I only just noticed that the glass was reflective. Unintended Selfie.
Gyu-Kaku is actually a chain of restaurants originating in Japan in 1996, having branches in the US, Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia since. Now's our turn! This ain't just local interpretation of Japanese cuisine. This is the real thing.
Nice dishes.
We found the menu to be surprisingly affordable, and were even confused at some points regarding the portions. Let's check it out! They even give complementary hot or cold service tea. Each table has a nice grill for your own culinary practice.
Time to grill!
The waitress repeatedly suggested we get some meats to grill. Sorry lady, but we're on a budget for this normal Friday lunch! :) I had to grill something so I ordered something that caught my eye..
Beef Tripe (Spicy Miso), P110.00
Interesting and relatively cheap. That's MY order! I've never tried tripe (twalya) grilled before, so it was a nice new experience. There are also Miso and Shio variants for the flavor, but I naturally went the spicier route. The menu came with a warning: "To Be Consumed Fully Cooked". I like my food slightly raw so it spoke right at me! Oh, alright...Though I didn't really taste any spice, and it wasn't too flavorful, I liked it. It felt like squid (or did I just undercook it?), and was fun to eat. Even the very picky Alvie tried it and surprisingly took more than one bite. Haha. A good portion for 110 pesos, too.
Sake Chazuke, P135.00
rice topped with salmon in soup.Yes, a bit expensive for a cup of rice, but it did taste good. I got this to eat with my lovely grilled tripe. It's basically a cup of rice submerged in a delicately flavored soup with some salmon on top. It was alright, but I'll likely try the onigiri instead next time.
I was the only one who cooked that day. The others opted for more convenient dishes.
Tantan Ramen (Spicy), P195.00
noodle topped with minced meat & spinach.We were told this was actually for sharing. Impressive size for ramen of this price! It could be shared, but it's easily an order for one person too, as long as you're not eating much else. I did not notice much (or any, actually) meat, but the taste of the broth makes me easily forgive that. It had just the right amount of spice and flavor. I prefer Wrong Ramen's creamier version but this is half the price and double the portion so it's very understandable.
Gomanegi Ramen, P225.00
japanese ramen noodle in special shio broth topped with egg, sesame seeds, and spring onion served in hot stone bowl.Another ramen. I personally preferred the Tantan Ramen. This has a nice taste but its clear broth bores me. Perhaps I'd appreciate it more on a cold, rainy day. Haha.
Karubi Kuppa, P295.00
rice served in short rib beef spicy soup.This wasn't my order (I just stole a bite) so I won't be able to give a detailed review. It seems to have a similar broth to our Tantan Ramen, but with a tamer spice level. The meat is soft too, I'm told. It's more expensive than other similar options, but I think I still want to have a closer encounter with this someday.
Menu:
To Be Consumed Fully Cooked
Rice & Noodles
Verdict:
Beef Tripe (Spicy Miso): Good
Sake Chazuke: Good
Tantan Ramen (Spicy): Good
Gomanegi Ramen: Okay (from just a taste)
Karubi Kuppa: Good (from just a taste)
The consistently delicious and affordable food at Gyu-Kaku was a delightful surprise for us. It can definitely be a new addition to our regular lunch-out destinations. I look forward to the next visit, and maybe I'll grill something that isn't tripe next time. That reminds me, they have Wagyu Beef Tongue! Wagyu Lengua, ladies and gentlemen. (Though, I don't know that it'd be any different from the regular kind)
Love Gyu-Kaku? Hate it? Let me know by commenting below, or just tweet me!
Other Restaurants in The Fort:
Good Earth Roasts (GER)
IHOP: The Latest Pancake Craze
Jollibee: Ultimate Burger Steak and Flip Float
Kasbah: A Moroccan Lunch
Racks: My Favourite Ribs
Red Garlic Bistro: Trotting the Globe, Clove by Clove
S&R: My Favourite Pizza
Saint's Alp: Taiwanese Chicken Goodness
Sbarro: Rolling in the Deep Dish
SM Aura Premier: Pepper Lunch Express under the Sky Park
Stacy's: The Sweet Kind of Retro
Stella Wood Fired Bistro: Nothing Less Than Stellar
Sunshine Kitchen: Get your Sunny Side Up
Sunshine Kitchen: Second Dawn
Tapeo: Spanish Surprise at the Fort Strip
The Cheese Steak Shop: Philly Cheese Steaks in the Phillyppines
Toast Box: Going Goreng
Tokyo Tokyo: Burgers and Chopsticks
The Kebab Factory: The TKF Trilogy
Wrong Ramen: The Weirder, The Better
GYU-KAKU
W Global Center, 30th St. corner 9th Ave.,
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
(02) 553-8962 / (0918) 917-2611
Operating Hours: Mon - Sun: 11:00 am - 11:00 pm
Facebook: Gyu-Kaku Philippines
Website: http://www.gyu-kaku.com/
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