Yutaka Izakaya Japanese Restaurant- Affordable Japanese Cuisine in Aurora Blvd.

My family loves Japanese cuisine but seldom dine at Japanese restaurants due to the hefty pricetag. When we saw this small Japanese restaurant named Yutaka Izakaya near UERM along Aurora Blvd., we decided to give it a try. 

It has this dark facade with red Japanese lanterns and some bamboo plants that bring out an authentic Japanese ambiance. 

Upon entering the place, guests would be warmly greeted by all the staff. 

"Irasshaimase!"

It adds a more welcoming touch to all their customers coming in. 

There's a sushi bar on the inner corner of the restaurant where the Japanese owner himself makes the sushi and sashimi orders. 

We were each handed out a menu with their wide variety of choices. We were surprised to see that their prices were really affordable. I guess they made it affordable since most of their market are students from nearby colleges and universities. 

After getting our orders, the waitress offered us some wet hand towels to wipe our hands with and some hot tea to drink while waiting.

We ordered for their Kani Salad (P75) which was not bad for its price. It had lots of mango and tamago pieces but the Japanese mayo used was a little bland.

My brother got the Nabeyaki Udon (P200) which has 2 pieces of shrimp tempura, beef slices and egg. It was served in a big Japanese casserole clay pot to retain the hotness of the soup while eating. 

Their serving was big! This order could be shared by 2 people already.

Then we got an order of their Shake Sashimi (P195) which has 8 chunky slices of fresh raw salmon.

I also ordered for their Okonomiyaki (P180) which was again incredibly affordable compared to other Japanese restaurants.

The whole thing was big and was cut into 8 pieces. I love the katsuobushi or bonito flakes on top that moves as if someone's blowing them. 

Taste wise, I would not say that I liked it very much. The pancake was quite hard and the batter didn't taste flavorful too. I guess only the toppings and the sauces made the dish ok.

We also decided to go for an order of their Set A (P711) which includes:
- 3 pcs. Gyoza (pan fried dumplings)
- 8 pcs. California Maki
- 4 pcs. Futomaki
- 6 pcs. Tamagoyaki 
- 3 pcs. Ebifry (breaded shrimp tempura)
- 3 pcs. Torikaraage (fried chicken)
- 3 pcs. Ebisushi 

Everything was served in a large serving platter shaped like a boat. It was really huge! What I like most about this set is their Futomaki. It was very flavorful and quite big too.

The rest was okay. Not that bad considering the price, but not that great either. 

Their prices are just right for an inexpensive Japanese dinner.

"Domo Arigato Gozaimashita!"- The waitresses would again happily shout as you're on your way out. :) 

Yutaka Izakaya

GF 41D Unit-X Aurora Arcade,

Aurora Blvd., Quezon City

7136558

Taft Branch:

2570 Taft Ave., Malate Manila

Just Beside Vito Cruz LRT Station