Nikkei Nama Bar Reopens Original Makati Branch With New Japanese Peruvian Menu
Nikkei Nama Bar recently reopened its original Makati branch last July 12, 2023 after the popular restaurant underwent a few minor renovations on its classic Japanese interiors. It was just our first time to visit this pioneering outlet so we were excited to try their Japanese Peruvian fusion dishes as well as their enticing happy hour specials.
You can find the revamped Nikkei Nama Bar at Rada Street in Legazpi Village. There are several pay parking spaces along Rada street for your cars but make sure to follow the allowed time periods. Nikkei Nama Bar presents an innovative approach to Nikkei cuisine, promising a delightful convergence of culinary cultures that will captivate the taste buds of food enthusiasts. They are open from 12:00nn to 9:00pm on weekdays and up to 10:00pm on weekends.
The newly renovated interiors of Nikkei Nama Bar are accented with wooden features that bring you back to old Kyoto. I love the mix of traditional and modern elements which gives it a rustic and charming ambiance.
The restaurant actually looks like a small izakaya that you can find along the narrow streets of Tokyo or Osaka. You can choose to sit at the tables or even at the bar seats for a closer encounter with the chefs. The wooden elements stretch up to its high ceiling which gives the space a more relaxed feel.
I'm ready to experience the delectable convergence of Japanese and Peruvian flavors, but before that, let's first start with some of their colorful beverages.
Nikkei Nama Bar offers some Specialty Drinks like the Mr. Ozaki (P180) which has freshly squeezed lemonade layered with premium black tea. There's also the Strawberry Basil Lemonade (P180) with comes with strawberry sauce and a splash of soda and basil chiffon.
Make sure to try some of their Japanese Cocktails as well. We were seated right across the bar so I could see the bartender preparing these gorgeous drinks.
I ordered the Sake Sangria (P295) which a great combination of two of my favorite drinks. This lovely glass comes with Havana Club 3 years, Japanese sake, lychee syrup, ginger syrup, orange juice, and apple juice.
We visited Nikkei Nama Bar at the perfect time because they offer Happy Hour promotions from 2:00pm to 6:00pm daily. The Aperol Spritz (P350) is a trendy beverage that combines Aperol, Prosecco, and soda water. If you come during happy hour, you can get two glasses of Aperol Spritz for only P595+.
Another great promotion lets you order any 3 of their selected happy hour drinks for only P595+. Aside from the Sake Sangria, the happy hour menu includes Ruby Sake Soda, Gin & Tonic, and Valdivieso Cabernet Sauvignon (P280) from Central Valley, Chile.
You can also order white wines, craft beers like the Crazy Carabao IPA (P280) and other imported beers like Heineken, Tiger Black, and Asahi for your happy hour set.
Now that we tried some of their fun beverages, it was time to sample their Japanese Peruvian specialties. Each table comes with complimentary chips and dips to nibble on while waiting for your orders.
The Small Plates menu lets you sample some of their tasty starters without getting too full. The Kurobuta Gyoza (P380) is a Nikkei Nama Bar exclusive which you won't find at their other Nikkei branches. This dumpling is made using Kurobuta pork from the Berkshire black pig which makes it more flavorful than your typical gyoza. It also comes with ponzu sauce and togarashi.
Another Nama exclusive is the Agedashi Tofu (P220). This is a crispy sensation with its deep fried soft tofu served with a delectable tempura sauce and topped with radish, ginger, quinoa, and scallions.
We were quite surprised with the Causa Platter (P395). We thought it was a sushi dish but this actually comes with Peruvian mashed potato bites topped with ebi, wagyu and salmon tartare. This is where you can see how the Japanese and Peruvian influences come into play.
One of our favorites that afternoon was the Yuzu Prawns (P520) which is a new dish on their menu. These plump and juicy prawns are cooked with yuzu mayo, rocoto mayo, tobiko, negi, lime, togarashi, and kizame yuzu.
You can eat the crunchy prawns as they are or wrap them in lettuce leaves for a healthier combination.
If you really want a full meal, the best dishes to order are their huge Nama Bowls. The Pescado Frito (P380) is a Japanese rice bowl topped with fried Alaskan Pollock, saltado vegetables, fried egg, fried onions, and cilantro miso aioli. I love eating British fish and chips so this bowl is like an Asian counterpart with its big serving of fried fish that you can mix with the rice and the crispy onions.
We also love eating unagi so we had to try their Unagi Don (P695). This soft and luscious Japanese style roasted eel is so good and it comes with sesame seeds, nori tempura, fried onion, onsen egg, and nuts. All nama bowls are also served with miso soup.
For dessert, we had the Housemade Ice Cream Combination (P395) which is their signature ice cream served on a steamed bun french toast. The ice cream comes in wasabi, sesame, and ginger flavors so you really get a kick out of these unique tastes.
We would like to thank Monica Modomo, PR & Communications Manager of the Nikkei Group, for hosting our visit and showing us the new look of Nikkei Nama Bar Makati. The refreshed interiors and always flavorful menu will continue to make this one of the most well-loved hotspots in the Makati business district.
Nikkei Nama Bar
G/F Frabelle Business Center, 111 Rada, Legaspi Village, Makati City
Date night w/ @dsr72 at @nikkeiph after a good workout at @therockwellclub. Enjoying awesome jazz music with @rj_pineda 🎹🎷#datenight #jazznight #rjpineda #nikkeiph #rockwellclub (at Nikkei) https://www.instagram.com/p/Br2YjkWlqfe/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1cxhho1t9ijtk
