WATAMI

Flatlay by @johnbunag

Watami has been a favorite go-to-resto  of the family for  our Japanese cravings. But it was only  last Monday that I discovered that WATAMI  a part of  The Bistro Group which includes Italiannis , Fridays, Texas Roadhouse, etc  is not a Japanese word with a specific meaning and is derived from the name of the owner .

Last Monday , per the invitation of  Zomato, we tasted these  new menu items

APPETIZER

NORI NACHO P225  is an exciting addition to Watami's Menu. Initially my first  thought was black tempura? But then the elongated pieces were too thin to be tempura. Turned out they were nori battered then deep fried.  Now this I  would love to replicate at home. Im sure the piggery will love this.

SALAD

For this foodie mom perpetually watching what she eats, CUCUMBER KANI SALAD P250 is a welcome addition to Watami's new menu.  Loved the thin slices of cucumber which resembles  pasta slices. It was a simple dish but the combination of  mango, cucumber and kani  were refreshing. The flavors were bang on. Another dish I hope to replicate at home

Although  the  Cucumber Kani Salad above was  tasty, I must say the CHASOBA SALAD P295  above was a revelation. I never had Soba Salad before. Its green color intrigues. I do not even know what the dressing was but the combination of the  soba with the ham , tomatoes and cucumber was scrumptious. I shall definitely order this again.

ABURI

Literally translated, "aburi" means to sear by torching.  Per Wikipedia,  the word refers to a method or style of cooking done   to nigiri sushi whereby the fish is partially grilled or torched  outside but partially raw inside.

The presentation alone is enough to make you drool. Watami's SALMON TAKO MAKI ABURI P325 had partially torched fat slices of salmon slathered with sauce, atop  Japanese rice sitting on a bed of fried and crisp nori.  Popped everything in my mouth in one go and enjoyed all the different flavors and textures. Think silky creaminess marrying into crispiness of the nori and the chewiness of the rice. The salmon was melt in your mouth helped along by that mystery sauce  with a strong umami flavor and a surprise spicy finish.

My only issue was since there were only 5 pcs of delectable salmon morsels,  I can finish them all by myself in one sitting huhu

TUNA TAKO MAKI ABURI P325  is another new favorite I shall be ordering on my next visit. The cubes of tuna were delicious with a little heat. As with the Salmon Aburi above,  everything was sitting atop a thin crispy nori.

If  like me you love mac & cheese, you will love KANI UDON.  Think mac & cheese with thick and al dente udon instead of macaroni.  Yes definitely carbo loading here but its worth all the calories

Salmon Stone Pot P325  is a dish you have to eat as soon as it lands on the table. Request for extra sauce for moistness A beautiful dish, its flavors were subtle. I would eat this with a side order of substantial protein. The slices of salmon tend to get lost once you mix everything together.

Overall,  quite an exciting  array  of new items to try for regular customer s such as my family. Do try their NORI NACHOS which were delightful. Remember to order their Kani Udon aka Japanese mac & cheese, too. Do not forget to include both Aburi variants on your list.

Thank you Zomatoph for the invite.

WATAMI is located at the 4th level of Uptown Mall in  Bonifacio Global City Taguig