Japanese DIY resto opens in Ayala

CEBU, Philippines - Since the opening of Pepper Lunch in Cebu, foodies have consistently trooped to the Level 4 roof deck of the Ayala Center Cebu expansion wing to patiently queue up for a taste of the restaurant's fine quality, all imported steaks, pastas, curry rice and signature Pepper Rice.

"Pepper Lunch's promise to the people is Fine Steak, Great Value with the goal to serve tasty steak for everyone at a reasonable price and we are thrilled to have received such a tremendous response from the Cebu market these past few months plus experience a steadily growing and loyal clientele," says Allen Arvin A. Tan, managing director of Pepper Up Cebu Inc.

Established in Japan in 1994, Pepper Lunch is a DIY fast-service concept created by Japanese chef and inventor Mr. Kunio Ichinose with the aim to serve quality, fast food without the need for a trained chef. This interesting paradox of a chef introducing a chef-less cooking system has brought great success to the Pepper Lunch brand.

The “sizzle-it-your-way” serving style, the most distinctive feature of Pepper Lunch, allows diners to cook their dishes perfectly done to their preference and seasoned as they wish. This interactive element lets customers become their own chef and immerses them in a gastronomic adventure which is both exciting and entertaining as they watch the steak sizzle before their very eyes.

The secret of this one-of-a-kind dining experience is in Pepper Lunch’s patented Iron Plate that uses a special electromagnetic cooker to heat itself up to 250°C in 70 seconds and lets it remain hot at approximately 80°C for more than 20 minutes. At this temperature, the grilled meat remains tender and juicy, and the food is kept warm for a longer time and one can enjoy their dish piping hot until the last bite.

At Pepper Lunch, great effort being put into the quality control of beef with strict quality standards in parts, ripening period, and cutting and these choice cuts along with pork, chicken and salmon are served with rice and vegetables for diners to cook. Pepper Lunch's original blend butter and steak sauce delights customers well enough to make them come back with the butter made from an original recipe mixed with crispy fried garlic and special sauce that gives steak a full flavor and depth that you can never taste anywhere else.  Amakuchi or honey brown sauce, and Karakuchi or garlic soy sauce are specially blended sauces which give sizzling hot steak an irresistibly appetizing smell and flavor and allow guests to create a taste that is all their own.

In the Philippines, Pepper Lunch has already 23 stores and over 200 outlets in Japan and all over Asia, including China, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand.

Pepper Lunch at Level 4 of the Ayala Center Cebu is open from Sunday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. (FREEMAN)