How Sushi Ninja Came to Be.
Chef Matthew's food journey before finally hitting it big was a lesson in patience , perseverance and creativity. With a degree from California Sushi Academy and Sushi Academy in Tokyo, he explored the local landscape by participating in Saturday markets as early as 2011
Fast forward 6 years later , he is now the proud Chef Owner of arguably the most popular modern Japanese-Spanish fusion Sushi restaurant in the south, Sushi Ninja. Why the fusion? Well Chef Matt is married to a Spanish lady, so they sought to incorporate some Spanish influence in their menu
Chef Matt relates the funny story how the name of the restaurant came about. It was simple really. He loved playing Fruit Ninja and he loves sushi. So he just combined two of his favorite things and Sushi Ninja was born.
The Blogger's Menu
The Blogger's Menu
So yesterday at a sponsored lunch and per the invite of Zomato, we enjoyed the following bestsellers and one item that is to be launched soon :
Okinawa Toshi P380
Inspired by his mentor Chef Toshi Suguira, Chef Matt created this line of "Toshi's " in his menu. Toshi is a rice ball dipped in light batter then deep fried. The result is a delightful texture of crunch on the outside and moist rice inside that is quite unique and addicting. Chef Matt has 12 variants of Toshi in his menu. Today though , we were served the best seller Okinawa Toshi.
Imagine torched salmon with cream cheese crowned with those pearls of orange ebiko, sitting atop a surprise of a crunchy ball of rice with special sauce....divine! A little caveat though, you have to open your mouth wide and take everything in one mouthful. That is the only way to appreciate all those textures and flavors that is in this little mound of joy that is called Okinawa Toshi. Yum!
Imagine torched salmon with cream cheese crowned with those pearls of orange ebiko, sitting atop a surprise of a crunchy ball of rice with special sauce....divine! A little caveat though, you have to open your mouth wide and take everything in one mouthful. That is the only way to appreciate all those textures and flavors that is in this little mound of joy that is called Okinawa Toshi. Yum!
Spicy Tuna Salad P360
Tuna chunks with spicy mayo,negi and tempura flakes sprinkled with shredded nori.
This was a perfect way to start the meal. The tuna was fresh. I loved that spice on the dressing. The mayo provided the creamy component while the tempura flakes gave the dish the much needed texture to balance out the smooth combination of the tuna and mayo.
Leon's Sushi Burger - coming out soon
Leon's Sushi Burger was inspired by Chef Matt's first-born son Leon. So this is really something special which you guys must order when it finally becomes available in the menu.
Think healthy burger with creamy sushi instead of beef , crunchy rice patty in lieu of brioche or burger bun, japanese mayo instead of catsup, crunchy Spanish ham instead of bacon, lato or seaweed instead of lettuce and ebiko instead of sesame seed. Voila you have Leon's Sushi Burger.
My palate was going crazy with all the textures and flavors blending in one ambrosial experience.
Mixed Poke P350
A Hawaiian appetizer, it is normally made up of diced fresh fish. "Poke" , per Wikipedia is a verb which means "to section" or "to slice or cut". In Sushi Ninja, you can have a customized or personalized Poke by advising your server which ingredients you would like to put in it.
Yesterday's lunch Poke personally chosen by Chef Matt was composed of diced fresh salmon and tuna with toasted sesame seed , a light citrusy vinaigrette then garnished with what looked like diced chives and slivers of seaweed or lato on top
The tuna and salmon were fresh and delicious. The toasted sesame seeds provided the crunch and some nutty flavor. It was similar to the Spicy tuna salad in a way, but I would not mind ordering this again. Delicious!
Sakura Maki P400
Salmon, tamago, cream cheese, spicy mayo and bonito flakes
Another winner in my book. The combination of all the ingredients resulted in one beautiful dish. There were 8 pcs of sushi per one order. Each piece was lovingly created. The portion was larger than normal. This is value for money
Tuna chunks with spicy mayo,negi and tempura flakes sprinkled with shredded nori.
This was a perfect way to start the meal. The tuna was fresh. I loved that spice on the dressing. The mayo provided the creamy component while the tempura flakes gave the dish the much needed texture to balance out the smooth combination of the tuna and mayo.
Leon's Sushi Burger - coming out soon
Leon's Sushi Burger was inspired by Chef Matt's first-born son Leon. So this is really something special which you guys must order when it finally becomes available in the menu.
Think healthy burger with creamy sushi instead of beef , crunchy rice patty in lieu of brioche or burger bun, japanese mayo instead of catsup, crunchy Spanish ham instead of bacon, lato or seaweed instead of lettuce and ebiko instead of sesame seed. Voila you have Leon's Sushi Burger.
My palate was going crazy with all the textures and flavors blending in one ambrosial experience.
Mixed Poke P350
A Hawaiian appetizer, it is normally made up of diced fresh fish. "Poke" , per Wikipedia is a verb which means "to section" or "to slice or cut". In Sushi Ninja, you can have a customized or personalized Poke by advising your server which ingredients you would like to put in it.
Yesterday's lunch Poke personally chosen by Chef Matt was composed of diced fresh salmon and tuna with toasted sesame seed , a light citrusy vinaigrette then garnished with what looked like diced chives and slivers of seaweed or lato on top
The tuna and salmon were fresh and delicious. The toasted sesame seeds provided the crunch and some nutty flavor. It was similar to the Spicy tuna salad in a way, but I would not mind ordering this again. Delicious!
Sakura Maki P400
Salmon, tamago, cream cheese, spicy mayo and bonito flakes
Another winner in my book. The combination of all the ingredients resulted in one beautiful dish. There were 8 pcs of sushi per one order. Each piece was lovingly created. The portion was larger than normal. This is value for money
The Verdict :
It was a joy dining at Sushi Ninja. Chef Matt's enthusiasm, delight and passion for his craft and his family as he described each dish for us, was infectious.
The attention to detail, the selection and care for each ingredient, the homage to his mentor, the creativity was evident.
Pricing was reasonable considering the quality of the ingredients and the beautiful presentation of each dish.
The service was impeccable.
The restaurant was packed when we were there, a testament to Sushi Ninja's delicious food.
People who live in the south are one lucky bunch.
Chef Matt please open a branch in BGC or Makati.
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Zomato Foodies with Chef Matt in the center |
Sushi Ninja
West Gate Center
Filinvest City Muntinlupa
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