MANILA, Philippines - I used to have one simple rule: “Never eat anything with a name you can’t pronounce.” That pretty much meant French food — but only for a while. In my ignorance I included Japanese cuisine on the blacklist. How hard was it in the first place? Everything’s said phonetically and almost every menu has a photo of the dish right beside its name. Maybe it was the idea of learning to operate chopsticks — or the thought that uncooked fish could be taken seriously — that kept me away. When my hands eventually got used to navigating a bento box with two sticks of wood, everything changed. Now, my plate runneth over with sashimi.
The gateway meal for me was a serving of tonkatsu, basically breaded pork chop with rice or vegetables. The menu ramps up considerably after that, with variations on the same dish like katsudon, which is essentially tonkatsu on a steaming hot rice bowl with egg. Then there’s sashimi, which when wrapped in rice becomes sushi. The list goes on. One particular dish has a somewhat social element to it and I say that only because if you’re going to cook your own food, you might as well have someone with you to share in the effort. That’s shabu-shabu for you and my companions and I can thank the Teriyaki Dragon Japanese Bar and Restaurant for making it happen.
Situated at the corner of Pedro Gil and Adriatico streets in Ermita, Manila, Teriyaki Dragon offers an authentic Japanese gastronomic experience. Store manager Carmela Garcia says they specialize in imported yakiniku, or grilled beef and the aforementioned shabu-shabu which has gyuniko, a thinly sliced beef strip submerged in a boiling pot of water. The term “shabu-shabu” was allegedly taken from the sound made when you swished the beef around the boiling water as it cooked. Other ingredients can be cooked along with the beef including noodles, vegetables and other meats such as pork, otherwise known as buta shabu.
What makes Teriyaki Dragon stand out isn’t just its meat servings. There’s also something in the sauce that makes Garcia very proud. “With the yakiniku, there’s a special dipping sauce. Compared to other Japanese restaurants in the area, we take pride in our sauce.” There’s a special way of preparing the concoction, she says, which people still can’t crack. “Other restaurants have come here and tried the sauce just to see how it’s made. It’s hard to copy because there’s a technique to making it.”
The interiors of the restaurant reflect traditional Japanese design that can be seen anywhere. But there’s also something to be seen outside. Right by the street corner is a special outdoor stall, also by Teriyaki Dragon, which sells delicious yakitori or grilled chicken barbecue, also with their own sauce, to passersby.
Patrons can avail of a special VIP card for P500, which gives them a lifetime membership to the restaurant and enables them to have discounts of 10 percent on cash and five percent on card payments. Aside from the Japanese menu, Teriyaki Dragon also offers regular meal items such as the P180 bento box which includes miso soup, plain rice (not Japanese) and a choice of viand from chop suey to pork ribs, chicken curry, breaded shrimp or fish fillet. That particular bento box special is available from 12 noon to 4 p.m. only. What’s more, they have a special drink of the month which comes with a collectible stuffed toy. Garcia enthuses, “Sometimes, really young children can get the stuffed toy for free when they visit.”
Teriyaki Dragon Japanese Bar and Restaurant is one of those establishments that quickly become a favorite spot to come back to. It’s the kind of place that succeeds by word of month and its offerings promise a great time, whether you want to eat quietly alone or have a bunch of friends take part in a delicious feast.
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Teriyaki Dragon Japanese Bar and Restaurant is located at 1555 M. Adriatico St. cor. Pedro Gil St., Ermita Manila. It is open from 12 p.m. to 1:30 am. You may call them at 536-7572 or visit their website at www.teriyakidragon.com.