Saboten

A lot of our friends know how much we love Katsu. So they've made recommendations of other katsu restaurants to try and one of them is Saboten. One sunny afternoon, we just decided to head to BGC for a relaxing stroll. It just so happen that my husband and I were in our usual "katsu mood" and so we looked for Saboten which is located at the:

Saboten Serendra

G/F Serendra, McKinley Parkway 

Fort Bonifacio, Taguig

It was 1pm in the afternoon on a Sunday, we were expecting that there will be a waiting line , just like what we often experience in the other katsu house we go to. To our surprise, there was no line, tables were available and a very pleasant and warm reception was given to us. So far so good... but hey, it all boils down if the food and over- all dining experience is going to be as pleasant and warm right?

Since we're new to their menu, we just ordered what we're familiar with and a dish on the side. As we looked at the menu, tea was served which was a super plus, plus points for me. First, my husband got a Tenderloin Set (not in picture) which is a regular katsu set that comes with refillable Japanese rice, miso soup, pickles  and cabbage. The tenderloin was thick, tender, juicy and not oily.

Okay, before I proceed, I really would like to apologize for the lack of pictures. I'll update this entry on our next visit to Saboten.

Grated Radish Loin Set 395php

My Grated Radish Loin was served with a slice of grapefruit and special sauce. Squeeze the fruit all over the grated radish loin, then drizzle the special sauce after. This meal came with refillable Japanese rice, pickles and miso soup.

Chicken with Onion Radish and Seasoning 150php

Our side dish is composed of chicken bits topped with grated radish, onion and served with a special sauce.

Kid's Meal

My son gladly took the photo of his food and my apologies, I wasn't able to get the price for this one. In every restaurant we go to, I always ask for a kiddie meal for my children. There are 3 things I like about Saboten's Kid's Meal:

1. The food is served on a cute Miffy plate set.

2. Rice and cabbage are unlimited.

3. Food is served with orange juice and french fries.

This is so far has the best offer among katsu restaurants when it comes to kiddie meal.

Happy family, happy tummies!

Saboten offers dessert on special katsu sets. Well, everything that we tried are so good that we didn't notice that there wasn't any dessert included with what we ordered. Anyway, that's something to look forward to. We love the family- style way of service. Our cabbage and pickles were served in one plate for sharing and are refillable upon request. With that, our table was not cluttered, there's space for movement as we enjoy our food. Over- all, our Saboten dining experience is one for the books.

Restaurant Thoughts: Crazy Katsu

We spent the last day of our long weekend with errands. After shopping for some supplies, we decided to grab a bite on our way home. My husband thought of Miggy's at first, but we remembered that we just had burrito. Then we thought of driving back all the way to SM North to check YABU's new branch. Then again, since we're not sure if the restaurant is already open, we decided to stick with what the small restaurants along Maginhawa st. will offer.

If you're looking for a quick food adventure, you got to check Maginhawa st. It has always been our stop in case when we run out of options. For instance, if my husband wants a burger and I want a burrito, we go to Good Burger that's right beside Mexican Express and between the 2 is a milk tea shop. How good is that? You can never go wrong in this area.

So, my husband was driving slow because we were both checking both sides of the road for a good place to eat.

Then... lo and behold... the answer to our Katsu craving.

I've been seeing a lot of posts about Crazy Katsu, but I don't take time to go through the articles. I told my husband "There's Crazy Katsu, I've been seeing a lot of posts about it on Facebook." I thought it's located somewhere in Makati or Ortigas, but hey, I'm happy because here's another place where we can go to for our Katsu fix. Crazy Katsu offers dishes at a pocket- friendly price. Prices range from Php120-190. 

Outside the restaurant, the sign board is attracting guests with it's cute font and reddish background. It stands out.

Unit- 1, 81 Maginhawa st. Teacher's Village UP Diliman, Quezon City

Cozy, air-conditioned dining area with wifi.

When we got in, the staff was very accommodating. We were seated, served with glasses and a pitcher of iced water. The Crazy Katsu menu has a short list specializing on katsu dishes and house specialties such as their Pork Ginger, Sukiyaki, Fish and Vegetable Tempura.

Miso Soup (Php30)

Our soup was served immediately and it was smoking hot. It was very good, perfect for that rainy day.

Chicken Katsu (Php145)

This I must say, was one- tricky dish. I thought that it's going to be just an ordinary Chicken Katsu... I was surprised and got a "little" disappointed when I saw the siling labuyo. It's best to include a description on the menu, so the client will know of this extraordinary twist. Or better yet, make chili optional. I needed to dig through the bed of shredded cabbage for siling labuyo, but over-all, I still enjoyed my Chicken Katsu. The Chicken Katsu sauce has a touch of sweetness. The boneless chicken was juicy and crispy.

Tonkatsu (Php 140)

After the disappointing part from my Chicken Katsu, let me redeem Crazy Katsu for their Tonkatsu, Fish and Vegetable Tempura.

1. Their Tonkatsu is thick, firm and juicy. In comparison, it is as big as a 120g Rosu and is served on a bed of shredded cabbage and a cup of rice. With extra rice, the pork can be shared by 2 kids.

2. My favorite. Fish and Vegetable Tempura. This plate is composed of 8 pieces tempura mixed vegetable and fish. I just love that they serve 3 of my favorite vegetables: okra, talong (eggplant) and kalabasa (pumpkin) for their vegetable tempura. The fish tempura I got to say is also a hit. In most restaurants, they use Cream Dory for tempura, in Crazy Katsu, it's different. I can't recall the name of the fish Crazy Katsu uses, but one of the servers mentioned that it's a local saltwater fish. It taste like Tilapia.

Fish and Vegetable Tempura (Php140)

Crazy Katsu Iced Tea (php30)
With the taste of the iced tea, I guess, it's a special mix from Crazy Katsu.

Drinks: Php 30-65

Everything in Crazy Katsu is worth it. This is going to be added on our list. We've been in and out of Teacher's Village, it's nice to have a more reasonable alternative in case we want Katsu late at night or simply a budget friendly restaurant that serves high quality food.