Inagiku at Makati Shangri-la has a limited time menu created by Chef Chef Wataru Hikawa to celebrate summer in Japan. Specially selected ingredients are flown in from Japan daily to prepare these special dishes. The summer menu items will be available until August 31, 2015 only.
I got a little taste of the dishes featured in the promotion and they are both pretty and delicious.
We started with a masterfully presented plate of Tobiou Tataki, chopped flying fish with ginger.
This was my first time to have raw flying fish, I’ve had tobiko (flying fish roe) in sushi before. Texture wise, the flying fish felt like a cross between squid and most fishes, there’s a slight chewiness to go with the mild flavor. Mixing in the ginger and scallions kicks it up in flavor.
Mirugai Sashimi. Mirugai is called Geoduck (pronounced gooeyduck) and is one of my favorite seafood. It has a crunchy texture and intense briny flavors. I’ve had geoduck many times in Chinese restaurants served two ways (sashimi and hotpot) as well as in sushi restaurants. It looks really weird like a phallic alien thing but get past that and be treated to the best clam in the sea.
Namatako Ponzu, Japanese octopus sashimi served with ponzu sauce. Thinly sliced and best dipped in the tangy ponzu which meshes well, flavor wise. There’s a chewiness but nothing that will make your jaw work extra hard.
Wagyu Saikyo Miso, Kyoto style skewered wagyu. The wagyu beef pieces was marinated in Saikyo miso from Kyoto, wrapped in cedar wood sheets and then grilled. The super tender beef has a nutty flavor and smokiness from the cedar. Close your eyes and savor each bite of this indulgent treat.
Gyuniku Usuyaki, thin sliced beef rolls with chopped mushroom and garlic. I’ve had beef usuyaki at Tsumura before but nothing comes close to this version at Inagiku. The whole thing is just notches above in terms of tenderness but there’s still a good amount of beef flavor and some bite. The chopped mushrooms adds lots of earthiness and soft texture to the roll.
The last savory dish we had was the 9 kinds of Tempura. Not a part of the summer menu but tempura is a signature dish at Inagiku. Each piece is coated in light, tasty batter to allow the flavors to shine and not become heavy.
For dessert, we had Momo/Japanese peach. I’m not much of a peach person except for the canned ones but these just changed my mind. I can’t wait to go to Japan next year during the summer season and have these super sweet fruits again.
No need to fly off to Japan to enjoy the flavors of the Nippon summer at Inagiku. Masterfully crafted and expertly executed, each dish is both visually appealing as well as a treat for the taste buds.
Inagiku
2nd level, Makati Shangri-La Manila Ayala Avenue corner Makati AvenueMakati City 1200, Philippines Contact No.: (632) 813-8888
Facebook Page: Makati Shangri-La, Manila
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