MOONYSAN offers the best in affordable Japanese cuisine.
A FAVORITE venue for an outstanding performance in the art of negotiations is a good Japanese restaurant. Introductions are made over tea, pleasantries over sashimi, proposals over sushi and nitty-gritties over a good Wagyu.
However, meals in restaurants that seek to offer the best of authentic Japanese cuisine may cost an arm and a leg. Tsukiji over at Pasay Road is always reliable for quality otoro (a prized tuna belly) and quality Wagyu but the prices also highlight this. Inagiku at Shangri-La, another venue to practice the art of intimidation, presents delectable seasonal menus following the best of imported offerings from Japan, but prices also spell luxury.
A restaurant that offers a far more casual ambiance yet seeks to maintain the quality of its Japanese menu is Moonysan on Pasay Road. It is no Inagiku or Tsukiji—no Grade 9 Wagyu here—but it gives you the best in the realm of affordable Japanese cuisine.
It was formerly Seiji, a very pricey affair that only tycoons and pork barrel-blessed politicians could afford, with a menu that would set you back anywhere between P12,000 and P20,000 per head. But since the obliteration of the pork barrel from the budget (coincidental timing!) it has opened its doors, without losing its dedication to offering a recommendable Japanese menu, to welcome a more realistic crowd.
Uncompromising commitment
In spite of the decision to become more accessible, Moonysan has continued to import excellent ingredients. When you order sashimi, make sure to inquire from the waiter which items have just been flown in from Japan. Moony Lim, the very enterprising owner, is said to constantly travel to Japan to personally source ingredients and is committed to bringing his finds to Manila.
The restaurant offers a great hamachi or yellowfin tuna: six generous slices of this fish to be enjoyed plain and appreciated in all its raw glory. This is a must-order on every visit. Another great starter is the Maguro Tuna, simply marinated and then served with a tomato salsa.
For a full appreciation of the fresh ingredients, it has a few carpaccio offerings. Try the scallops, laid out plainly on the plate, but matched with kiwi for a sweet, tarty twist. Or have it still on the shell. On my first visit, I was instructed by gourmet Claude Tayag to sip the soup from the shell. True enough, this gives you a wave of umami.
Make it maki
The new chef, however, Chef Okimi, used to work at Katsuya in Los Angeles. So Moonysan also offers a variety of sushi that are more Westernized, but in a good way.
Make sure to try the torched salmon sushi. It is rice rolled like a maki with the tuna delicately crowning the roll, then torched and dotted with a kind of aioli sauce.
Understanding that foie gras is a universally loved delicacy, the chef also offers sushi with foie gras wrapped in it.
And for the unagi lovers, it has the Dragon Roll, which has prawn tempura slices wrapped in a maki roll and then topped with little slices of eel. A bite will give you the contrasting flavors and textures of the crunchy tempura and the soft eel.
Wagyu wave
Quality Japanese meats are not lacking either. Its steak is Wagyu and the pork is Kurobuta. To qualify, it is not Grade 9 Wagyu that it offers so don’t expect beef that will melt in your mouth like butter, as the best Wagyu is often described. But the beef of the Wagyu Saikoro Steak (P720) is still beautifully tender and easy to appreciate.
For the Karaage, the restaurant offers a Kurobuta (black pig) Karaage. But for this dish, it may be best to stick to chicken, for which karaage is better known. Meanwhile, for chicken, it offers a Japanese style chicken adobo, and it may also be best to stick to Filipino style chicken because … well, every Filipino is biased and thinks his grandmother’s adobo is best.
Pleasant prices
For the prices of the dishes (P200 to P500 for maki; P300 to P500 for chicken; a maximum of P1,600 for steak), this place is a great find for quality casual Japanese food.
Best of all, it is open until 1:00 am every day, with friendly and accommodating staff, smiling until the wee hours of the morning. Arigato!
Moony San Fine Japanese Cuisine
Cedar Exec. Bldg., 1006 Arnaiz St. (formerly Pasay Road) (across Fairmont), Makati. Tel. 4787550 or 5634440. Mobile 0922-5391790.
No reservations required. Major credit cards available (although sometimes there are problems; ask the waiter before ordering).
Wheelchair accessible. Valet parking available. Second floor available for private dining.
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