Yamazato, founded in Hotel Okura Tokyo in 1962, is a Japanese fine dining restaurant specializing in kaiseki and teppanyaki experiences at the Resorts World Manila complex.
Yamazato comes from its two Kanji characters 山 “yama” meaning “mountain” plus 里 “zato” meaning “village,” signifying the highest quality of Japanese food in Manila with focus on fresh produce and prime seafood from Japan.
We celebrated our 17th Wedding Anniversary with the family with an intimate kaiseki meal.
Here are some tips for your next awesome Yamazato experience in Manila…
YAMAZATO MANILA
Address: 2nd Floor, Hotel Okura Manila, 2 Portwood Street, Newport City, Pasay City 1309 Metro Manila, Philippines
Operating Hours:
Lunch: 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM (Tuesdays to Sundays)
Dinner: 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM (Tuesdays to Sundays)
Telephone: +632 5318 2888
Facebook: Hotel Okura Manila
Instagram: @hotelokuramnl
Website: https://www.hotelokuramanila.com/culinary/yamazato
#YamazatoinManila
#HotelOkuraManila
First Things First
Yamazato is the first Japanese restaurant in Europe to earn a Michelin Star. From Hotel Okura Amsterdam, it has since expanded to Hotel Okura locations in Shanghai, Macau, Bangkok, Taipei and now Manila.
We loved the zen-like design highlighted by the glass installation art in the lobby, the plum flower/rope artwork in the main dining and the kimono service.
You can opt for an authentic teppanyaki experience or reserve the private teppan room for your special celebration.
As in kaisekis in Japan, the best seats are at the counter where you can see the chef preparing the sushi and sashimi in front of you.
Yamazato Menu
Yamazato Menu: Dinner Menu | Tsuki Kaiseki | Lunch Menu | Seasonal Bento | Teppan Menu | Ichou Teppanyaki Course | Beverage Menu
Yamazato specializes in bento for lunch and kaiseki for dinner, using only the freshest ingredients and finest seafood from Japan.
Drinks Menu: Japanese Pour by the Glass | Wine by the Glass | Sake by the Bottle | Sake by the Bottle 2 | Wine by the Bottle: Champagne, Sparkling, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Rose, White Zinfandel | Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet & Blends, Shiraz, Dessert Wine, Fortified | Non-Alcoholic Selection | Beer Selection | Japanese Spirits Collection | Cognac, Aperitif, Liqueur, Gin, Rum | Tequila, Brandy
Sake is the perfect pairing for the kaiseki, but they also serve a curated selection of wine and Japanese spirits.
Kaiseki First Course
The soup had extra clean dashi flavor from the mushroom, fish, shrimp and chicken combination to be enjoyed with a dash of calamansi.
A unique appetizer made of a slice of duck, shrimp and taro with their signature sesame sauce.
The chutoro was so good that I savored every piece of it and enjoyed it as is. Loved the amberjack piece too and its presentation with flowers.
I enjoyed pairing the seafood with a glass of Canyon Road Chardonnay with citrus and buttery notes.
Kaiseki for Kids!
The kids got a whole kaiseki surprise that they had to figure out how to unbox before they could eat. 🙂
It came with the entire kaiseki set which was meant to be eaten from top to bottom, one drawer at a time.
Light appetizers of tamago roll and egg custard that even the kids enjoyed.
The kids’ fried favorites—ebi tempura and karaage that they could eat only if they also eat a bit of cauliflower, tomato and cabbage
The Inari sushi, served with their specialty black cod and white miso, was surprisingly a hit with the kids.
The kids loved the kaiseki for the fine flavors, colorful presentation and assorted dishes that they could mix and match and eat with chopsticks.
Kaiseki Second Course
The kaiseki for the adults came with a fried dish, simmered dish and rice set.
Loved their tempura, with its lightly battered but crunchy texture and the meat or vegetable flavors that you could still taste.
Steamed rice with oyster umami served with miso soup and Japanese pickles.
The main course was Wagyu beef—delicately flavored and simmered in sukiyaki sauce. So good!
A la Carte
We ordered additional a la carte dishes and the hot soba noodle, served with a side of tempura, was the closest to ramen as you could get.
The boys loved every piece of this sushi—tasty tuna, Japanese rice and seaweed. 🙂
My favorite: a big slice of pork belly braised in their special sauce. You’ll love the meat specially the fatty layers.
Loved this rich dark red with berry notes. You can enjoy it paired with the Buta Kakuni or on its own.
The boys loved the Japanese rice and couldn’t get enough of it, so we ordered more tempura and a simmered version of katsudon. 🙂
Dessert Course
It was awesome to meet Chef Rinnosuke Mouri, the chef behind the best Japanese restaurant in Manila who brought his international experience from Okura Tokyo and, recently, Okura Prestige Taipei.
A nice light ending of wasabi pudding and fresh fruits to end the kaiseki experience.
The boys were just happy to have their favorite vanilla ice cream to end their course.
What made the experience more awesome, aside from the food, was the attentive Japanese-Filipino service by the Yamazato team in their kimonos.
Final Thoughts
Overall, it’s the best Japanese restaurant in Manila in terms of authentic Japanese food, exquisite restaurant design and amazing service. In short, everything is awesome!
Go for the kaiseki experience to celebrate your anniversaries or milestone birthday, or to mark special moments in your career. Go for the bento set of the freshest ingredients and prime seafood from Japan on casual occasions. Order the Yamazato Traditional Buta Kakuni and the rice sets for additional a la carte dishes. Budget about ₱2,500/head or ₱8,000/head for the kaiseki experience.
Can’t wait to go back to try the teppanyaki experience. 🙂
Awesome thanks to Sharmaine for always smiling while serving throughout the evening even with the boys’ kakulitan. 🙂 Ask for her when you dine.
Congratulations on the comeback of the Okura Nikko Hotel Management to Manila with their premium Hotel Okura brand!
Can’t wait for the hotel to open. 🙂
YAMAZATO MANILA
Address: Hotel Okura Manila, 2 Portwood Street, Newport City, Pasay City 1309 Metro Manila, Philippines
Operating Hours:
Lunch: 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM (Tuesdays to Sundays)
Dinner: 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM (Tuesdays to Sundays)
Telephone: +632 5318 2888
Facebook: Hotel Okura Manila
Instagram: @hotelokuramnl
Website: www.hotelokuramanila.com
#YamazatoinManila
#HotelOkuraManila
Live an Awesome Life,
Founder, Our Awesome Planet
Disclosure: Our meal was courtesy of the good people of Hotel Okura. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions and insights.
P.S. Yugi was amazed by the high tech toilet bowl with heated seats, and he had to show me how it worked. 🙂
Great location!