LIKE French food? You’re better off in Paris. You will undoubtedly find superior Chinese food in Hong Kong, tastier tacos in Tijuana and better biriyanis in Calcutta. But if Japanese food is your passion, try Ebisu Grill.
The minimalist Ebisu -- which means "god of luck" -- may not look like Japan but all you have to do is close your eyes and take a bite of the deep-fried Ebi Tempura; suddenly you are there.
One of the best spots to eat in Makati, Ebisu isn’t a swanky see-and-be-seen scene. It’s a wood-paneled restaurant and bar whose simple menu -- the Yakiniku grill specials are to die for -- brings diners clamoring for tables.
Owners Paolo Abaya and Gretchen Picache opened the restaurant last September. It was the Paolo’s idea to venture into such a business.
"My parents are very much into Japanese food," says Abaya, who grew up in the United States but had the chance to live in Japan for two years. Once in a while, Abaya, general manager of Isuzu Manila, Inc., cooks for his family.
Patterned after a bar in Japan where workers grab a bite before catching a train home and yuppies unwind or meet friends, Ebisu features trendy Japanese fare which are the favorites of Abaya and Picache. "We went to a lot of Japanese restaurants --- from the most expensive to the cheapest --- so we could come up with an interesting menu," says Picache, whose family owns the restaurant Toque in Quezon City.
Intensely-flavored
Ninniku Cheese Steak
DENNIS SABANGAN
Japanese cuisine, like its culture, is thousands of years old, and revolves around a handful of staples. Yet within that palette, there is variety and subtlety.
At Ebisu, meals which are designed by Abaya and Picache, are so dauntingly good, so loaded with impressive ingredients that you feel almost bullied into admiring them. When you’re presented with Japanese noodles with ground pork on a sizzling plate and fried rice (a meal in itself) in one serving, you begin to suspect that you are in the hands of a mad couple.
Our meal began with Ebisu Salad (butter lettuce with soy-sesame dressing) and Agedashi Tofu (breaded tofu with teriyaki sauce). That was followed by Ninniku Cheese Steak (seared tenderloin with garlic, topped with cream cheese), Shake No Miso Butter (seared salmon marinated in miso, topped with wasabi butter), Ebisu Chicken (teppanyaki chicken in a garlic-soy marinade) and Yaki Udon (Japanese noodles with ground pork on a sizzling plate). Then there’s Australian Lamb, which is a must-have if you’re going for the grills. Banana Fritters (fried bananas coated with a bit of rhum and with ice cream on the side) makes for just dessert .
Lunch and dinner are indeed a great bargain here. Feasts can be had at P500-P1,000. For starters, try Edamame (steamed soybeans), Shake Sashimi (fresh salmon), Miso Soup, Gyoza (steamed dumplings), Tofu Steak (tofu wrapped in beef), Tori Karaage (fried chicken), Nasu Furai (breaded eggplant), Corn Yaki (grilled sweet corn), Tebasaki (grilled chicken wings), Tori Kawa (grilled chicken skin), Buta Yaki (grilled pork belly) and Yasai Itame (sauteed vegetables).
Then feast on entrees such as Tonkatsu (breaded pork chop) or grilled wonders like US Black Angus Rib-eye, US Shortribs, Tenderloin, Chicken, Tiger Prawns, Calamari and Garlic Yaki. And relish desserts such as Mango Jubilee, Ice Cream Cake and Green Tea Ice Cream.
Aside from the variety of its menu, the appeal of Ebisu’s meals can be attributed to their natural flavor and fresh imported ingredients. The dishes are generally healthy and light, which today’s diet-conscious Filipinos look for. They are low in cholesterol because frying is limited to vegetable oil.
So the food is not just okay, it’s memorable and inventive.
Dining at Ebisu is a refined and relaxed must. If you linger for only two hours, you’re liable to suffer from panic: the sense that you must stay alert to enjoy every nibble, every sip. It’s antithetical to relaxing. If there’s one thing worth bringing to this restaurant and bar, it’s a sense of calm.
Ebisu Grill (tels. 890-7992/890-8014/896-6475), located at 146-B Jupiter St., Makati , is open Monday to Friday for both lunch and dinner.
|
