Wafu 和風 Greenhills - A New Japanese Style Dining in Town

Wafu is this new restaurant in Greenhills that offers Japanese Style Dining. I was so intrigued on what Wafu has to offer and initially thought that it was a sister company of the new Gloria Maris beside the establishment. 

The place seemed intimidating from outside with sophisticated glass walls which gave us a glimpse of the elegant and modern interiors. Still, we decided to go in and try it out for ourselves.

We can't help but adore these Lily Pod seats surrounded with water which were especially designed by Ann Pamintuan. You may always request to sit on these tables as long as they are available during your visit. It is one of the most sought after seats so better request for them upon reservation. Since we didn't made a reservation that night, we settled on the couch area just below these artistic wire mesh-designed seats. 

Browsing through their menu, we noticed how prices were on the the steeper side with entrees ranging from P300-P1200. As much as we want to try the Omakase Chef's Tasting Menu, we were not prepared to spend P2,000-P3,000 for the course. 

We decided to opt for the classic and less expensive menu items which Wafu fortunately has. 

Agedashi Tofu (P145)

A light and healthy appetizer, the Agedashi Tofu comes in three soft yet firm rectangular tofu in thin layer of coating served with a light sauce, ginger and topped with spring onions.

Gyoza (P165)

Wafu's Gyoza came in 6 pieces of these pan-fried potstickers served with a light soy-vinegar sauce. The meat filling was encased in a thin wrapper crimped together beautifully.

Although the dumplings were not as plump as the other gyozas we've tried before, it was still tasty and meaty with various ingredients inside. The sauce also went perfectly well with these dumplings giving a more enhanced flavor and taste. 

Salmon Skin Roll (P160)

For sushi, we got the Salmon Skin Roll which came in 6 pieces of this delicious maki. Each roll was filled with generous amount of salmon skin with which we happily popped into our mouths piece after piece. Although the skin wasn't as crispy as I expected it to be, this sushi didn't let us down by presenting a sweet and savory sauce coupled by aromatic sesame seeds sprinkled on the the rolls. 

Shell Crab Tempura (P360)

The Soft Shell Crab Tempura was our server's recommendation so we decided to try it out too. An order comes in 4 large pieces of soft shell crab perfectly battered and fried to give that crispy and crunchy coating. I must say that it was a great call as we enjoyed this dish up to the late bite. It was slightly mixed with a citrus emulsion with scallions and shallots giving it a juicy and tangy taste. 

Gyudon (P385)

Last but not the least is an order of the famous Japanese beef donburi- Gyudon. It was simply presented with bountiful sweet grilled beef belly slices over a hefty serving of white rice. A semi-hard boiled egg lay atop the large rice bowl that could already be shared by two people.

We love the grilled aroma and flavor coming from the beef belly slices with some trimmings of fat. Since we are used to our gyudon having a raw egg topping to make it moist and saucy, we asked for an extra sauce to make it sweeter just the way we like it. 

Complimentary Hot Tea

Complimentary hot tea was also served to go along with the Japanese dishes.  

After our sumptuous meal, we were given a chance to tour around this establishment with one of the staff Dom. He gave us a brief introduction of the restaurant and were told that the head chef, Chris Oronce used to work in MGM in Las Vegas. He also accompanied us to the second floor which will soon highlight a Japanese-style teppanyaki experience. This will feature several teppanyaki tables with chefs on each station who would personally prepare orders in front of you. 

They also have these teppanyaki tables inside private function rooms perfect for small gatherings or business meetings. I guess this is the best area for a private party as it gives an overlooking ambiance of the place through the glass windows. The second floor will be open for public after their Grand Opening this October.

Wafu also has a bar area located just in front of the lotus pod seats. A few steps below, you will be greeted with a long sushi bar where the sushi masters showcase their creations. 

The Sushi Masters

Thank you Dom for the extensive tour of the place. We certainly had a blast during our first visit to Wafu. Aside from feasting on a great tasting Japanese cuisine, the hospitality and friendliness of the staff were really commendable. A second visit would definitely be expected from us. Hopefully Wafu would come up with more affordable dishes in the coming days or maybe we should bring the whole family for a bigger budget and more orders! *wink :)

Wafu Restaurant Japanese Style Dining

New Gloria Maris Bldg. Greenhills Shopping Center 

(near Krispy Kreme), San Juan

For reservations: 570-3242

Facebook Fan Page: www.facebook.com/wafughills