Ohayo Banawe | Japanese Comfort Food — Restaurant in Quezon City

Ohayo is considered one of the newer players in the Banawe area that has a lot of potential.

Location: Situated at the corner of Sta. Catalina, it is at the heart of Banawe's hustle and bustle food street. They have limited parking, but an employee will guide you where best to park your cars in case they run out of space.

Interior: The best ways to describe the ambience are simple and clean. They have a minimalist take on the Japanese concept with beige colored and cement style walls. Customers have a view of the bar area and kitchen. Their second floor caters the maki and sushi rolls in order to decongest the kitchen area.

Service: One of the better services we've experienced. Most of the staff were polite, attentive, and approachable. They were quick to ask if we wanted water (hot or cold), provided us with instructions how to order, and oftentimes took things with two hands (which in Asian culture shows respect). They replenished empty glasses swiftly, and I could not help but want to give good feedback at the end. Do take note that there is a 7% service charge.

Food: We ordered Tendon Tempura Bowl (P380), Tsukemen (P420), 3pcs. Gyoza (P170), and Aji Tamago (P30). We enjoyed the Tempura and Gyoza the most with that nice crunch and delightful sauce pairing. It was not greasy like most would be, the batter was just right, not too thin or thick. The Tsukemen dip was very bonito/takoyaki forward, so it may be too strong for some and the price point does seem a bit too much for the dish. We did wish that there were more noodles for the dip too. As for the Aji Tamago, I personally found it a bit on the blander side in terms of flavor, but as a soft-boiled egg, it was that perfect 7 minute cook time.

Overall, I would recommend the place especially when you're craving Japanese food. You'll love the employees...

We ordered crab tamago nabe don, pork and beef kushiyaki and miso soup for dinner around 7:00pm. The place was crowded but they managed to seat everyone comfortably. Their employees were polite and attentive too.

Crab tamago nabe don: 10/10 Medyo onti ang portion nito for 2 people. If mahina kumain ang isa sainyo, it will probably be okay for 2 persons. But because the food was fantastic, baka kulangin. It was well seasoned. You can really taste the crab and the crunchiness from the panko was a perfect compliment.

Pork and (10/10) beef kushiyaki (7/10): Masarap din both of them especially the sauce. Di ko lang masyado nagustuhan yung beef because it was a bit too raw for my liking.

Miso soup: 5/10 Very salty. I’ve had lots of miso soup from different Japanese restos and I was really disappointed with theirs. Wala yung usual silken tofu. Madaming serving pero di ko naubos because it was too salty.

Still, we’re definitely coming back to try their other dishes. Sana mas dumami ang selections and I hope magkaron sila ng...

I had a wonderful experience dining here! The staff were incredibly friendly, approachable, and very knowledgeable about the menu, which made the entire visit even more enjoyable. They were attentive and ensured that we had everything we needed throughout the meal.

The Maki was absolutely delicious! It was fresh, flavorful, and easily one of the highlights of the meal. However, I had mixed feelings about the Ebi Bisque Ramen. While the soup itself was rich and packed with flavor, the noodles had a unique texture that I personally didn’t enjoy. It didn’t quite meet my expectations, but the overall dish still had redeeming qualities.

Despite that, I still loved the overall experience. The ambiance was great, the staff’s service was excellent, and the food had some real standout moments. I left feeling satisfied and happy, and I would definitely come back again for...