Awhile back I was invited to a local Japanese restaurant just a stone’s throw from our place. I have been enjoying the invites to these local establishments so that I can judge for myself if it’s a restaurant that I would like to go back to and visit together as a family, or even visit it with Nino on a date night.
The added advantage to accepting invites to reviews is making NEW friends! This particular day was super fun because although it truly was a busy day for me where I was working on lots of new and exciting things, I felt like the lunch break that we were on was like a lunch “with the girls,” (and the “boy” ‘with owner/partner Donny of course) where we talked about everything under the sun!
We started with an amuse bouche of Kani Salad.
Even though this was my first time to meet Guia, and B’ley, it was as if we were old friends catching up. I was pleased to hear that another friend whom I had just met would be joining us as well. I first heard of Rina through another friend Jane, so I kinda felt like I knew her. So much so, that when we met at the Oilily event a week earlier we hit it off as well. Thanks Guia for the invite!
Donny sends this out first! It was DIVINE. Unagi with Foie Gras Sushi!
Kessaku is located in Commerce Center right across from Acacia Hotel. It’s easy to park downstairs, and while the mall is still not yet fully open there aren’t any parking charges. I think that might be changing soon, though, so if it does, you’ll pay a small fee for the convenience of parking downstairs.
Tempura Bento. I love that they also offer the salt and lemon as a dip. Not many restaurants do this. I particularly enjoy the salt and lemon when I’m indulging in Uni Tempura.
Guia introduced me to Donny Elvina who is one of the managing partners that brings Kessaku which means”Creating Masterpiece” to Alabang. Apparently, this group has a string of successful restaurants that cater to many different palates whether you are craving comfort food with burgers and dogs or Japanese food done right. Munchtown is another resto which Donny is involved with, in Greenhills and is in collaboration with Chef Robby Goco. I would also like to check out Jozu Kin, which is in Burgos Circle.
Tenderloin Bento Box
Through our conversations, I learned that Donny also coaches Mixed Martial Arts. Believe me, when I tell you that this was such a fun lunch! Meeting new people and learning new things is always top on my list! Donny even coaches his son in MMA…we shared a few stories how it is to be your kid’s teacher. It’s quite funny when you get parents talking about their kids…we can go on and on and on…(and we did.)
When you visit a new resto with new people, you also learn new things…like the different angles you can shoot from and how natural light is always best for food shots.
B’ley even shared that back in San Francisco, they reserve the tables by the windows (with natural light) for bloggers! It made me think that maybe I should request a table by the window in a restaurant when I know I want to write about my experience.
We even got to talking about a certain etiquette that follows what bloggers do. (The conversation made me even more aware of my manners!) We talked about when eating together in a situation like this, how important it is to wait for everyone to take pictures first, and how it’s also nice to see when other bloggers offer simple courtesies to one another. (Remember how I think we are all in this together? It’s kinda like that same principle once again.) The conversation helped me realize that even in my effort to be helpful and serve my new found friends I was a little clumsy…I think it’s just easier to pass the food so everyone can serve themselves…(Yes, that was a note to self.)
Tonkatsu Bento Box
B’ley shared that she just moved back from The States. We also talked about the differences and similarities between mom bloggers and food bloggers. I had a little chuckle because I felt completely ill-equipped when I realized I was the only one using my iPhone for food shots and everyone brought out their DSLR! We got to talking about how you can ACTUALLY take pretty good photos with your iPhone if you edit your photo with some inexpensive apps. Hopefully, she will put together a class and teach me (and some of my momma friends) how to take better pics with my iPhone but in the mean time I think I should take out my DSLR next time I get an invite from these ladies. He he he he he…
Chicken Terriyaki Bento
Donny really wanted to highlight the bento meals that are only offered during lunch. I have always loved ordering from the bento menu whenever I go to a Japanese restaurant because you get to taste a little bit of everything without having to order all of those dishes separately. Each of the bentos were done well. The portions were generous, tasty, and the sushi and sashimi was fresh.
Would you believe I still had room for dessert after we ate?
Truth: I always have room for dessert.
Green Tea Tempura Ice Cream. I know many people who love green tea. I am not one of them, but I still tried this dessert…well, because…it’s DESSERT!
Vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two vanilla wafers. This dessert is by Louie-Luis.
Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee.
Crispy Banana with Mango Ice Cream and Chocolate Syrup. Yes, please. Seconds. Now.
