7.212 Shrimp & Tenderloin Set (TERSP 11)

7.212

4 (Thu) August 2016

Shrimp & Tenderloin Set

3.0

at Saboten

-Serendra Piazza, Taguig-

with W and IZ

TERSP. Try Every Restaurant in Serendra Piazza. The family now living in Manila, our new home is in the One Serendra condominium complex. The complex includes a mini-mall (“Serendra Piazza”) dedicated primarily to food and drink, with 23 restaurants (plus additional dessert/snack joints). We’re going eat our way through all the restaurants (and probably the dessert/snack joints, though not as part of TERSP). In contrast to the negative net returns on similar projects conducted by myself in Ermite/Malate, I’m optimistic that The Fort — one of the country’s poshest neighborhoods, where food is taken seriously — won’t disappoint us.

Each restaurant is listed below in order of preference based on the overall dining experience, including the quality of all dishes tried, cost, service, cleanliness, ambiance, and any other factors that may apply, cumulative through multiple visits (if any).

(10) Mamou (7.203 …T-Bone Steak) / 3.25 / Italian
(3) Lartizan (7.060 Vol-au-Vent de Poulet…) / 3.5 / French
(4) 8cuts (7.122 I Got Big Game) / 3.0 / American
(2) Zao Vietnamese Bistro (7.053 Seafood Rice) / 3.25 / Vietnamese
(1) Sentro 1771 (7.004 Tortang Talong) / 3.0 / Filipino
(6) Chelsea Grand Café (7.179 … Corned Beef Brisket Sandwich) / 2.5 / American
(5) Larry’s Café and Bar (7.162 Roast Chicken aux Champignons) / 3.0 / French
(8) Gino’s (7.182 SMEGG Pizza) / 2.0 / Italian
(7) Wang Fu (7.180 General Tso’s Chicken) / 2.5 / Chinese
(11) Saboten (7.212 Shrimp & Tenderloin Set) / 3.0 / Japanese
(9) Echo Deli (7.189 Korean Beef Stew) / 1.5 / Korean

Saboten is a Japanese restaurant chain. Founded in 1966 in Tokyo. Currently over 500 locations, mostly in Asia, 2 in the Philippines (I vaguely seem to recall posting about a branch in Korea many years ago, but couldn’t find the post). Specializes in tonkatsu and other deep-fried dishes.

The tonkatsu was good. Panko-crusted, delicately deep-fried, juicy on the inside. The sides were well prepared, demonstrating solid quality control by the franchise. As good as it gets (see also 7.007 Kurobuta Pork Set).

However, I don’t really see myself coming back, unless for a quick lunch — tonkatsu inherently feels to me like a lunch dish, unless maybe it’s very late at night with a cold beer.

This meal was, in fact, lunch.

I took the morning off from work so that I could take DJ to his 1st day of school at ISM (why the school year would begin on a Thursday, I don’t know).

Afterwards, the rest of the family went out for an early lunch at Saboten, a perfect venue under the circumstances.

Suddenly, I own a 4th grader — when did that happen?!?!

TERRP (…Restaurant in Robinsons Place) — complete (85) (5.247 KFC : Original Recipe Fried Chicken…)
TEITY (..Item at Tao Yuan) — complete (36) (6.095 DONE)
TERNWPPD (…Restaurant in New World, Pan-Pacific, Diamond) — complete (10) (6.081 Lobster, Baby.)
TERSK (…Restaurant in St Kilda) — complete (6) (5.339 Roasted Squid)
TEKREM (…Korean Restaurant in Ermita/Malate) — complete (45) (6.207 Dok + Ok)
TEIBR (…Item at Bistro Remedios) — cancelled (10) (see most recently 6.359 Kangkong Lechon)
TETRITSA (…Thai Restaurant in the International Terminal of Suvarnabhumi Airport) — in process (4) (see most recently 6.069 Spicy Stir-Fried Shrimp & Seafood with Basil)
TERSP (…Restaurant in Serendra Piazza) — in process (11) (see most recently 7.203 …T-Bone Steak)
TEKASM (…Korean Air Special Meal) — cancelled (9 (see most recently 7.200 Vegetarian Jain Meal)