Yabu: Revisiting the House of Katsu

It's been quite a while since I've last paid a trip to Yabu: House of Katsu, so when I received an invitation from Ms. Erika to try out the most recent additions to Yabu's roster of excellent katsus, I just couldn't say no. I mean, after trying it out before and falling in love with Yabu, just who in their right minds would decline to a gracious offer like this?

So with my (elder) sister in tow, we visited Yabu: House of Katsu in SM Megamall. I don't frequent this particular SM mall so it was really nice to be back. It brought back memories of when I first got to try out Yabu, as well as the time I won a free meal from the House of Katsu. Since my last visit, I didn't seem to notice anything different. The place was still inviting and donned with amusing manga (Japanese comics), and there's still my favorite creative wall intricately made up of masu cups (used for drinking sake).

The Yabu sauce ritual -- Grind. Pour. Mix. Dip.

When in Yabu, you first start with making the famous Yabu sauce. The staff will be giving you some sesame seeds which you'll have to grind first to release more of its flavor and aroma. When you're happy with your ground sesame seeds, pour some Bulldog brand tonkatsu sauce and mix. I wasn't able to take a photo of the dipping part, but I assure you, my katsu for that night had plenty of actual experience. *wink*

Menchi Katsu Set (P350)

There are basically 2 new items at Yabu. The first one is the Menchi Katsu which comes as a set in typical Yabu fashion, alongside unlimited steamed Japanese rice, some pickles, a bowl of miso soup, unlimited cabbage salad and a bowl of sliced fruits.

Menchi Katsu which is an authentic Japanese minced meat katsu dish, is made from superior ground beef and pork, mixed with Yabu's special spices and stuffed with creamy cheese. So far, I've read several reviews raving about this new item. And after taking a mouthful, I can say that I couldn't agree more!

Though I'm not typically a fan of ground meat, I can't say the same with Yabu's Menchi Katsu. When cooked with high quality ingredients and done right, a simple ground meat dish can taste so amazing. The meat was just so soft, so flavorful, so succulent, and encased in a crispy katsu breading. And while I'm already satisfied with just the breaded meat, the cheese makes it all the more enjoying. Just imagine the creamy cheese oozing out when you bite through the Menchi Katsu. Now, that's just total food porn!

Menchi Katsu Curry (P370)

The plain Menchi Katsu is already very satisfying and definitely far from being a plain Jane. But for curry lovers, the Menchi Katsu can come in a curry set served with potatoes, carrots and curry sauce atop a serving of steaming Japanese rice.

Like the usual sets at Yabu, this Menchi Katsu Curry comes with some Japanese pickles, a bowl of miso soup, a serving of unlimited cabbage salad and a bowl of sliced fruits on the side. I'm not sure if the rice is also unlimited, but personally, I don't think I'll be needing more rice since what's on the katsu curry bowl is already more than enough.

I can't remember anymore if we were asked this the first time we had curry at Yabu. But this time, I definitely won't forget that the server inquired of our spiciness preference. We had it moderately spicy, by the way. And while I didn't personally get to taste this item since this was my sister's order, I can see that she was really happy with what she got. Of course, how can anyone not be happy with the juicy and cheesy Menchi Katsu?

Soft Shell Crab Set (P480)

Another new addition to Yabu's menu is the Soft Shell Crab Katsu which also comes in a set served with unlimited Japanese rice, miso soup, Japanese pickles, unlimited cabbage salad with sesame dressing, and some watermelon and pineapple slices.

Ms. Erika apologized that the soft shell crabs this time weren't big enough, but actually, they're already quite big for me since I'm used to eating even smaller soft shell crabs. Anyway, since we're in the House of Katsu, these seafood treats were also coated with fresh panko then fried to a crisp, and served with Yabu's ponzu and layu sauce.

Since I'm a sucker for seafood, I immediately loved the Soft Shell Crab Katsu. It was crunchy, juicy and oozing with crab flavor. And when dipped in the ponzu sauce, it becomes more brightly-flavored and all the more enjoying. However, if I have to choose between the 2 new Yabu items -- the Soft Shell Crab Katsu and the Menchi Katsu, as much as I hate to admit it (sorry seafood) but my heart and palate belongs to the latter.

Again, thank you Ms. Erika for inviting me to try these new Yabu additions. We really enjoyed the food, and thanks to you I discovered another favorite at Yabu.

Yabu at SM Mall of Asia

I'm not the type who goes back to the same restaurant right away. But since this is technically not the same restaurant... Nah, it just so happens that the beau and I already planned visiting the new Yabu at SM Mall of Asia, so here's another Yabu adventure.

Hyayakko Tofu and Potato Salad

For this trip, we started off with the Duo of Appetizers (P195) where you can choose any 2 out of their 4 items. We had the Hyayakko Tofu and my favorite Potato Salad this time. And oh, now I've officially tried all 4 appetizers, so hurrah! (This would've been easy if I didn't always get the potato salad and wakame. But I can't help it!)

I told the beau how good the Menchi Katsu was so we ended up ordering it, as well as the Kurobuta Pork Set (90g P515; 120g P575) which I've always wanted to try but can't get myself to order it every time for some reason. This time, I finally did and I was actually really excited to get a taste of what's also known as the Black Berkshire pig, the world's finest pork and the kobe beef equivalent in the pork world.

We had the 120g serving since we were starving that afternoon. Initially, I planned to consume the whole Kurobuta Pork Katsu myself. But since I wanted to have some pieces of Menchi Katsu, I had to share. Haha! Anyway, the Kurobuta Pork Katsu definitely lived up to my expectation. It was super tender, super succulent and just oozes out with flavor compared to the usual rosu or hire serving. However, since I really love the Menchi Katsu, I'm actually torn. I think this is a good sign though.

THE VERDICT

Just like my first and second visit to Yabu: House of Katsu, my recent third and fourth one left me with nothing but good vibes. As expected, the food was excellent, service was courteous and prompt, and the ambiance fun yet very welcoming at the same time. Overall, I enjoyed both trips to Yabu's SM Megamall and SM Mall of Asia branches, both with my sister and with the beau, and I can't wait to be back at Yabu's doorstep yet again.

Taste - 4.5/5
Ambiance - 4/5
Service - 4/5
Price - 4/5
Overall Value - 4/5

Yabu: House of Katsu, SM Megamall
2/F, SM Megamall, Julia Vargas Ave.
Mandaluyong City
(02) 576-3900

Yabu: House of Katsu, SM Mall of Asia
2/F SM Mall of Asia, Main Mall Atrium, South Arcade, Pacific Dr.
Manila Bay Reclamation Area, Pasay City
(02) 511-7202
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