I have always wanted to try Marufuku Japanese Restaurant in Ortigas which is said to be one of the Best Japanese Restaurants in Manila by some food enthusiasts I know. Despite the itch to take the road less traveled - at least by me - I was not able to do so until a friend invited me for a quick lunch and a little catching up.
Aptly tagged as a "hidden gem" or a "secret" Japanese restaurant, Marufuku is tucked in a nondescript place that can be easily missed if you are not familiar with the area. Yet if you know that it is located at The Crescent Building facing San Miguel Ave. and the entrance is located in Amethyst St. at the back side of the building, it shouldn't be hard to locate. It's near UA&P.
Parking area is decent enough to hold several cars but during busy days, finding a spot can be quite a challenge. Nonetheless, the challenge will be worth it if you get to try the amazing Japanese that Marufuku serve.
The place isn't too small nor too big. There's private room for functions that diners can booked in advance. Lunch service is open from 11am to 2:30pm while dinner service is at 5pm to 10:30pm.
Menu is very straightforward and items come with description which is useful when food names aren't familiar. It has an open kitchen where you can see busy chefs doing what they do best.
On the table:
Complimentary appetizer was Crisp Fried Anchovies which was sweet and savory at the same time. I enjoyed this one quite a bit considering I really don't care much about appetizers such as this most of the time.
Gyuniko Enokimaki (Php165) Enoki mushroom wrapped in thinly sliced beef.
At first sight, I thought it could have been better if these goodies didn't stay on the grill that long but I ended up liking the slightly crisp texture of the thinly sliced beef covering the mushroom. We dodged the burnt part of the 'shroom, of course.
Negima (Php75) Chicken Thigh with Leeks.
The chicken thigh was tender and flavorful, but what makes it all the more palatable was the flavor of the leeks that somehow incorporated on the meat. I love the taste of leeks, I used it in cooking at home, hence I enjoyed this one as well.
Butabara Shio (Php85) Grilled Pork belly.
Aside from the smoky flavor, I love the tenderness of this pork belly especially when eaten hot. I am guessing that no marination transpired before the meat was set on the grill making the true flavor of the pork shines through. Which I appreciate.
Marufuku Roll (Php645) Unagi covered wrapped ebi tempura.
This is the very reason why I have always wanted to visit Marufuku. Good thing that it was a satisfying dish, exactly the way I imagined it to be.
Essentially, this futomaki has ebi tempura inside alongside other great things you would want in your roll such as tamago, kani, cucumbers, and bamboo shoots. To make it all the more astounding than it already is, there are ripe mango and unagi on top of it.
The aesthetic execution mimics that of a gigantic shrimp which is made obvious by a shrimp head and tail aptly located on both ends. The serving was huge the photos I took didn't do justice.
Kaki Motoyaki (Php290/2pcs) Grilled Hiroshima Oyster with Miso.
Another dish that made me want to go and then go back at Marufuku was the Kaki Motoyaki. I love oyster and I adore those gigantic Hiroshima variants, hence this one is simply my soulmate.
Silky in texture and cheesy and downright flavorful in terms of taste, this Kaki Motoyaki comes in 2 pcs per serving. Trust me when I say that as big as it is, one serving might not be enough especially if you adore oyster like I do.
Chicken Teriyaki (Php335) Chicken with Teriyaki sauce served with sauteed vegetables.
There are people who judge a Japanese restaurant by the way they do their Teriyaki sauce (Trust me, I know some.) and if you happen to be that kind of person, Marufuku will not disappoint. Their Chicken Teriyaki will prove it, I tell you.
Homemade Green Tea / Matcha Ice Cream
I am a big fan of matcha so this Matcha Ice Cream needed to happen. It has the matcha-in-your-face kind of flavor to it - strong and satisfying. If you love the grassy taste of matcha, this may work well for you.
Homemade Black Sesame Ice Cream
The Black Sesame Ice Cream was equally impressive. I rarely encounter black sesame ice cream variant which satisfied me but Marufuku's rendition of it was highly commendable.
There are still a lot of items I would like to try at Marufuku, but the allotted time we had for ourselves for lunch and quick chat was limited. But it is always good to know that there is this amazing Japanese restaurant in Ortigas Center named Marufuku that we can always go back to.
Marufuku Japanese Restaurant
G/F The Crescent Building
(Entrance at Amethyst street)
29 San Miguel Avenue
Ortigas Center, Pasig
Telephone no.: 570-3989
Facebook: /MarufukuJapaneseRestaurant
G/F The Crescent Building
(Entrance at Amethyst street)
29 San Miguel Avenue
Ortigas Center, Pasig
Telephone no.: 570-3989
Facebook: /MarufukuJapaneseRestaurant
