Yomenya Goemon Japanese Spaghetti House is a Japanese restaurant here in Manila that specializes in Japanese-style spaghetti. Located at Greenbelt 3, Yomenya Goemon opened its door last 2012 and still making a lot of food enthusiasts happy. There are other restaurants and foodie places that serve Japanese-style pasta as part of the menu but I think none of them offers wide variety and extensive selections the way Yomenya Goemon does (If you know of any other restaurants, the comment section is open for you to share your thoughts.)
Not a lot of us are well acquainted with this rather unique rendition of what most of us know as an Italian specialty.
For some, it might be weird. I myself was a little adamant about
Japanese-style spaghetti at first, I guess that is why upon hearing of
the opening of Yomenya Goemon, it doesn't really enticed me. Until I had
my first taste of Mentaiko pasta at Diamond Hotel's The Cake Club and Lobby Lounge. Boy did I fell head
over heels! This year I thought it is high time to explore other options and
expose myself to other delicious possibilities with regard to Japanese spaghetti. Good thing we have Yomenya Goemon here in the Philippines.
The timing was perfect. Yomenya Goemon introduced new items on their menu early this year and my dear friend The Pickiest Eater invited me to join them as they sample the dishes. The luncheon happened on a beautiful day when only good things are bound to happen. That speculation was right.
Our lunch started with servings of Garlic Toast (Php100). It is the proverbial pasta partner for me and I wasn't so sure why was it added on their menu just recently. I guess it is a Japanese thing, I am not even sure. Yomenya Goemon take on garlic toast is definitely not your run off the mill toast or the usual stuff I normally pair my pasta with. Aside from garlic, it has spices and parsley flakes. Instead of the usual butter, they use olive oil hence, less guilt but not in the flavor department.
Bruschetta with Tomato Marine & Olive Oil (Php120) is another beautiful starter one may have before the Japanese pasta feast. While I would much rather have my bruschetta soaking with the juices brought about by the toppings, this one which features crunchy crostini bread wasn't bad either. I love mashing the tomato marine and spreading it all over the bread instead of just biting on it as it is.
Yomenya Goemon's original menu already featured Japanese pizza variants but they added three new flavors to the revised one. One of them is the Prosciutto and Arugula Pizza (Php450) which I found downright good and addicting. The toppings were generous while the crust was one of the best I have had recently.
Meat lovers may find bliss in every slice of Yomenya Goemon's All Meat Pizza (Php450). The toppings were also generous but what was noteworthy about this dish was the flavor. It cannot be compared with all the other all meat pizza variants I have tried before as this one has the lingering flavor of spices that made this pizza all the more palatable.
The Hawaiian Pizza (Php350) I did not try because I do not appreciate pineapple in my pizza. But judging by the way it was consumed in no time, I assume that it was also good.
I always ask myself how else can you make a Ceasar salad so delicious inspite of its simplicity. Yomenya Goemon has the answer; by turning it to Japanese. Goemon Caesar Salad (Php250) is not just aesthetically pleasing to the eyes but to the palate as well. The added vegetables such as the broccoli and heirloom tomatoes I found impressively enticing. The generous Parmesan cheese was equally noteworthy plus the slices of meat ware just an icing on the proverbial cake. That poached egg? food porn in the camera and a welcome flavor and texture in the mix.
The Goemon Wafu Salad (Php190) was a vegetarian dream salad. I thought that it can be a refreshing break to the palate when taken in between savory Japanese spaghetti feast.
Also delicious and refreshing was the Vermicelli Salad (Php240) A tad heavier compared to the previous two but not less than impressive as it can be a meal in itself. While it has plump shrimps thrown in the mix for a good measure, I found it perfect when paired with Yomenya Goemon's Japanese-style fried chicken.
Now on to the Spaghetti plates. First that graced our table was the Japanese Style Fried Chicken and Meat Sauce Spaghetti (Php450). This set is comprised of spaghetti in meat sauce, Japanese-style fried chicken, and a handful of fries. This was the first spaghetti that I tried and I was already impressed from the get go. I love that the meat sauce features mushroom aside from the usual meat while the flavor of the sauce is a fine balance between sweet and savory. The chicken, fried into golden brown with crisp texture was divine!
