Yoshinoya: Delicious, Fast, and Affordable Japanese Food for Everyone
When in Manila, my main problem with some Japanese restaurants is that they usually offer bentos, which are composed of several dishes I am not familiar with. Usually, my worry is this: what if I don’t like the other items included in the bento?
Good thing, Yoshinoya is here to save the day. Now, I can give Japanese cuisine a try without any pressure. Instead of the usual bentos, they offer Japan’s famous beef bowls, which are not intimidating at all, not even to Japanese food newbies like me. Their delicious dishes also come in very affordable prices, which make them more appealing to the general public.
Eager to try Japanese food, but not yet ready for bentos? Yoshinoya is the place to be! The famous beef bowl is surely a good starter.
Apart from this, Yoshinoya also has a very friendly image. In fact, its restaurant has a very fast food feel, something many people are more familiar with. This works because it does not intimidate people like me. While it is clear about its offering, it tries to appeal to the general public through its more cosmopolitan approach. So whoever you are and wherever you are coming from, Yoshinoya will surely entice you.
Yoshinoya has a branch on the 2nd floor of Glorietta 1, ready to offer people a unique Japanese dining experience.
Yoshinoya started in the year 1899 in a Tokyo fish market called Nihonbashi, when its founder Eikichi Matsuda created a recipe of delicious beef and rice known as Gyudon or beef bowl. From then on, this restaurant started offering fast and affordable yet very delicious meals. Despite the fact that it was something new to the Japanes culture, it still became a huge hit.
Yoshinoya moved to Tsukiji, together with the entire fish market, when the Great Kanto Earthquake hit Japan. Then, in 1946, the founder’s son Mizuho Matsuda turned the enstablishment into a 24-hour restaurant. Eventually, it became a corporate company operating on a chain store system in 1958.
Now, it has already grown as one of the most important brands in Japan with more than 1000 outlets. In fact, it already has more than 1,200 branches in different countries around the world such as Japan, USA, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines.
Indeed, Yoshinoya broke the barriers and managed to reach out to the world. And it does not stop. It continues to innovate and go with the flow of this changing world and serve everyone even better.
Good vibes, comfort, and familiarity in one. What more can you ask for?
It’s Glorietta 1 branch, which we visited, is very spacious. Meanwhile, its orange interior is not just pleasing to the eye but also gives a very positive vibe to its customers, something that will make anyone stay longer and even come back to it every now and then.
Kids will surely love Yoshinoya even more because of this!
It also has toy vending machines that are always a huge hit with children! Apparently, Yoshinoya really wants to get closer to its visitors, regardless of age and background. These things are no longer surprising as Yoshinoya’s mission is really to reach out to people and introduce Japanese cuisine to the world–something that has been proven and tested for years.
Apart from offering affordable yet great food and choosing strategic locations for its branches, another step it has taken so far is making its delicious meals available via delivery. In truth, just in October of last year, Yoshinoya launched its one and official delivery number. Now, people do not have to look for the number of the branch that’s nearest to their place. All they have to do is memorize the number 288-2888.
Special treats are available from time to time, making its patrons happier.
And to give its customers a more exciting dining experience, it has also come up with different promos. Branches also offer discounts that give its customers a chance to save more bucks. Imagine, affordable yet delicious food plus more discounts!
And here’s another catch: they are fast when it comes to food preparation. That is, of course, without sacrificing quality. In short, you can now enjoy Japanese food even if you do not have much time to wait for your order.
The gyudon or beef bowl is made from thin layers of fresh and high-quality beef marinated in a mixture that’s been trusted by people for more than a hundred years. And to add more flavor to it, you can add ginger and the so-called seven spices to it.
The tempura is made from fresh prawns coated with flavorful batter. It comes with a delicious sauce.
Are you a fan of desserts? Yoshinoya offers desserts, too. The mandarin orange and green tea ice cream are just some of them.
So if you’ve been wanting to try Japanese cuisine but are still uncertain about how far you can really go, I suggest that you visit a Yoshinoya branch near you. Who knows? You might start with the beef bowls and try other dishes, little by little, until you fall in love with Japanese cuisine in general. No pressure, right?
For salad lovers, the kani salad, made of fresh crab sticks, romaine lettuce, cucumber, mangoes, and delicious Japanese mayo, is truly heaven!
Who can forget about California maki? No one, I think.
And if you’re already a fan of Japanese cuisine, Yoshinoya also offers other dishes you will surely love.
So, when in Manila and eager to experience Japanese Cuisine without spending much and taking risks when it comes to food that you might not really like, running to the nearest Yoshinoya branch would be the perfect idea.
(Photos by Derick Flores)
Yoshinoya
2/F Glorietta 1, South Drive, Ayala Center, Makati City
Other branches located at: SM Megamall, SM City Manila, SM City North EDSA, SM Mall of Asia, Robinson’s Galleria, Ayala Fairview Terraces (Soon to open)
Website: https://yoshinoya.ph
Facebook: https://facebook.com/YoshinoyaPhilippines
