is both an Art and Science in itself. Art in a sense that it involves aesthetic presentation and process. It is also considered as Science by the virtue of the foundation the process is executed. No, you do not call a paper holding liquid over fire and don't get burn just pure Art. Obviously, there is Science behind that.
Located near Osaka Ohsho, Alqueria, and Linguini Fini, Rosanjin Japanese Restaurant's menu holds an impressive number of Japanese dishes. From sushi to ramen to rice toppings - the whole nine yards. But that day of my visit, I was a woman on a mission - to try the Tobanyaki and Kaminabe dishes.
My curiosity has something to do with a 1:3 ratio of success to failed trial in whipping up Tobanyaki and Kaminabe dish when it was previously introduced to me. I just couldn't get the right taste done until the fourth trial. And I was always trapped with the itching feeling of wanting to stir the food I am cooking - all the time!
Apparently, it doesn't work that way when dealing with Tobanyaki and
Kaminabe dishes. Leave it to the experts, I said. I'll take my time to
work on it.
I have searched for nearby Japanese restaurants that offer Tobanyaki and Kaminabe and it resulted to no success. Until the window of opportunity arises in the form of an invite to try and experience Tobanyaki and Kaminabe at Rosanjin.
In a nutshell, Tobanyaki is a traditional Japanese way of cooking that uses Toban or a specialized earthenware that seals in the flavor of the food and maintains a perfect heat temperature even after removing it from fire.
It is also said that elimination of odors and negative ions is made possible when using this kind of cooking. Essentially, you just put all the ingredients on the toban, cover it, and wait for some minutes until the food is done.
There is no need to stir since the essence of flavors from the food will circulate all through out inside the toban and its impressive power to disseminate heat in all parts of it will make sure that the food wouldn't burn.
Since there isn't much stirring and tasting involved, the secret also
lies in the perfect ratio of ingredients to be put together to create a
palatable dish. That's what I am more curious about when I dined at Rosanjin. So I went my merry way to try some of the Tobanyaki dishes options and checked how it fares.
On the table:
Jumbo Scallop Butteryaki (Php450)
Rosanjin didn't lie when they added the word Jumbo on this dish because truly, the oysters were big. Which for an oyster-lover like I am serves to be a pure delight.
It's not as if these jumbo oyster were not impressive enough, some uni and roe were also thrown in the mix alongside a dab of butter which makes the dish all the more flavorful. it was cooked at probably around five to eight minutes and it was perfect to my liking.
Chicken Cheeseyaki (Php280)
I sort of underestimate the goodness of good ol' chicken since the line up for my Tobanyaki feasts involved scallops, shrimps, and rib steak. So, chicken I was guessing would be my least favorite. But lo and behold, this one ended up as one of my favorites.
The combination of chicken and cheese is as classic as it can get. What made me fall for this dish was the tenderness of the chicken thigh as well as the flavor of the entire dish. It was a simple dish, yes. But it warms the heart and satisfy the palate.
Australian Rib Steak (Php380)
This one was such an eye candy in its presentation that features an alternate of rib steak and tofu. The taste was a dead giveaway that a good quality grade beef was used as indicated on the marbling.
Served with three kinds of sauces which I must say is a thoughtful addition to the meat, but purist steak-lovers' school of thought dictates that one should judge the goodness of a steak in the absence of a sauce. And this one I must say fares really well in that league.
Shrimp Cheeseyaki (Php400)
My ultimate love for shrimp was celebrated in the form of this dish. Paired with cheese and little chopped bell peppers, the flavor was everything I hope it to be. One cannot go wrong with the combination of shrimp and cheese, and if you are a believer, this can be a good option.
The shrimps were big and plump, its flavor was a clear indication of its freshness. The cream cheese that melts on top was a sight to behold and a treat to savor. I seriously cannot think of ways on how to stop salivating over the thought of this while I am writing this post.
With great tasting Tobanyaki dishes such as these, a heaping bowl of rice or more must happen.
Now, on to Kaminabe.
Let me clear the air here. When you put liquid on a sturdy paper and place it on top of little fire, the paper wouldn't burn. The liquid will make it impossible for the paper to reach its kindling point for it to ignite. I am guessing we all did that little experiment on our Science class during elementary or high school days. So magic isn't really responsible for this.
That's how it goes for the Kaminabe. No weird voodoo or what not, it's safe to eat Kaminabe.
On the table:
Shrimp Kaminabe (Php400/regular, Php1000/big)
A combination of miso and shrimp soup, this Shrimp Kaminabe, although cliche enough to say, is really bursting with shrimp flavor. Since I am a big fan of shrimp, this one was a sure winner for me.
Five pieces of big plump shrimp were enough to satisfy one person with big appetite, but if you believe in the virtue of eating more than one serving shairing, then you can opt for the big size serving of the dish for an added cost.
