Okonomiyaki is a Japanese pancake made of several ingredients. The name comes from the Japanese term “okonomi” which means “what you like” and “yaki” which means “to grill.” And that came from Google, because Google knows everything. There’s a newly opened restaurant that offers this in Podium so I decided to get their specialty, said so in their name: Chibo Okonomiyaki.

Entering the restaurant, I saw very comfortable looking chairs which are a little hard to ignore, so I chose one for myself even a table sat 4. (ooh wait that just rhymed) Maybe next time I will try the bar seating. Chibo Okonomiyaki offers theirs with prawn, scallop, beef, and pork. All these proteins are mixed in their savory batter which you could opt to dress with Japanese mayo, house sauce, ground seaweed, and bonito flakes. Insider tip: The dish will come a little plain, yes just the pancake on its pan, so just agree to everything they want to put on top of it for maximum effect. They won’t just splash everything down, you’ll actually be treated to a little dressing up which unfortunately I wasn’t able to record. But just look at it.

And since we’re on a roll, we should go all the way and get a Japanese dessert, too! Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory is sitting between two other Japanese dessert stalls and is offering products made from Hokkaido’s finest milk and the world’s best cheeses. This popular dessert store has recently made its way to Manila. I bought the Salt and Camembert cookies because it’s their bestselling product and I was also lucky enough that their soft serve ice cream is already available! Running under the franchise name Cow Cow Ice, I decided to get the plain ice cream to test its well-known creaminess. And it didn’t disappoint. I didn’t get the extra toppings but for sure next time, I will!

Verdict: 4/5
Overall, the crew is courteous, the place was clean, and the dish is priced right. I didn’t try any other dishes, but the one I tried is good enough especially when you’re hungry. But I was a little overwhelmed by the umami taste towards the end that I had to ask them to pack the rest to go. It just wasn’t a dish you should eat alone. And even though I was a little full, I managed to squeeze in my dessert.