Sakae Sushi: An Afternoon Sushi Frenzy

A late afternoon at the Mall of Asia, and a lot of time to kill...

Perfect time for sushi at Sakae Sushi, and with its Eat-All-You-Can package, how can you resist? If you want sushi with the most bang for your buck, this is the place.

Though a sushi conveyor belt is nothing new, the concept never fails to amaze me. Seeing an endless stream of sushi is still pretty awesome, no matter how many times you've seen it.

Getting ready for battle. The P 399 Eat-All-You-Can Sushi Package includes a bowl of Miso Soup and a choice of either hot or cold tea. Bottomless tea. Cool.

You can opt to go A la Carte, and the sushi plates are color coded based on price: P 99 for the Red and Purple Plates, P 79 for the Green Plate, P 59 for the Yellow Plate, and P 39 for the Blue Plate. If you enjoy sushi, go for the Eat-All-You-Can package, and start picking the plates from the conveyor belt...

Kani wrapped in nori. With Japanese mayo and shredded crab meat, it's a refreshing starter. I don't have the exact names, but the photos should give you an idea of the extensive sushi selection at Sakae Sushi...

Sushi roll with kani, mango and cucumber rolled with fish roe.

Ebi Sushi, something familiar and an old favorite, sweet and fresh.

Salmon Sushi, a personal favorite. The rich and creamy flavor and texture of salmon works well with the wasabi and soy dip.

Kani Tempura, deep-fried breaded crab sticks. As with anything fried, it can get a little chewy after some time. The Kani Tempura must have gone around a few times, and unless you can get some fresh off the fryer, stick to the raw sushi.

The California Maki Roll (or I think it is), comes with six pieces unlike the other plates which usually have two pieces. The crunch from the fresh cucumber and fish roe gives this a familiar texture, easily one of my favorites.  

Grilled Marlin, a totally different flavor and a nice breaker from the raw sushi.

Sushi roll with spices, adding a more earthy note to the roll. This one's different, another refreshing breaker to the usual sushi.

Ika Sushi (Squid), soft and tender, an old favorite.

Another sushi variation with a more earthy note. Not quite sure if these were rolled in dried fish flakes but again, a refreshing and unique sushi dish.

Fish Roe Sushi, fresh and briny, with a nice crunch and texture.

Octopus Sushi, surprisingly soft and not tough at all.

The trick with these buffets is to take your time. And after an hour and half, you get to successfully sample all the sushi varieties on the conveyor belt. And the bottomless hot tea also helps.

Most of the plates contain only two pieces of sushi, but if go for the Eat-All-You-Can package, it doesn't really matter. Though the quality of sushi may not be the same as other high-end Japanese restos, Sakae Sushi still offers superior value. Sushi in the afternoon? Why not.

Sakae Sushi is located at the SM Mall of Asia, Seaside Blvd, Pasay City or call 556-0150 for inquiries.

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