Live seafood and Japanese specialties at Ichiba
I never got over Japan ever since my first travel experience there. Its cuisine especially made an impact on me, and some of its iconic dishes have become my favorite comfort foods. Ramen, anyone? Even when I got back home, I would have food trips with my hubby who is also very fond of this cuisine.
It’s nice that we have a plethora of choices for all things Japanese, especially now with the opening of Ichiba Japanese Market, a hybrid of restaurant and market, the first of its kind in the country.
An all-in-one restaurant and market
For some reason, I had an impression that the establishment was an international franchise, but was pleasantly surprised to know that it is a homegrown brand.
“Ichiba means market—there are a lot of famous markets in Japan. There’s Tsukiji Market, Kuromon Market, and other markets in Hokkaido and more. That was the inspiration,” shared Bryan Tiu, CEO and president of Ichiba and iFoods.
A fan of anything Japanese, this entrepreneur has a lot of other homegrown brands, and he came up with this particular restaurant concept when he was presented with the opportunity for this location.
The idea was to bring in different popular items, thus the presence of various food stations inside the establishment.
There’s an island kitchen at the center where diners can sit in the counter and see their food being prepared right in front of them. You can witness all the intricacies as chefs prepare sushi and cook takoyaki, gyoza, ramen, tempura, yakitori, and donburi, among others.
Just beside it is the Live Seafood Market where customers can take a look at the catch of the day and see if there is anything they want to have cooked for their meal.
When I was there, I saw some Japanese oysters, scallops, lobsters, crabs, and other fresh seafood. This particular section gives Ichiba a semi-market feel and capitalizes on the seafood experience; after all, Japan is known for the freshest seafood. According to Tiu, “We bring in half mostly air-flown from Japan and other half supporting the local fisherman.”
What’s unique about this establishment is the fishing area where diners can experience the novelty of actually fishing for their seafood, having it cooked and having the pleasure of eating after.
Being in scallop heaven!
Even if I wasn’t able to experience fishing for my own food there, I was happy with eating the fresh Japanese scallops for lunch. I’m used to the local ones that are the size of a one-peso coin, so imagine my surprise when I saw that the shells of the Japanese kind are the size of my open palm. Those were the biggest scallops I have ever seen in my life! Diners can opt to eat it raw like sashimi, but I prefer it cooked and simply steamed in garlic.
The scallop meat was presented in an open half-shell and its white meat was swimming in its own juices—tempting my taste buds at the sight of it. I had to bite off chunks from it to eat it with poise. Also, I don’t think it was possible to just eat it in one big bite. The meat had no fishy taste at all; it was naturally sweet and tender. Mine had an orange meaty portion—I think it’s the roe—whatever it is, I ate it little by little so I can savor the delicious experience. It’s not every day that I get to eat fresh scallops flown in from Japan!
As I was relishing my meal, I was also entertained by Ichiba’s paper placemat that has a printed guide on it with a list of the top markets in Japan, a map of the food stations in the restaurant, trivia about popular Japanese eats, and things to do in the establishment. Did you know that takoyaki was invented in Osaka? I learned that and other trivia from the placemat.
I was also fortunate to try an off-the-menu squid dish that was cooked right on our table. One of the servers simply seasoned the squid with salt and pepper before putting it on the tabletop grill. I enjoyed witnessing the cooking process and seeing the squid turn from translucent to white. But the best part was eating it, of course. It was perfectly cooked—not too slimy nor too chewy. I didn't feel like I was chewing on bubble gum.
The good thing about Ichiba is that it has something for everyone. Those who want to grab quick bites can just snack on takoyaki or gyoza, those who crave for comfort food can order ramen or yakitori, and those who want to indulge can do so with the live and fresh seafood. “Our business would be easy without the live section,” Tiu disclosed. “We challenge ourselves to be unique.”
A unique dining experience is indeed what customers will get in this 5,000-square meter establishment—from the Japanese noren curtains to the upbeat Japanese background music, and even the welcome greeting for customers “Maido irrashaimasei.” I can’t wait to go back and savor more Japanese finds.
Next time, I’ll go for a nightcap at their Asahi bar, get a bottle of beer or a shot of Japanese whisky. This would do until I get a chance to travel to the Land of the Rising Sun again. —KG, GMA News
Ichiba Japanese Market is located at 2/F Newport Mall, Resorts World Manila; Tel: +63 2 865-6859 or +63 917 732-2176; Email: ichibaph@gmail.com. Opens at 11 a.m. (weekdays) and 10 a.m. (weekends) and closes at 12 midnight.