It has been six months since I had a memorable gastronomic experience at Yabu: The House of Katsu but it was only this time that I finally muster all the guts to write a post about it. Aside from losing all the pictures I had during this trip, which I eventually recovered, I veered away from doing such since making this post only meant one thing - reliving the experience I had at Yabu.

Even if I am a self-professed Japanese food lover, I have always been loyal to the raw Japanese dishes  so much that cooked delicacies would surely envy the attention I'm giving them. But when I read about Yabu on my blogger feed, my curiosity got ignited so much that it gained the top of my go-to list if ever I'll be in Manila. So when I was sent to Manila for a seminar, I made sure that I got to tick off this entry on my list.

I opted for the Menchi Katsu set which is made up of authentic Japanese minced meat of superior beef and pork, blended with Yabu's special spices and stuffed with creamy cheese. I was initially inclined to order the Rosu Set but then I thought that it will just be like any other Tonkatsu in the market, so I went for the Menchi Katsu instead.  Aside from that, I'm biased when it comes to cheese. 

My self went into manic mode when I found out that Tsuru Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar got included in the list of #DFAT2013 pit stops. If the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, then the way to my heart is through Japanese food and that better be Tsuru to really  impress me.

Tsuru is proud to be known as the oldest and longest running Japanese restaurant in Davao City and has been delighting Davaoeños with authentic Japanese cuisine since 1990. I admit I am not a frequent visitor of this restaurant but I have been a customer during their buffet for several times already. One of which was when the BF took me out on a Japanese buffet date here in Tsuru in celebration of his first paycheck as a medical resident.

Moving along, Tsuru introduced four new additions to their menu during the second pit stop of the #DFAT2013 adventure. I was very delighted to know that Tsuru always continue to innovate their dishes to come up with something new and appealing to Davao's ever-changing gastronomic market.

Here are Tsuru's new offerings: 

Crazy Maki

Crazy Maki : Kani sticks with tempura bits

The first time my curiosity got triggered with Pepper Lunch was during the time that I saw a long line of people in their Greenbelt 5 branch. I thought to myself that definitely, their food must have been very good for people to be patiently waiting to be seated considering that the price is a bit steep to my liking. That same curiosity also wanted me to try their meals at that moment but the impatient me opted to dine in another restaurant.

Then I heard that Pepper Lunch already opened another branch at The Peak in Gaisano Mall. On our first visit, the BF and I backed off because like I said, the price was a bit steep and we weren't that hungry enough to splurge around P300 for every meal. However, on one special day in November (it was in fact our monthsary. Notice how delayed this blog post is?), we finally gave Pepper Lunch a try.

Teriyaki Beef Pepper Rice with Egg

Curry Beef Pepper Rice with Cheese

It's not what you think.

It's not my 30th birthday, nor my boyfriend's 30th birthday and not even our 30th monthsary/anniversary. It just happened that this 30th of the month is something that I had waited for so long. LOL! 

It's actually Tsuru's Grand Japanese Buffet which happens every 15th and 30th of the month. Tsuru has always been my top restaurant of choice when it comes to authentic Japanese cuisine. Months ago, le bf promised to treat me to a Japanese buffet dinner when his first paycheck arrives. That's because he knew that I love Japanese food a lot and I also knew that he loves me so much too! Pardon the cheesiness!

So last night, we had a sumptuous buffet at Tsuru. Even though the buffet was pretty expensive at a price of P755.00 per person, the restaurant was jam-packed with Japanese food fanatics like me. Good thing was, the food they served was more than enough to feed hungry tummies like mine. They actually have lots of stuff to offer - from katsudons, tempura to different varieties of maki, and not to mention, the very fresh servings of salmon, tuna and white fish sashimi and loads of delicious desserts. You'll definitely get what you pay for.

Here's what we ate for Round 1. (Taken via Instagram)

I was not able to practice food photography at that moment because I was so busy devouring all the delicious food I had in my plate. Plus, I was also too shy to take pictures since there were a lot of people dining. But because I really wanted to share what's in store for you when you dine at Tsuru, here are some pictures from their online menu.

SOURCE

Aren't these dishes so enticing? I bet you're already drooling right now.

And yes, you can definitely EAT ALL what you see in these photos during their buffet. My top picks are their salmon sashimi, crazy maki, ebi tempura and kani bacon rolls. 

Tsuru has three branches in Davao City - in Damosa, in Abreeza and J. Camus St. The buffet is only available at J. Camus St. every 15th and 30th of the month. Don't forget to call them before going in for lunch and dinner buffet. 

Once again, thank you to my beloved sponsor for this gastronomic treat!

What's your favorite Japanese food? Share your thoughts!