Seafood Kaminabe (Php400/regular, Php1000/big)
The use of soy sauce based soup makes the ingredients such as shrimps, oyster, tofu, and mushrooms in this dish stood out. There's a perfect balance between sweet and savory flavor which I find palatable.
I love that a single serving are hefty enough for sharing between two persons. The ingredients are plenty and the flavor is just spot on. It can be a perfect dish for rainy days but regardless of the weather, this dish is a sure winner.
Sukiyaki Kaminabe (Php350/regular, Php1000/big)
Beef lovers rejoice since Sukiyaki is also available and executed Kaminabe-way. The flavor of the broth was downright beefy all thanks to the generous thin slices of beef incorporated to the dish.
Just like the previous two Kaminabes, this one comes in hefty serving portion and is also available in big servings for big groups. The quality of the beef used was undoubtedly of high grade.
Judging by the taste of the Tobanyaki and Kaminabe dishes I feasted on at Rosanjin, they really left a good impression on me. I admire how strike a perfect balance of flavors in every serving - something which I was told not easy to master.
The prices are very reasonable and the service, based on my second visit as a paying customer, was very professional but not without a streak of friendliness. I used to always look passed Rosanjin as there are plenty of restaurants at Mega Fashion Hall that captured my attention. Good thing that I got to try them because little did I know, it is one of the good restaurants at SM Megamall I wouldn't mind going back to.
Rosanjin Japanese Restaurant
3/F Mega Fashion Hall
SM Megamall
Mandaluyong City
Contact no.: 531-5300
Facebook: rosanjinrestaurant
Instagram: @rosanjinjapaneserestaurant
Tobanyaki and Kaminabe is both an Art and Science in itself. Art in a sense that it involves aesthetic presentation and process. It is also considered as Science by the virtue of the foundation the process is executed. No, you do not call a paper holding liquid over fire and don't get burn just pure Art. Obviously, there is Science behind that.
My curiosity has something to do with a 1:3 ratio of success to failed trial in whipping up Tobanyaki and Kaminabe dish when it was previously introduced to me. I just couldn't get the right taste done until the fourth trial. And I was always trapped with the itching feeling of wanting to stir the food I am cooking - all the time!
I have searched for nearby Japanese restaurants that offer Tobanyaki and Kaminabe and it resulted to no success. Until the window of opportunity arises in the form of an invite to try and experience Tobanyaki and Kaminabe at Rosanjin.
There is no need to stir since the essence of flavors from the food will circulate all through out inside the toban and its impressive power to disseminate heat in all parts of it will make sure that the food wouldn't burn.
On the table:
Jumbo Scallop Butteryaki (Php450)
Rosanjin didn't lie when they added the word Jumbo on this dish because truly, the oysters were big. Which for an oyster-lover like I am serves to be a pure delight.
I sort of underestimate the goodness of good ol' chicken since the line up for my Tobanyaki feasts involved scallops, shrimps, and rib steak. So, chicken I was guessing would be my least favorite. But lo and behold, this one ended up as one of my favorites.
This one was such an eye candy in its presentation that features an alternate of rib steak and tofu. The taste was a dead giveaway that a good quality grade beef was used as indicated on the marbling.
My ultimate love for shrimp was celebrated in the form of this dish. Paired with cheese and little chopped bell peppers, the flavor was everything I hope it to be. One cannot go wrong with the combination of shrimp and cheese, and if you are a believer, this can be a good option.
Let me clear the air here. When you put liquid on a sturdy paper and place it on top of little fire, the paper wouldn't burn. The liquid will make it impossible for the paper to reach its kindling point for it to ignite. I am guessing we all did that little experiment on our Science class during elementary or high school days. So magic isn't really responsible for this.
Shrimp Kaminabe (Php400/regular, Php1000/big)
A combination of miso and shrimp soup, this Shrimp Kaminabe, although cliche enough to say, is really bursting with shrimp flavor. Since I am a big fan of shrimp, this one was a sure winner for me.
The use of soy sauce based soup makes the ingredients such as shrimps, oyster, tofu, and mushrooms in this dish stood out. There's a perfect balance between sweet and savory flavor which I find palatable.
Beef lovers rejoice since Sukiyaki is also available and executed Kaminabe-way. The flavor of the broth was downright beefy all thanks to the generous thin slices of beef incorporated to the dish.
The prices are very reasonable and the service, based on my second visit as a paying customer, was very professional but not without a streak of friendliness. I used to always look passed Rosanjin as there are plenty of restaurants at Mega Fashion Hall that captured my attention. Good thing that I got to try them because little did I know, it is one of the good restaurants at SM Megamall I wouldn't mind going back to.
3/F Mega Fashion Hall
SM Megamall
Mandaluyong City
Contact no.: 531-5300
Facebook: rosanjinrestaurant
Instagram: @rosanjinjapaneserestaurant
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