The Hamburg and Napolitean Spaghetti (Php450) I thought was perfect for kids or for anyone with affinity for burger sans the bread. Served with egg on the side which is a great accompaniment to the beefy patty. The sauce was leans on the sweet-sour side of the spectrum.
The Seafood Fritto and Tomato Sauce Spaghetti (Php450) is a seafood lovers best bet among the plates. It has fried seafood of different variants on the side and some fries too. The spaghetti has a sour note to it but the seafood taste was still apparent. The addition of clams into the mix was an added bonus and a delightful one at that.
Now my favorite among the spaghetti plates that was served to us was the Japanese Style Yakitori and Soy-butter Spaghetti (Php450). The pasta sauce was light which went perfectly well with the Yakitori toppings known for its intense albeit pleasant flavor. Served with egg and fries which were just a thoughtful addition because seriously, the yakitor and the pasta were good enough as it is.
Yomenya Goemon also now serve Shrimp and Mushroom Gratin (Php320) which I found crazy good that I wanted to punch my face in the face when I missed having this during my recent visit with my family. It was creamy and flavorful that it can be easily tagged as a comfort food.
I have always been a fan of traditional juicy and crisp fried chicken, same thing with yummy Korean fried chicken. Now Japanese fried chicken, especially that of Yomenya Goemon's is another level of deliciousness I adore. Juicy inside, crisp outside, and the flavor? remarkably savory, Japanese Style Fried Chicken & Onion Rings (Php190) is addicting!
Yomenya Goemon's Japanese Style Yakitori (Php190) was a runaway favorite among our group during the lunch. And dare I say it was the best chicken yakitori I have ever tasted! The chicken was juicy, but it was its savory-sweet-smoky flavor that drove me crazy! Word of advice though, have plenty of rice when having this, you will not regret it.
The Squid Fritto & Onion Ring (Php200) was also good but not really mind blowing. I appreciate that the squid were cooked perfectly as it posses the right amount of tenderness to it. The batter was also flavorful especially when dipped into the sauce served on the side.
Wine-Steamed Clam (Php220) was a comforting soup that features a depth of flavor without overwhelming the palate. Although I do not see myself having this again anytime soon especially when my goal is to feast on pasta and not on soup. Nevertheless this dish is good if you are into seafood soup.
Yomenya Goemon's Steamed Hamburg (Php260) was a dish that may also require some rice depending on who is eating. I am a rice lover so one bite of this beef patty in savory sauce with egg and onion rings, heaping bowl of steamed rice was the first thing that came to mind.
For the dessert we had the Creme Brulee with Strawberry Ice Cream (Php180). Beautifully plated and impressive to the palate. I love that the sweetness of the creme brulee was not overpowering while the addition of fruits as well as the ice cream lent an added flavor the an otherwise cream infested overdrive.
We also had the Chocolate Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream or Whipped Cream (Php180) which I thought perfect for chocolate enthusiast. I love the chocolate macaron on top and the pudding I thought was divine. The banana on top added wonders to the flavor while the crushed nuts on top gave flair on texture.
There really was no new item on the drinks section of the menu byt I did had a great time having the Iced Royal Milk Tea with Ice Cream (Php100) and some Kirin Beer.
Having tried some of the new items on Yomenya Goemon's menu really opened my eyes to the wonders of this restaurant I used to not give that much attention. I am glad that aside from my usual mentaiko spaghetti I was introduced to other variants I equally enjoy. Although Yomenya Goemon specializes in Japanese Spaghetti, it is remarkable that other items on the menu were all well-thought out and well-executed.
I went back recently with my family just to check the kind of service they have and try other items which I missed before and I was glad that they did not disappoint. The food attendants were very accommodating and friendly, the ambiance was conducive to having a good time with loved ones over food, and the food were downright impressive from the old items to the new ones.
Yomenya Goemon Japanese Spaghetti House
2/F Greenbelt 3, Esperanza St., Ayala Center, Makati
Contact Nos: +632 747-2048
Email: feedback.yomenyagoemonph@gmail.com
Facebook: /YomenyaGoemonPhilippines
Twitter: @YomenyaGoemonPH
