"Not-your-usual" Japanese fare

From the creek to 34 Jupiter St.

A good indicator that the Japanese food will be good:

rows and rows of sake wine bottles line the wall

Young Japanese chef in a huddle with veteran Japanese sushi master

Pinoy knowledge of Japanese food has been confined to/limited by sorties to good old Tokyo, Tokyo. Definitely, that fastfood chain of our youth is ex-owner Mrs. Virgie Ramos' exemplary contribution to introducing us to very basic Japanese comfort food.

Only problem is, when we began to try other establishments (as our budgets started to escalate), we got stuck to ordering the same things, over and over again: tempura, sashimi, sushi, sukiyaki and katsudon.

Good thing we were destined to evolve; we are now blessed with restaurants like Mangetsu on Jupiter that dares to introduce us to more modern and inventive Japanese fare.

Prawn balls enjoyed with a fishy red paste

Slightly boiled tuna sashimi

... dipped in thick sesame sauce

Hamachi fish with tofu

Skewered medium rare beef with two dips

Fried chicken swirling in nanban sauce

Japanese fried rice

Home made cookie with a small scoop of ice cream

A delightful dinner without ever needing to go back to our "old ways".

my fearless rating: