Thirty-five years ago, Kimpura was the only Japanese restaurant at the then Makati Commercial Center (next to Rustan’s). "There were a couple of Japanese restaurants on Roxas Boulevard back in 1970," Lulu Palileo, Kimpura Makati operations supervisor (yes, she was one of the original employees) traces the history of Kimpura.
(Two years ago, Kimpura got an award of recognition from the Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines for being one of the oldest surviving members.)
Lulu recalls with great relish, "Back then, Kimpura was already known for its authentic sukiyaki (paper-thin slices of tender beef, bean curd and vegetables in boiling hot broth with soy sauce), tempura and teppanyaki dishes (food quickly fried in heart-friendly oil on the teppanyaki table)."
Manila diners were just discovering the nuances of Japanese cooking – and fumbling with their chopsticks. It was not uncommon to hear a customer sheepishly ask for a spoon and a fork. Of course, Japanese chef Irisawa (yes, flown in from Japan) would tell you that his Kimpura specialties are best enjoyed with the use of that tricky pair of slender sticks held between the thumb and fingers.
"The good old Kimpura favorites are still there," says Lulu. And so are many of Kimpura’s pioneer employees, like Luz Santos who has risen from the ranks to become operations supervisor at the Kimpura Greenhills branch (which has been renovated). "Kimpura has been home to us for the last 35 years," Luz says with a smile. "We just go home to sleep."
Of course, through the years, to adapt to its growing clientele, Kimpura has expanded its culinary offerings (but more on that later). Its menu card now has morsels of tips on "Jap-etiks" (for the new converts to Japanese food)
• To name some:
• When giving or receiving food, it is polite to use both hands to lift the bowl.
• Never stick chopsticks into food. The tips of chopsticks should not touch the table, so always use chopstick rests (which can be as simple as a folded napkin or even the folded paper sleeve from the chopsticks) or the side of the plate.
• Use your own chopsticks to take food from a communal dish if no serving implements are provided, but turn them around again and use the clean handle end. Turn right away around again to use them for picking up your own food.
• Bowls of rice can be lifted to your mouth, to help you eat more efficiently using chopsticks.
• You should never pour your own drinks. Offer to serve others and wait for someone to offer to fill your cup; if someone fills your cup, reciprocate. Don’t overfill the cup or glass. An empty glass or cup means you would like a refill. If you don’t want any more, leave it full.
• It is acceptable practice to slurp hot tea, soup, and noodles both as a sign of enjoyment and to cool the liquid.
Vegetarians will find Kimpura’s extensive menu quite, uh, meaty. "On the whole, Japanese food is very healthy," Lulu points out. "It is low in fat, and usually just steamed, boiled or grilled. We have a lot of vegetarian dishes (really soy-good tofu dishes, among others) – we do have a lot of vegetarian clients. And for those on a diet, Kimpura can recommend substitutes for the South Beach diet."
Kimpura has something for "budgetarians," too. "We have our bento box at only P275 and up. It’s a complete Japanese meal consisting of two main courses, a soup, an appetizer, and a dessert."
If you like to splurge a little more, Kimpura has its teishoku table d’hote – set meals with rice, pickles, kobachi, miso soup, and dessert. Among the topselling teishokus are: unagi teishoku (broiled eel with kobayaki sauce), yakiniku teishoku (thinly sliced beef grilled with garlic sauce), sashimi teishoku (raw fish fillets), chicken teriyaki teishoku (chicken cutlets in sweet wine sauce), robatayaki teishoku (broiled chicken or beef with seafood and vegetables), tonkatsu teishoku (breaded pork cutlets), and torikatsu teishoku (breaded chicken cutlets).
If you want to indulge your taste buds, try the teppanyaki combos (who says only fastfood restos have combos?), like the tenderloin steak and scallops; rib eye steak steak and a choice of mixed tempura or hand-rolled sushi; teriyaki steak and lobster tails; rib eye steak and prawns; sirloin steak and oysters; sukiyaki steak, prawns, and oysters; lobster tails, prawns, and gindara; scallops, cuttlefish, and blue marlin fillet; prawns, oysters, and salmon fillet; chicken and prawns; fish fillet, chicken, and tempura.
"A lot of diners like their food cooked before their eyes on the teppanyaki table because they want to be assured that the ingredients that go into their food are fresh," says Lulu. "Yes, of course, our food supply comes in fresh every day."
Then there’s Kimpura’s nabemono – one pot do-it-yourself cooking at the dinner table that’s good for two persons. Great for those who want to try their hand at Japanese cooking.
It’ll probably take us another 35 years to name all the dishes on Kimpura’s new menu. So, let’s simply raise our sake cups and drink to the next 35 years of good food and sizzling memories!