Review: Yakumi (Solaire Resort & Casino)

Our 2nd to the last stop at our Solaire x Zomato Food Crawl is Yakumi – Solaire’s signature Japanese restarant.

We arrived at Yakumi super late in the afternoon, so we we’re able to witness the breath taking beauty of sunset in Manila bay thru their wrap around patio and glass walls.

Really gorgeous! I mean, imagine having a date with your boyfriend here. Sooo romantic! Or a proposal with the sunset as your background. Yiiihhiii! But all the mushy stuff aside, just simply dining here with that view is enough to make me want to go back for more. I don’t know with you guys, but for me a restaurant’s ambiance and interior is very very important. It just makes the experience perfect.

Like all the other restaurants that we visited at Solaire, Yakumi’s interior is well thought of. Very elegant with their wooden floor and nice wooden ceiling. Lines and earth colors are the overall vibe of Yakumi. I love that eerything looks sparkly clean. It’s simple and elegant. Perfect.

Yakumi’s anniverary special offer is Ehou Maki. Japan’s lucky sushi roll. Basically it’s a tradition somewhere in Japan to prepare this maki and eat it during the start of spring season or something. (Don’t quote me on this please! That’s what I understand from Yakumi’s chef, atleast) Anyway, ehou maki is a special maki consists of 7 ingredients – because 7 is a lucky number in Japan. And usually, Japanese don’t cut it and simply eat this whole so as not to cut the luck. And as I remember, they have to eat it in silence while facing the east or a lucky direction of some sorts.

Yakumi’s chef challenged us to eat this huge ehou maki roll. No one of course took the challenge. First because we are already full and well, it’s just soooo huge!

I tried the “cut version” of ehou maki and I must say that it was perfect. Have I told you guys that I love Japanese food? Well, yes! And I love maki and sushi. As in super duper love it. My favorite is the tamago maki but this ehou maki made me change my mind. The seven ingredients are just perfectly blended. It’s an explosion of flavors in my mouth. I love it.

I think one of the reasons why this maki is exceptionally yummy is because (according to the chef), they really use the freshest and the finest ingredients. Most of their ingredients are directly imported from Japan so to bring the authentic Japanese taste here in Manila. Like this freshly grated wasabi. They import their wasabi from Japan and never serve those powdered ones. I love fresh wasabi. The powdered one leaves that ugh taste. Yung gumuguhit sa ilong and I simply can’t explain. While fresh wasabi just makes the dip 10 thousand times yummier. It gave than much needed zest but it has that distinct wasabi flavor. SARAP!

Of course we washed it off with this refreshing Japanese iced tea.