Minami Saki by Astoria

At the ground floor of Astoria Plaza is a Japanese restaurant that has a reputation bigger than its area thanks to Executive Chef Kimito Katagiri. The former chef of Makati Shangri-La's Inagiku and Midas Hotel's Yanagi is back from an interrupted retirement to once again share his brilliance. I've always liked Chef Katagiri's innovative creations. They're veered from the usual, but never obscure; and I've never had a meal done by him that's unremarkable. 

Chef Katagiri gave his input on the interiors as well. Fancy is shunned from the place. It's a modish, uncluttered space filled with natural elements. It's a complete opposite of how the dishes are made. They're vibrant, exciting, and created to fascinate! 

Kaki Papaya Yaki  PhP 580

Oysters perfectly espoused with papaya and dressed with caramelized miso sauce. It's absolutely delicious! The combination may come off as a little bit odd at first. One taste and you'd realize that it's anything but.

Aburi Sushi  3 Kinds  PhP 530  /  5 Kinds  PhP 850

The Aburi Sushi is a delicious work of art with delicate fleshes of tuna, salmon, eel, hamachi, and lapu-lapu covering the small beds of rice. The chef coats them all with aburi sauce before giving them a good torch. Complementary flavors comes from the tobiko and fresh fruit slices.

Take Sashimi 5 Kinds  PhP 800

Fortunately, the faultless fishes are thickly sliced here. The mix includes slices of salmon, tuna, mackerel, ika, and lapu-lapu.

Tempura Maki  PhP 550

Minami Saki's Tempura Maki slices are huge and beyond just plain decent. This is by far my favorite among their maki choices. Each one is finished with miso sauce before blowtorched to magnificence.

Maguro Pepper Steak  PhP 550

The Maguro Pepper Steak is a triumph of a dish just like the ones already mentioned. Cubes of fatty tuna are seared then dabbed with sweet sauce. The presentation is pretty sweet too, but one thing's for sure: the taste tops the presentation. 

Scallop with Tamago Sauce  PhP 720

Silky scallops were skillfully prepared and amply doused with delicious tamago sauce. The sauce is creamy, but not satiating. We even ordered a second batch because the first one was literary gone in 60 seconds.

Usuyaki Steak with Mushrooms

Various kinds of mushroom are wrapped in thinly pounded beef. Each roll is massive and impressive! And just in case the taste is too tame for you, a side of sauce is given along with it. 

U.S. Angus Sirloin Teppanyaki  PhP 1,050

These bite-sized pieces of Angus sirloin were incredibly tender and rightfully seasoned! It's not big enough for sharing, but if you order the Tempura Maki along with this, it might just well be. That one is really filling. 

Wasabi Creme Brulee  PhP 120

The desserts are just as admirable as the rest. I love the Wasabi Creme Brûlée the most! It's creamy vanilla laden custard infused with wasabi-glazed caramel sugar. It's just as striking as Chef Katagiri's Wasabi Ice Cream in Yanagi. Don't worry, the wasabi flavor is not overwhelming. It's just enough to give your tongue a gentle bite.

Coffee Jelly  PhP 180

Minami Saki's Coffee Jelly will stir your curiosity as soon as it's placed on your table. It looks like it came out straight from a science lab. Pretty cool - literally and aesthetically! It's actually sweetened coffee flavored gelatin served with homemade vanilla ice cream. I enjoyed this one a lot as well.

Note: Parking slots in front of the restaurant are very few. You have to come in early if you want to score a slot. 

Minami Saki by Astoria

G/F, Astoria Plaza, 15 J. Escriva Drive, 

Ortigas, Pasig City

Contact No.: (+632) 687.11.11

Operating Hours: 11 AM to 2:30 PM

                                6 PM to 10:30 PM

Facebook: Minami Saki by Astoria

Instagram: @minamisaki

Onward and Upward!