Ichiba Japanese Market - An "Authentic" Japanese Experience

Ichiba Japanese Market is a great place to go to if you are looking for "authentic Japanese food." Located in Newport Mall (Resorts World Manila), it's an awesome place to spend some of those casino winnings. Also a good place to sulk after you lose your hard earned money to gambling.

 

It's usually packed, which is something considering the fact that most RWM restaurants don't usually reach full capacity. I realized that the best way to get a table is to avoid the lunch/dinner rush and drop by during off hours.

 

There are three ways to enjoy dining at this resto. We took the lazy way out and simply ordered one of the group platters. The Station Sampler (P1299) includes 7 (mostly) yummy dishes from different "stations." For its price, it surprisingly is enough to feed three hungry people. A good way to check out what the restaurant has to offer.

 

I really liked the Ebi Tempura, the Takoyaki and the Ichiba Roll. The Chicken Karaage and Gyoza were also okay. I didn't care much about the Torimomo and the Pork Belly, however. I still prefer the much tastier pinoy style BBQ, thank you very much. The platter is perfect for someone like me who doesn't particularly enjoy the "raw" side of Japanese cuisine.

 

You can also opt to order ala carte and choose from the menu. They have a lot of things listed, enough to make me a bit dizzy. This is a good way to ensure that you only get what you really want, and pay for what you really crave for. I personally found it too complicated, hence the sampler order.

 

Finally, you can take full advantage of the experience by going around and visiting each of the stations. They have stalls that specialize in a specific dish, but in different varieties. You can chat with the attendants and try to get insider tips on what and what not to order. You can focus on a specific favorite and just order until your credit card is maxed out.

 

And then there's the seafood market. It looks like an expensive version of dampa, with local and imported seafoods. You can choose what you want to eat and ask them to cook it the way you want to. According to Manang, this is the best way to order because you know exactly how many grams (or kilos) you get. I kinda regret not choosing this option in the first place, but there's always next time. Just looking at those prawns, giant lobsters and Japanese oysters makes me drool.

 

Im also interested to try fishing. Yes, you can catch your own tilapia (bait and hook provided) and have them cook it for you afterwards. For a fee, of course. This is RWM, after all. It will take a bit of time, and there's no guarantee that you will end up catching dinner. Definitely coming back to this place to try out the other things they have to offer.