6.123
8 (Fri) May 2015
Sushi Moriawase Matsu + Zeta
2.5
at Asunaro
-Malate, Manila-
with H/K staff
Sushi + Alpha*, Day 6. Engaging in a week-long sushi binge, just because I can now afford to. In college, I had reportedly proclaimed that my financial ambition in life was simply to earn enough money so that I could eat sushi every day. I was reminded of this over a recent get-together in Seoul with DP — actually, I don’t recall ever setting such a target, but it sounds like something that I would’ve said. Even back then, apparently, my primary frame of reference had been food. For a college student, I suppose that sushi would’ve been quite a luxury. And as an English lit major, getting rich obviously hadn’t been part of the plan. In any case, I’ve since attained that relatively humble measure of success, and perhaps a stretch beyond.
*In Korean, the phrase “plus alpha” — pronounced “plus al-pa” — describes “something more, a bit extra on top.” (According to MK, the Japanese use the same phrase — pronounced “plus ah-ru-fa.”)
- Izakaya Den (6.118 Sushi Moriawase Matsu…) (2.25) / 6 nigiri + 1 gunkan + 6 maki (+ soup) = 420 PHP / alpha : tako karaage (2.5)
- La Tuna (6.119 Sushi Set M…) (0.5) / 10 nigiri (+ soup + salad) = 650 PHP / beta : grilled shrimp (1.5)
- Tanabe (6.120 Tokujyuo Nigiri…) (3.25) / 9 nigiri + 1 gunkan + 6 maki (+ tofu) = 1,200 PHP + 10% / gamma : horenso tofu orentashi (2.25)
- Kushimasa (6.121 Tokojyo Nigiri Sushi Moriawase…) (1.5) / 8 nigiri + 2 gunkan + 6 maki (+ soup) = 740 PHP + 10% / delta : geso karaage (1.5)
- Ichi Go Ichi E (6.122 OmakaseNigiruSushi Matsu…) (3.0) / 9 nigiri + 3 gunkan = 780 PHP / epsilon : roast baby potatoes (2.0)
- Asunaro (6.123 Sushi Moriawase Matsu…) (2.5) / 6 nigiri + 2 gunkan + 3 maki = 880 PHP + 10% — 15% (membership) / zeta : (2.5)
Whereas the point of this project is to enjoy the symbolic fruits of my modest success, Manila is a poor place for implementation, particularly this part of town, where the sushi leans towards the mediocre (see generally 5.250 Assorted Sushi).
Even at Asunaro — my favorite Japanese restaurant in town (see generally 5.348 American Lobster Aburi Gunkan; see most recently 6.113 Umaki Tamago) — the sushi was unremarkable. Nice selection, fresh, but … falling short in some way. Oh well.
