Yabu: The House of Katsu is one Japanese restaurant that’s been making a lot of noise, especially after being given the “Dish of the Year” award by Esquire Philippines. They even have more branches now; apart from the ones in SM Megamall, Robinsons Magnolia and SM Mall of Asia, a new one just opened in SM Southmall.
So what’s the buzz about? What’s so special about Yabu? Isn’t it just a katsu place?
If you check their site, they are proud of their generous cuts of meat, the fresh Japanese breadcrumbs they make fresh for breading every day, fine pork sourced from local farmers, and the benefits of using 100% canola oil. But when I finally got to try Yabu (SM Southmall branch), I discovered more reasons why Yabu has a lot of fans.
Lots of food choices
Don’t think that Yabu doesn’t have a lot of food offerings because they focus on just katsu; apart from favorites like chicken and pork, they also have seafood, curry and tonkatsu. And not having too many stuff on the menu is actually a good thing, especially for those who spend more than 10 minutes reading it and still end up indecisive.
Big servings
Yabu isn’t cheap, but you sure get what you pay for. Take, for example, how the meat pieces are big; they’re so big two people can share them. They usually offer set meals that include rice, shredded cabbage, Japanese pickles, and a bowl of fruit – so that’s even more food for you.
Condiments galore
You are sure to have a great time at Yabu even if you don’t go for something like their katsudon or curry sets. You can go for the basic ones and still feel as if you ordered the most expensive stuff o nth emenu, thanks to their condiments. They have a katsu sauce that you have to prepare yourself by crushing black and white sesame seeds and pouring in some tonkatsu sauce. They also have Japanese soy sauce, a wasabi sauce that tastes like wasabi but without the bite, and the bestselling sesame sauce that goes perfect with the shredded cabbage. For those who like their food spicy, they have Japanese pepper, red pepper, and chili oil.
Unlimited!
Shredded cabbage may seem like just shredded cabbage but it becomes really special when you add either the wasabi sauce or the sesame sauce. Good thing you can have all the shredded cabbage you want in Yabu! That’s not the only thing that’s unlimited in Yabu. You can also have all the miso soup and the organic brown rice you want.
Yabu has branches in SM Megamall (Second Floor, Mega Atrium), Robinsons Magnolia (Lower Ground Floor), SM Mall of Asia (Second Floor, South Arcade, Main Mall Atrium), and SM Southmall.
Check out their site HERE.
