There’s been a lot of creativity recently when it comes to new restaurant concepts in and around Metro Manila. As a diner, this is nothing but exciting for me because there’s a lot to try and to choose from. The quality of food and service has also improved because restaurants are giving their 110% every single time. In this edition of EATSplorations, I will be sharing about my latest and most recent EATSperience in Pasig City. This EATSperience of mine was in a Japanese restaurant that’s best known for their ultra-colorful plates of sushi and really creative interpretations of classic Japanese dishes. Some may like their Japanese food the old school way and may not really be into restaurants like this one. As for me, I like trying new things and that’s why in this EATSperience, I will be sharing about the Neo Japanese Cuisine at Soru Izakaya in Pasig City’s Ortigas Technopoint!
Neo Japanese Cuisine at Soru Izakaya!
Soru Izakaya is a modern Japanese restaurant located in Ortigas Technopoint along Julia Vargas Avenue in Pasig City. They are known for really colorful and creative plates of Japanese food. If you want something delicious and Instagrammable, this is the place to be!
Since there were a lot of paying guests in the restaurant during my visit, I chose not to take photos of the ground floor to show respect. I headed straight upstairs where walls were filled with really vibrant Japanese-inspired murals.
Soru Izakaya’s second floor dining area with a huge Koi fish wall! It might be challenging for some to go upstairs but the reward is, Soru’s bar is located right here, hehe! If you love to drink and dine, the second floor might be the spot for you.
Here’s a sneak peek of their bar at the second floor. I wasn’t able to try any of their alcoholic drinks because of two things. First, it was lunch time. Second, I don’t really like drinking, hehe. Maybe you can try it out for me and just tell me about your EATSperience, okay?
Vegetable Kakiage (Php 180)
I always look forward to proper fried food when I dine in a Japanese restaurant. Why? Well, because usually they do have the right technique to make food taste better. Soru Izakaya didn’t disappoint! I was happy with how crispy the veggies were without being oily. The avocado dip was amazing! I am not really a big fan of anything avocado but the was really really awesome with the perfectly fried veggies.
Tori Karaage (Php 220)
Tori or Chicken Karaage! Crispy and juicy chunks of chicken is always a good thing. I loved the cheese sauce twist together with the sesame sauce. It kind of gave the fried chicken chunks a silky smooth sauce to go along with its crispy exterior. TIP: Eat it right away so that you can still enjoy the chicken at its freshly fried state.
Saikoro Wagyu Cubes Teppan (Php 490)
Next up is Soru Izakaya’s Wagyu Cubes! These cubes were really really juicy and flavorful. However, I still believe that they are really not the real thing. I think of Saikoro Wagyu Cubes as the beef’s version of spam. I mean, it’s good, it really is. However, I still like the real thing when it comes to beef. I know a lot of people love Wagyu cubes but I still prefer unprocessed beef when it comes to teppanyaki.
Steak Teppan (Php 380)
This plate of steak was pure awesomeness! I enjoyed this one more than the cubes. Why? Because it’s obviously beefier and meatier. Also, it was cooked to tender juicy perfection. I made sure to have some veggies after each bite because these bad boys were sinfully delicious. Well done, Soru Izakaya!
Udon Carbonara (Php 340)
Japanese-style pasta? Hell yeah! This one was love at first sight and bite. Look how lovely this bowl of udon is! Plus, it has a lot of good stuff that makes it super creamy and rich. I never really enjoyed eating uni but Soru Izakaya found a way to make me appreciate it as a key ingredient of this dish. If you love your Italian and Japanese food, you will surely love this fusion creation! TIP: Make sure to mix everything really well before having your first bite. Thank me later.
Tori Kasai Maki (Php 260)
Cream cheese, chicken thigh, kimchi, and cheese sauce all in one maki! It may sound like a mouthful but it was surprisingly delicious. I loved the contrast of textures and flavors from its components. The addition of the kimchi is just pure genius and I really loved it! Creamy, savory, spicy, and sour all in one big bite.
Gyu Maki (Php 260)
This one is for all the Gyudon-loving people out there! Yes, it’s gyudon in maki form. How amazing is that!!! This means you can still have all the good stuff in a gyudon but in bite-sized pieces. Less rice, if you can control yourself, hehe! As for me, I still ate a lot because it was unique and really yummy.
Oh Umi Maki (Php 390)
Two of my most favorite things when it comes to Japanese food, Salmon and Ebi Tempura in a really lovely maki! This maki screams of freshness and crunch. I loved the torched salmon and super crispy and juicy ebi tempura! This plate of awesomeness is highly recommended. You need to try it out, ASAP!
Lava Maki (Php 390)
From the looks and the name of it, I already knew that it would be a hot and spicy maki. And yes, I was spot on right on my first mouthful of the Lava Maki! It is not in any way related to the Lava Walk of Catriona Gray, just to be clear. This was already in their menu way before the Lava Walk became a thing, hehe. But, this one’s as hot or even hotter than that because of the super spicy yet equally delicious sauce! I am usually afraid of eating spicy food but this one was really really delicious. The Lava Maki is, surprisingly, my most favorite maki and dish that I have tried in my first-ever Soru Izakaya EATSperience. No joke. It was hot but EXTREMELY TASTY! Try it out at least once in your life.
Gyudon (Php 260)
Beef rice bowl for only 260 pesos?! Yup, Soru Izakaya has a huge beef rice bowl that is that affordable. Is it delicious? YES! No doubt about it. I loved it, too! I loved how generous the serving of beef is and how tasty the entire bowl was. No matter what kind of diet you are in, you will surely be eating rice when you see this on your table!
Japanese Strawberry Cheesecake (Php 200)
After all the good savory dishes that Soru Izakaya put out, I really didn’t expect that dessert in their restaurant could be this good. I loved the way it looks and tastes. Don’t expect it to be a full on creamy and rich cheesecake. It’s a great combination of sponge and cheesecake in one lovely dessert.
Tiramisu (Php 230)
I love love love this one so much! Really rich and creamy like a gelato already. However, don’t expect it to have a strong coffee taste. Yup, sorry to all the purists out there. Soru Izakaya’s version of tiramisu is quite far from the real thing but it is really really delicious! If you don’t believe me, then try it on your own.
My first-ever Soru Izakaya EATSperience has finally come to a close! It’s safe to say that I really had a great time at Soru Izakaya. Food was great. It was more than what I expected it to be. The maki were just more than creativity and colorful mayo, they were really tasty. All the dishes were pretty impressive. Just a warning, Soru Izakaya is not your traditional Japanese restaurant. It’s Neo Japanese Cuisine. It’s their own style and it works for them and their patrons. Will I dine at Soru Izakaya again? Of course, I will! As long as it’s in their BGC branch which way closer than this branch, hehe. That’s it for this edition of EATSplorations, ’till next time!
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Soru Izakaya
Techno Point Building, Julia Vargas Avenue, Ugong, Pasig City
+632 246 9069 ext 682
Operating Hours:
11:00am to 12:oomn (Sun-Thu)
11:00am to 2:00am (Fri-Sat)
Budget: 800-1000 php for two
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