Unforgettable Sushi at Kikufuji
I asked a Japanese friend who resides in Manila, “Where’s the best place to get Japanese food locally?” She recommended a couple of restaurants, but she also said that if it was sushi I was after, I should go visit Kikufuji. A small restaurant that’s known mostly by word of mouth, Kikufuji is tucked along the side of Little Tokyo, along Pasong Tamo in Makati. A quaint little restaurant, it was quite full when we went there for lunch on a Saturday.
Like most Japanese restaurants in the area, Kikufuji offers specially priced lunch sets—it’s much cheaper than the dinner offerings—that include miso soup, tsukemono (picked vegetables), a side dish (a fried dish for sets with sashimi in them, and some sashimi for non-sashimi sets), a fresh green salad, tea and dessert or coffee. It’s quite a large spread, even for hearty eaters.
Ordering was extremely difficult. There were a lot of dishes I wanted to try, but in the end, I had to go for the Nigiri Sushi set (PhP320) because that was what I originally intended anyway. Unlike the sparse looking sushi platters of some other restaurants, I was served a colorful assortment of sushi. It had a variety of the freshest fish and seafood, resting on a small ball of soft, fragrant rice. There was tuna, salmon, ika (squid), shrimp, and the most delicious uni (sea urchin) I’ve had in a long while. The rich, velvety and slippery mound tasted like a refreshing early morning sea breeze sliding along your tongue.
Their maki was also prepared differently. I learned that unlike other restaurants, Kikufuji uses minced tuna meat, taken from near the fishbones. So what you get is a rich, flavorful maki with a pleasantly soft, velvety texture that breaks apart as you bite into it.
While we ordered a lot, I wasn’t able to taste anyone else’s food because I was so happily enjoying each and every bite of mine. The most I was able to do was photograph food. To give you an idea, they also had:
and of course, donburis, like this Katsu Don (PhP252).
Everyone vouched that their food was good, so while I can’t describe the other dishes, I guess the general consensus that Kikufuji is a delicious place to visit can be trusted. Personally, I intend to come back and try the other dishes as well. The Sanma Hiraki intrigues me, but honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if I succumb and end up demolishing another Nigiri Sushi Set. So much for exploring other dishes!
Washoku Kikufuji
2277 Pasong Tamo, Makati City
893-7319 • 893-6131
*Kikufuji is open for lunch and dinner, and closes shop in between.
I don’t even need to see the photos, your words alone made me so hungry and I only just had dinner
Woooow! Pretty photos from the pretty camera! Is this the bow or the indian? XDDDD
Just a correction, ikura is fish roe (the orange blobby ones) while for squid is ika.
Glad you liked Kikufuji. Despite the cheap dinners, the evening sushi is definitely SOMETHING WORTH TRYING. ;w; It’s got special fishes worth crying over. ;3
Now shall we cry over Seryna? :3 I want to eat their Chirashizushi
Yum!! just your descriptions make my mouth water!! I love your pictures also! excellent quality (makes the food look divine)
Oh my gosh that seriously gave me massive cravings! When are we going to have lunch, Kao? Haha. This is making me miss Sheva, my lunch buddy, so much.
I love Kikufuji! You take great pics. ^___^
Gaah! When are we eating here? Or anywhere in Little Tokyo?
mouth-watering photos! if only I could grab those plates out of my monitor.
Hmm..I must really try this one out.
everything looks so good! made me hungry just by looking.. is the place near makati cinema square?
@Inga
How I wish I could ship them to you! It made such a mark on me, especially the uni <3
@khursten
Hehehe, duly corrected. How could I be so silly to forget? It’s probably because of Hand Maid May’s Ikarya. ^_^ And yes, we Seryna and also evening Kikufuji sometime. And it’s the bow—I’ve yet to master Natsuki so right now, I’m a very silly indian.
@Carrisa Bird
Thank you! I’m glad you liked them
@aoitenshi
Ikaw! I’m not sure it’s feasible to slip out to Kikufuji for a workday lunch (I hate rushing) but do you think you can manage to get to Amorsolo cor Pasay Road? We can go to Nihon Bashi Tei instead, another restaurant I love but have yet to review.
@japinoy
Thanks, glad you liked it. I confess…I upgraded cameras ^_^
@Nina
Soon I hope? I don’t mind going back.
@ac
How I wish it were possible to do that. I want some right now too!
@Tahn
I hope you get to do so, it’s really worth going out of your way for.
@gita
Yes! It’s at Little Tokyo. I hope you manage to find yourself there sometime. Maybe we can have a Pinky meet there?
I was brought to Kikofuji two years ago by a friend and have gone back several times because of the good food, good value, even if the place is usually packed to the gills. Always for lunch though, should try the dinner one day.
Have you been to the okonomiyaki diner in Little Tokyo yet? I brought a friend there a couple of weeks ago and we enjoyed trying different kinds of okonomiyaki.
YES! Do you mean Kagura? We loved it! To the point that I was too busy stuffing my face to take photos. *laughs* Unfortunately, we went there last lent, and on a Friday so I was only able to try the meatless okonomiyaki but I want to go back soon and try the ones with meat.
What do you recommend? So far, I’ve tried the Osaka-style one with squid and shrimp I think?