Nikkei Robata Newport — Restaurant in Pasay

Late post of our anniversary dinner at Nikkei Robata Newport. Had high hopes because of the reviews I read. We think it could have been better...

The drinks (strawberry basil lemonade and Nikkei mojito) and appetizers of the Hokkaido scallops and Causa platter were outstanding. The warm uni sauce complemented the sweetness of the scallops and crunch of the slightly toasted sushi rice squares. The platter's mashed potato bites topped off with ebi, wagyu, and salmon tartare were delicious, a rich and playful take on an otherwise simple Peruvian appetizer. Too bad that I heard that it was being discontinued because diners couldn't figure out how to eat it.

We were disappointed though with the Nikkei ceviche. I love ceviche, and order it often, especially at Peruvian restaurants. The ceviche here was overpowering with acid --- the leche de tigre covered the seafood like a heavy gravy, and we could not appreciate the flavors of the fish, shrimp, and tako. It did not look like its photo on the menu, and if I knew its presentation was like this I would have not ordered it. The black cod was perfectly grilled and tasty but not remarkable; I think its larger bones would have been best removed before serving.

At the price point the dinner service left much to be desired; we shouldn't have to be hailing for a server when there weren't that many diners at the time, there seemed to be more kitchen staff than wait staff! And when reservations are made for a celebratory dinner you would think that the front of the house will know what to do, right?

With Metro Manila teeming with restaurants the competition is extremely fierce for one's dining pesos. We are omnivores that love eating anywhere from a fish ball pushcart to the latest lauded dining establishment. Hopefully this experience we had...

First off, the place is good. I would go back. Not my first choice in the mall, but if I was with someone who wanted to try it, I would happily go back.

It really could be a five star place across the board. It is close, but they fall short. Where they fall short is although it is Japanese food, it is heavily influenced by local tastes. The best way I can describe it is that the flavors are "noisy." Too much salt. Too much liquid smoke in a few things. Quick with a torch, they have the fuel mix wrong so you can taste the fuel on flamed food. They seem to try too hard and to get too much out of what they are serving by layering too much into the ingredients, covering up the good with "maybe we can add this compote for color and some cracked black pepper as an accent."

The main focus is on how good it all looks, and it looks great. But the flavors are too much influenced by the desire to add magic sarap to everything and make it look good in a photo.

One thing that did surprise me was the prices were very low for what they seemed to be doing. But I would have happily paid more for a little...

One thing consistent around the globe , restaurants in a shopping mall are just not at the food quality level you would hope they would be. I can see the motivation to maintain an average at best level as most guests will be a one time deal. The airport next door is a great feeder of folks who look for a bite and leave the next day. The setting and decor are nice. The service was alright, the staff showcased a bit of everything. From, attention the customer arrives so hide, to non stop asking if everything is alright.

Anyhow the food. We tried their tofu, squid skewers, pork belly bun and pork ribs. The tofu while nice in flavor was too soft and felt apart when trying to eat it. One shouldn't have to use a spoon. The squid skewers were under cooked and lacked the crunch. The pork belly bun, the sauce is rather heavy and rich making you feel completely full after a few bites. The rips were great, yes cudos well done. Ah and before I forget it, the complimentary chips served were soggy , I think they were exposed to the high...