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DestinAsian.com – april / may 2015
GOOD TO GO TOP TABLES
Tasting Notes
Above: Mecha Uma’s
chef Bruce Ricketts and
his tuna “sandwich”
with foie gras mousse
and roasted pineapple.
Top: Manila’s Nobu
restaurant is the signature
dining experience at the
months-old Nobu Hotel
in Parañaque City.
Manila on
the Menu
Japanese flavors take center stage at this trio of new
restaurants in the Philippine capital.
By Scott James Roxas
Mecha Uma
Taking its name from the Japanese expression mechakucha
umai (“absurdly delicious”), Mecha Uma is the latest venture
by chef Bruce Ricketts, whose first Manila restaurant, Sensei
Sushi, signaled the arrival of a young master. His fans have followed him
to this minimalist space in Fort Bonifacio, where he blends local organic
produce with seasonal Japanese ingredients in regularly changing black-
board specials and an omakase (chef’s choice) menu that recently includ-
ed such standouts as Hokkaido sea urchin with grilled oyster and monk-
fish liver, and tuna with coconut, foie gras mousse, and roasted pineapple
sandwiched between tuile wafers (RCBC Savings Bank Corporate Center, 25th
St., Fort Bonifacio, Taguig; 63-2/801-2770; mechauma.ph).
Nobu
Anchoring celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s first hotel foray outside the
United States, the latest Nobu restaurant is making waves amid stunning
views of Manila Bay. Sleek wood-and-marble interiors accented with
floral motifs provide the backdrop to Matsuhisa’s acclaimed Peruvian-
influenced Japanese dishes, in-
cluding signatures like black cod
with miso. But this new location
also serves items that are rarely
available at other Nobus, such as
pork belly with spicy miso and a
fragrant seafood paella. The chef’s
private-label sakes and wines are
also on offer to complete meals,
which are best enjoyed on the al-
fresco dining terrace next to the
reflecting pool (Nobu Hotel, cnr.
Aseana Blvd. and Macapagal Ave.,
Tambo, Parañaque; 63-2/691-2882;
nobuhotelmanila.com).
12/10
With a vibe that suggests both
laid-back bar and art gallery, this
izakaya-inspired newcomer is the
second restaurant by twentysome-
thing Filipino couple Thea De Ri-
vera and Gab Bustos, who named
the place for their anniversary
date. Young as they are, these two
are making a mark in the Manila
dining scene with rave-worthy
food and interiors. The Japanese-
Korean menu features stellar
items such as the raw tuna salad
and the blowtorched salmon with
sea urchin, caviar, panko, ponzu,
and sea salt. The portions are in-
tentionally small to allow diners to
self-curate their own degustation,
which seems to work quite well for
the young urbanites that keep the
place full even on a Monday night
(7635 Guijo St., San Antonio, Makati;
63-915/663-2823).
COURTESYOFmechauma;courtesyofnobu