Watami Japanese Casual Restaurant Philippines

One of the many reasons why I love Bistro Group is their awesomeness in bringing in impressive concepts in Philippines' restaurant scene. Late last year, Watami Japanese Casual Restaurant opened its first branch here in the country as a new addition to the Bistro Group's line of concepts such as Italianni's, T.G.I.Friday's, Bulgogi Brothers, Ma Maison, Village Tavern, and more.

Watami Japanese Casual Restaurant is an international concept that has over 700 branches worldwide.  The number itself will clearly speak how this concept is well perceived by people all over the world.  Watami has 2 branches now in the Philippines located at SM Mall of Asia and at the New Glorietta in Makati.

Japanese food lovers like me could only rejoice in the fact that Watami offers affordable and great tasting Japanese food in an ambiance that rivals high end restaurants in the country.  Weeks after opening its first branch in SM Mall of Asia, we were able to try some of their dishes that will surely earn the raves of foodies here in Manila.

Book For Foodies: Eat Out Now! 115 Manila Restaurants We Love

I have to say that for someone like me who has a thing for restaurant book guides, launching of such books late last year was quite exciting.  Northern Eats and Southern Eats by Anton Diaz of the famous blog Our Awesome Planet was released last year by Hinge Inquirer Publishing.  Also last year, Alicia Sy, lifestyle editor of Town & Country Philippines and food columnist of Spot.ph released 'Eat Out Now! 115 Manila Restaurants We Love' through Summit Media Publishing.

Some of our country's respected food enthusiasts tagged as panelists joined Sy in dishing out 115 restaurants in Manila featured in the book.  They are Cyrene dela Rosa (Interaksyon.com's Chowbuzz), Erwann Heussaff (The Fat Kid Inside), JJ Yulo (Pinoy Eats World), Sanjeeb Gopaldas (Table for Three, Please), Joel Binamira (Market Manila), and Noel Ermitano (Eyeonwine).

ChocNut Cheesecake of Indulgence by Irene

I admit ChocNut Cheesecake of Indulgence by Irene didn’t rock my world at first bite the way Queso de Bola Cheesecake did.

No, it didn’t turn my world inside out, nor made my knees weak.  No dramatic knee shaking and tight gripping onto my camera happened. Nothing like that transpired. 

Clearly it wasn’t love at first bite.

But let me ask you, have you ever tasted nostalgia?

Have you every experienced having slice of yesteryears play on your palate?  Have you ever experienced memories flirt with your taste buds?

Have you ever tasted something as beautiful as that?  I have.