NIKKEI NAMA BAR BGC: Japanese-Peruvian with an Awesome View at One Bonifacio

As featured in 10 Best Restaurants/Cafes of One Bonifacio High Street!

A big benefit of the Japanese diaspora is the merging of their culture, particularly their cuisine with the countries they emigrated too. Nikkei refers to the fusion of Japanese and Peruvian cuisine. First popularized by Nobu Matsuhisa, the cuisine has since trickled down to smaller restaurants and found its way to Manila.

Nikkei has been in the Philippines for over 3 years now, and they recently opened their sister restaurant Nikkei Nama in One Bonifacio in BGC. Nama translates to “fresh” or “light” which reflects in the food served at Nikkei Nama by Head Chef Juan Barcos.

It caters to the younger, well-traveled appetite and value-conscious BGC dining crowd. It also exclusively features the Chifa (Chinese-Peruvian) rice bowls.

Here’s what we liked at Nikkei Nama…

Nikkei Nama
2/F One Bonifacio High, 28th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Operating Hours: 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. (Monday to Thursday, Sunday) 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. (Friday to Saturday)
Mobile: +63 966 533 7573
Website: www.nikkei.com.ph
Facebook: Nikkei Nama Bar

Nikkei Nama is located at the second floor of One Bonifacio High.

Its spot is right across Shangri-La which makes for an awesome view of the city amongst the greenery.

Nikkei Nama Bar Menu: Traditional Japanese, Nikkei Cuisine, Sushi Rolls, Yakitori / Tiradito, Nama Bowls, Ceviche, Nikkei Mains / Beverages (Non-Alcoholic) / Wine, Sake, Cocktails, Spirits

The interiors are well-lit during the daytime, and transforms into a moody but still welcoming ambiance at night.

There’s a bar for solo diners.

And an al fresco area for those who wish to sit without air conditioning. Nikkei Nama has no neighbors yet so the alfresco area is relatively quiet. It’s good to sit here especially if the air is a bit cold.

Nikkei serves Chips with Cilantro Aioli Dip while you decide what to order.

I kept mindlessly grabbing for the chips because the dip was just too good. This alone set the bar high for the rest of our dishes.

APPETIZERS

Avocado Maguro (₱ 295) • Tuna, avocado, cherry tomato, peanuts, lettuce, poke sauce

You can’t go wrong with fresh Tuna and Avocado combination. The poke sauce is served on the side and drizzled just when you’re ready to eat.

Ceviche Mixto (₱ 395) • Whitefish, prawns, squid, Leche de Tigre, onion, cilantro, chili, lettuce, cancha, glazed sweet potato

The Ceviche Mixto has a bit of heat, especially if you get a small piece of chili with your bite. Leche de Tigre is a citrus-based, spicy marinade used to cure fish – an essential in Peruvian cuisine.

Chalaca Tiradito (₱ 195) • 6 cuts of thinly sliced sashimi topped with onion, cilantro, chili, green apple, corn

Tiradito is a dish made with thinly sliced fish, much thinner than sashimi, and topped with ingredients that add bright and fresh notes.

In this case, the Tiradito is topped with Chalaca, a mixture of onion, cilantro, chilis, green apple, and corn.

Causa (₱ 180) • 3 Peruvian Soft Mashed Potatoes topped with your choice of Ebi, Tako (Octopus), Fish, or Salmon

I’m partial to the Taco and Salmon variety of this dish. These toppings have a bite that contrasts the soft mashed potato.

(Note: A single order of causa is 3 pieces of the same variant.)

Diamond Hill Chardonnay (South Eastern, Australia) (₱220/glass / ₱1,200/bottle) Vivino rating 3.0

You can start with the light and fruity house Chardonnay to pair with the seafood bites.

MAINS

Unagi Asparagus Roll (₱ 225, 5pcs. / ₱ 450, 10 pcs.) • Unagi, asparagus, sesame seeds teriyaki sauce, tobiko mayo

Every mouthful of the Unagi Asparagus roll is a dramatic flavor-and-texture trip. The tender unagi contrasts the hardy asparagus, all coated with the sweet and tangy tobiko mayo.

Smoked Salmon Roll (₱ 175, 5pcs. / ₱ 350, 10 pcs.) • Smoke salmon, cream cheese, katsuobushi, tobiko

For something classic and a crowd pleaser, start with the smoked salmon, cream cheese and roe combination.

Chifa Bao (₱ 280) • Steamed Bao, pork char siu, red onion, cilantro, fried onion, cilantro miso aioli

We loved this! The portion is quite large, so it’s good enough as a meal on its own. The crispy fried onions were our favorite element of the dish.

Iberico Pork Ribs (₱420) • From charcoal oven Iberico pork ribs marinated in miso paste, hoisin and oyster sauce, chili corn, okra.

One of our favorites and had to declare first dibs on each rib. Eat it with your hands and bite the flavorful meat of the ribs.

Wagyu Striploin Steak (₱ 895) • 200g Wagyu Striploin, Miso Eggplant Puree, Chalaca

This is best eaten as soon as it’s served. There’s still a lot to be improved with this dish though.

The steak had an odd mouthfeel, almost as if it’s gone through drastic temperature changes.

2017 Mauro Molino Barbera d’Alba DOC (₱1,300/bottle) (Vivino rating 3.7)

Nikkei Nama has a good wine selection by the bottle like this Italian Red to pair with the meats.

Nikkei Nama serves rice bowls that are exclusive to this branch alone. All of Nikkei’s rice bowls come with an egg served in different ways.

Unagi Don (₱ 580) • Unagi Kabayaki, sesame seeds, nori tempura, fried onion, onsen egg

The unagi don is my favorite among the three; the unagi was well-seasoned and the price isn’t so bad as well for such good quality.

Miso Cod Donburi (₱ 380) • Miso cod, cilantro salad, poached egg, okra

The Miso Cod Donburi is ideal for those who prefer a lighter cut of fish.

Pollo Saltado (₱ 320) • Free-range chicken teriyaki, mixed sautéed vegetables, egg, nuts, fried onion

The Pollo Saltado rice bowl caters to those who aren’t so keen to try a different cut of fish or meat with their rice bowl.

DESSERT

Mango Tres Leches (₱ 295) • Sponge cake soaked in custard cream

This dessert is sweet enough to share amongst a group. I’m used to tres leches that are on the soggy side and I never really liked those. So this Mango tres leches was right up my alley.

Arroz con Leche (₱ 160) • Rice, Egg, Dark Chocolate Ganache

No matter how full you are, there’s always room for dessert. Even if it’s as heavy as this Arroz con Leche. It looks unassuming, but it’s a simple dessert executed perfectly.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Overall, most of the food at Nikkei Nama is excellent with good value. It’s an ideal spot to have a quick lunch break or an intimate sunset dinner with friends.

We recommend the Chalaca Tiradito (Php 195), Causa (Php 180), Unagi Asparagus Roll (Php 450) to start. Order the Chifa Bao (Php 280), Iberico Pork Ribs (₱420) or Pollo Saltado Nama Bowl (Php 320) for your mains and end with the Mango Tres Leches (Php 295). Budget at 600/head for two.