Usapang Fried Chicken #20: WATAMI!

Watami Casual Japanese Restaurant @ New Glorietta

Yes, we weren't 100% happy with the food here. But Tita Nelia (Pink Food Shop) and I didn't actually bitch about it. I mean, its not Grace Park bad-bad but (worse!) it's expensive-bad. (I have to learn to move on after that Grace Park nightmare... And fast!).

Going back.. the food here at Watami Japanese Casual Restaurant was not THAT exciting. Like what I said, it's just casual dining and the prices, well, competitive (in other words, cheap!). So, its understandable that the kitchen makes little shortcuts and a lot of substitutions. 

Anyway, I liked their Crispy Chicken Wings, very much like the flood of chicken fast food restaurants from Korea and Taiwan (Bon Chon, 4 Fingers Crispy Chicken, Chicken Charlie, Big Daddy's etc). Sweet and Crispy. Not original but good enough.  

Crispy Chicken Wings (P195)

Watami Japanese Casual Restaurant!

Watami Japanese Casual Restaurant @ New Glorietta

It was a few days after New Year of 2013 when Tita Nelia (Pink Food Shop) took me to an early lunch at a Japanese restaurant she saw the previous day at the new Glorietta Mall.  

We entered the casual restaurant confident that the food will be extra-ordinarily good basing on the modern interior and "extra-friendly" service (yes, yes, more often not, I equate good ambiance and good friendly service with good food!). We didn't feel adventurous that day (just hungry!) so we just ordered some standard menu items except for the Watami Salad, which they claim as one of their sellers. 

So, how was it? First of all, the food's affordable (its casual!). So, kasalanan na namin to have expected more and got disappointed in the end. Not massively, but disappointed nonetheless. Anyway, I liked the Tofu in Stone Pot and the Crispy Chicken Wings (see my next post). The Stir-fried Vegetables was really salty. Really salty. And the Watami Salad? Ho-hum. I don't even remember the dressing used. 

At least, their toilet was clean, had tissue paper and nice-smelling hand wash. 


Tofu in Stone Pot (P175)
Watami Salad Half (P220)
Salmon Sashimi (P225)
Stir-Fried Vegetables (P225)

Pink Food Shop!

Pink Food Shop @ SM Landing, Glorietta

After Let's Cook My Way, Tita Nelia Silverio is, presently, busy with her newly-opened baby, Pink Food Shop located at the SM Landing in Glorietta. It offers food you don't normally find around and if ever, not as delicious. Yes, they're just yummy! 

Top seller is the creatively done Cake Pops followed by the ready-to-heat and ready-to-eat food, Breakfast in a Bottle (Tuyo in Oil), Lunch in a Bottle, Dinner in a Bottle, the Mango Biscotti and my all-time-favorite Push-Ups and of course, the cookies, cookies, cookies! 

She will come up with more gimmicks in next days! Visit the shop!  

Jipan's Classic Baked Spaghetti with Meat Sauce!

Jipan @ Glorietta 

Jipan’s a quiet bakery/café selling really soft bread and very good ramen. Why quiet? Well, hindi siya magulo. Never aggressive in promoting their food (their menu is just computer printed and laminated). 

While most stores are busy attempting to look (artificially-)beautiful, Jipan opted to just keep a low profile and was content in churning out what they're excellent at doing – good food.  
At isa na dito ay ang Baked Spaghetti with Meat Sauce.  

Baked Spaghetti Meat Sauce

with Mozarella Cheese (P260) 

Meat sauce is really flavorful. A bit oily 
but that I don't mind, that's where the beefy-flavor 
comes from. And the mozarella... hindi tipid. 
Just a suggestion: forget about the parsely. 
It's so '90's.  

Jipan Japanese Bakery
Glorietta, Makati