Nikuya
G/F Estancia Mall, Capitol Commons, Pasig City
Happy Chinese New Year! We celebrated this holiday with my fellow |looloo reviewers at Nikuya (which is a Korean-Japanese restaurant hehe)
I loved the classy, sophisticated ambiance of the place. The wooden furnitures and walls, white Japanese lanterns, and red violet sofas are clear signs that you are in for a treat. Oh, and don't forget to take a photo of their display of sake bottles for your instagram page, either. Plus, take a minute to admire their beautiful, teal-colored tablewares. It's what I've been blabbing about that day.
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| Nikuya Egg Roll P358 |
•mozarella•bonito•nori stuffed egg•
They say the best things in life are free... This is true, because Nikuya just gave us this complimentary appetizer and it's delicious! It looks like the usual egg side dish in Korean restaurants, except that it has some meat, seaweed and cheese inside, creating flavors that go so well together.
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| Hameul Pajeon P288 |
•Korean pancake with mixed vegetables and seafood•
Their pancake was thicker than what I'm used to seeing in Korean restaurants. It's good when you get to taste the part that has the seafood, but I find the ones without to be bland. Nevertheless, it's a good addition to your food line up because of its large serving and affordability.
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| Crispy Udon P388 |
•curry broth•udon noodles•vegetables•
I love noodles, but I usually favor the thin and soft ones over the udon. I found the udon in this dish to be extra chewy. I'm not certain if this is how a crispy udon is supposed to be since it's my first time to encounter such a dish. I liked the sauce, though. The taste of the curry was light, not overpowering and not spicy.
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| Shabu-Shabu P598 |
•assorted vegetables•fish balls•squid balls•o-deng sticks•choice of 2 stocks•
Dashi Kombu - light seaweed
Sukiyaki - sweet soy based stock
Pork and Chicken - pork and chicken bones boiled overnight
I was able to taste the sukiyaki and it was okay. I love having the satay soup everytime I go out for shabu-shabu, so it's safe to say that I prefer having saltier soups. The sukiyaki was not the right soup for me because it's a bit sweet, but it's still good.
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| Ox Tongue P198 |
Their thinly sliced ox tongue looks heavenly! I'm not sure if I was able to try this, but if this was one of the grilled meats I ate, then it's good even without any sauce!
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| Kimchi Wagyu Rice P158 |
•fried rice•kimchi•wagyu•
This was one of the rare times that I ate anything with kimchi. Kimchi is my enemy. I don't like its smell, and its spiciness, but I loved this dish. It was spicy, yes, but each bite I had was bursting with flavors.
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| Yukhwe Bibimbap P428 |
•Korean beef tartare•assorted vegetables•rice
Another must try from this restaurant! Their bibimbap has a twist: chopped raw meat in the mix. I disgust my brother by having my steak cooked well done because I don't eat raw meat, but this was changed by Nikuya's bibimbap. The meat didn't seem too raw in my mouth! It was so flavorful!
Yakitori P58/ stick
This might just be diced chicken on a stick, but it's tasty and delicious! Their meat was also so tender that biting it off the stick was no difficult task.
Samgyupsal P218
The serving of their samgyupsal looks small, having only a few thin slices per plate, but it's worth it! Their samgyupsal was tender and just had enough flavors even if it wasn't marinated.
My experience here at Nikuya was a perfect set: delicious and satisfying food, aesthetically pleasing interiors, and outstanding service.
My score:
Pricing – 3.5/5
Service – 5/5
Ambiance – 4/5
Taste – 4/5
Date of Visit: January 28, 2017
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