Last month, my family was invited to experience an authentic Japanese cuisine experience at Azabu by Toshi also formerly known as Washoku de Azabu. It was also a perfect day to dress up in casual kawaii for that "Japan in Manila" experience.
Located at Second Floor, BTTC Center, 288 Ortigas Corner Roosevelt Avenue, Greenhills, San Juan City, the cozy, minimalist-style restaurant prides itself in quality and fresh ingredients, prepared lovingly and carefully by Chef Toshi.
Chef Toshi, the inspiration behind the rebranding, is a 38 year old celebrated chef who hailed from the Miyazaki Prefecture in Fukuoka, Japan.
Beau thought it's a cooking playset and won't let go of it. 😆
The place is so quiet and serene so if you would like to get away from the bustling city life for a while and enjoy some peace and quiet, this is a perfect place for you! This is important for me because noisy places stresses me out.
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We enjoyed a refreshing serving of a special iced tea that smells like orange and has a taste of tamarind and ginger. I haven't had anything like this before!
For appetizer, we had their Cobb Salad. The veggies were fresh and crunchy and the dressing was so good! The serving was also pretty generous.
Beau is a natural veggie-eater but then again if a toddler eats her veggies it means it's good.
Then we were served with Tebasaki Yakitori. A grilled dish of skewered chicken wings.
I especially love that it was not greasy at all compared to our own Filipino barbecue. I tend to feel sick when I end up eating a lot of those.
Among AZABU BY TOSHI’s specialties, Foie Gras with Daikon, a French-inspired dish, is what Chef Toshi calls his best. The fattened goose liver is served with imported Japanese daikon radish, drizzled with balsamic reduction. This is a dish that you can perfectly describe as "it melts in your mouth". One bite is a taste explosion!
Believe it or not, as much as I am into the lolita fashion scene for a long time where tea time is a common activity, I am not a tea drinker. (Coffee for life woooo! loljk!) I tried but I'm just really not a fan of the leafy taste. However, Azabu by Toshi's hot tea was forgivable for a non tea drinker like me. The aroma and leafy taste was not too powerful so I was able to drink it somehow.
Lastly, we were served with Mizutaki, a chicken soup and is a nationally known Fukuoka cuisine.
Chef Toshi prepared the pot in front of us. All made from the freshest ingredients! I love how it was presented too that it looks like something I would paint - like a work of art!
Chef Toshi was so hand's on! Thank you so much for your hardwork, Chef!
Smelling good!
To enjoy Mizutaki, taste the soup before eating the chicken or dip the chicken unto the soup ala Shabu-shabu style! The soup has a unique sweet and sour taste to it. Not too powerful and just right.
I was so full but it was a guilty pleasure free experience because I know what me and my family ate was healthy. This is exactly what I like about authentic Japanese cuisine. My mommy instincts can attest to that! :)) Go, Grow and Glow!
Humbling photo with Chef Toshi! lol Beau having a toddler moment.
In lieu of the restaurant’s 4th anniversary and upcoming relaunch, Chef Toshi will welcome you and hope that every bite will take you on a journey of his love and dedication for his craft.
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