Thank you Donny for hosting our lovely lunch where I got to learn a bunch of new things 🙂 Will definitely be bringing back the hubby for a date night. Thanks Guia for the invite! Pictured L-R: Moi, B’ley from Blogalag, Donny Elvina, Guia from Food Reviews Manila, and Rina from Rina’s Rainbow.
And because we were both going to be in the same place at the same time…Look who I got to catch up with!
And how awesome is it that I got to run into Anna and Raymond from Pink Wasabi?
I placed an order with Anna earlier in the week because I knew I would be entertaining later that same afternoon. Her Kashimaki is perfect with tea or coffee and totally impresses guests when you serve it! (I wanted to impress my guests 🙂 hehehehe.
Kessaku Alabang
Ground Floor,
Commercenter Building,
Filinvest Avenue, Filinvest Alabang
1781 Muntinlupa City
Phone: (02) 403 3445
kessakualabang@gmail.com
Mon-Sun:
11am-2:30pm
5:30-10:30pm
Pink Wasabi
1535 Joshua Street
Jordan Plaines Novaliches
Quezon City, Philippines
0947-865-8634
mypinkwasabi@gmail.com
http://www.mypinkwasabi.com
I wanna join you in Jozu Kin Mich!! <3 And you look so pretty, as always! :-*
Aw. Thanks Jane 🙂 Let’s go try it out!
Oh my gosh Michelle, I love your post, hahaha! 🙂 And great shots, by the way! 🙂 So glad to meet you, and we’ll get together again soon. 🙂
Thanks Guia!
Aw! Coming from you, I take the fact that you think my shots are “great” as a huge compliment! Looking forward to the next time we get to hang out, eat, and talk about our kiddos!
I shouldn’t look at blog posts about food at 2 in the morning. Haha! See you tomorrow! 🙂
Diba? I know…it’s hard. Especially when the food is good. See you in a while!
How come when bloggers get an invite, everything in the menu is available? For nonblogger-customers like me, every time I go there in Kessaku, they don’t have ingredients for some of their items.
This is so weird…
Good question Marian.
I know just from being in the restaurant business when I was younger that sometimes, as an oversight they can run out of popular items on the menu. Will visit again and see if the items I prefer are available. What dish did you want to order that wasn’t available?
This restaurant is very inconsistent. When i went there, the servers won’t offer me complimentary amuse bouche while the other customers were given that complimentary dish. Service was really bad and the servers don’t know which items are not available.
The last time i ate there, the server kept going in and out of the kitchen just to inform me that 2 of the dishes that i ordered were not available. Sadly, the supervisor didn’t even know they ran out of ingredients for the items i ordered, and never bothered to talk to me nor offered an explanation and extend an apology.
When i asked the server’s attention because i wanted to talk to the supervisor, he wouldn’t let me get to her because the supervisor was busy in the second floor counting money and she didn’t have time to attend to my needs. For a “high-end” restaurant, this is the first time that i’ve felt disgusted and insulted. Never coming back to this place again.
That’s really odd JD.
Usually, if customers are offered amuse bouche…all customers are given the same thing.
It sounds like your server wasn’t properly trained on how to handle these types of situations, in that instance, I agree that it’s best to talk to the supervisor in charge.
Was that the only time you ate there?
Well based on my experience, I’ll never go back to that place again. I wouldn’t waste money for bad food and lousy service.
Yep, it’s true. They wouldn’t serve me the complimentary amuse bouche. Apparently, they give better service to foreigners and bloggers compared to regular Filipino patrons. Talk about double standards. Well if I’m not welcome in their restaurant, it’s ok. There are better places to eat in the area.
And based from the other diners, I’m not the only one who experienced bad service. The food is not that good as advertised. I’ll just charge it to experience. But for sure, I wouldn’t waste money coming back to that place again.
I called up Kessaku to make reservations since I live from afar. So my friends and I had set up a dinner. And when we went there, the staff were unprepared. Prior to reservation we already informed them of what we’ll order. However, to my dismay, during our visit, they just informed us right there and then that what we ordered prior were not available. Since I don’t want to argue with staff and it’s getting tiresome already, we just ordered other dishes.
Honestly, we didn’t enjoy the meal because we were disappointed with what happened. The place was a mess and it seems like no one from the staff has a sense of urgency. All they do is apologize for the bad service and messed reservation.