Hello hungry people, I'm back with another review to share my thoughts on this new place. Well, technically it's no longer new but I'm new to this place. The restaurant's name is Akira and this is located in the 5th floor of Shangri-La's East Wing in Mandaluyong.
Everytime I'm at this mall, I know for one I'd like to one day dine at this place. I love Japanese cuisine and I'm always up to new and good finds.
So before I go ahead and tell you more about it, I'd like to ask something, does anybody have any idea what does "Akira" means? I have gone ahead and checked the big internet and found out one definition that says it's a common name for Japanese and sometimes it meant bright, Intelligent, or clear.
So much for the introduction, I love the ambiance of the place as I feel that vibe for good food. It's relaxing as the yellow lights are not too bright, cool and very calm.
Upon entering, you are greeted like usual restaurants with their Japanese tag lines and you have a choice to sit on the tables or the Teppanyaki tables where the chef will cook for you in front of a hot iron griddle. The word teppanyaki is derived from the word Teppan that means iron plate and yaki that means grilled, broiled or pan-fried.
I've tried dining on that style at other restaurants but today we just ate on the regular table and chit chat a lot.
My friends ordered the Chicken Teriyaki and Japanese fried rice. By the looks of it, and how my friend described it; the dish was tasty, sweet and moist.
This dish cost at about 248 per order
Akira Fried rice is the typical Japanese fried rice with veggies and mean and this cost 248 per order and this is good for 2 persons. (Ofcourse, this depends on how you eat rice lol. I for one would have this for myself).
And, since I'm not too hungry and still wanted to try some stufs, I opted for the bento box.
I picked te Salmon Bento Box (php 568). As you can see, it's already complete as I researched the meaning of bento, it's like the typical "baon" here in the Philippines. It's the normal single portion Japanese takeout or a home packed meal.
Per the image above, it has the salad (that comes with my favorite sesame seed mayo dressing); 2 pcs of chicken Karaage (fried chicken over sour sauce); appetizers of sweet dilis; pickled seaweed and cabbage; fresh fruits; salmon and maguro (tuna) sashimi; Japanese rice and at about 100 g of grilled teriyaki salmon.
My friend Anj and I were craving for sushi as well so we shared the Rainbow Roll for 268 pesos. This was a mixture of tuna and salmon with mango and kani on a roll of rice and seaweeds.
The verdict, I like the place it's affordable and a good place to dine for people who loves Japanese cuisine. Yes, I'd recommend this to my friends. I'd still want to come back and for the teppan stye cooking.
Place has a good ambiance just like I said; I'd give it a good 4/5, I feel the chairs needs to be changed as I felt uncomfortable that the sides are up to my arms.
The service it's a good 4/5 as well, while they were very nice and serves well, when they got packed, they were all over the place and forgetting things.
The food it's 4/5, it's good for me but for my love with Japanese food, it still hasn't beaten my number 1.
The value for money, I feel the bento box is really worth it, you get small portions but you can eat and get the vibe of the place. Ala Carte's price looks promising as well as the Teppan.
I hope I have given an idea to those food lovers out there and again, comment down below of your thoughts if you have been here or what other things you'd suggest for me to go.
xoxo,
Julienne/Jelly
