Market Day at Ichiba Japanese Market

Experience a taste of Japan in an authentic market setting showcasing the freshest seafood and wide variety of dishes, all in one place...

Ramen, Yakitori, Donburi, Takoyaki, Tempura, Gyoza, and Yakiniku, along with a premium selection of live seafood, await you on your visit to the market, the Ichiba Japanese Market. Ichiba Japanese Market recreates the sights, sounds and flavors of Japan's famous markets adding to a unique and memorable dining experience. Read on and take a virtual tour of the market...

Located at the expansive Newport Mall in Resorts World Manila, Ichiba Japanese Market is the first ever Japanese seafood market concept in the country, drawing inspiration from the famous wholesale seafood markets of Tsukiji, Kuromon, Kyushu, and Hokkaido for a whole new and immersive experience.

Inside Ichiba Japanese Market, you can find various food stalls offering the full range of Japanese flavors, from crisp tempura, soft and juicy gyoza, charcoal-grilled yakitori, comforting ramen, and even savory takoyaki, all conveniently located at the central open kitchen. And as you step further inside, you are immediately transported to another place, surrounded by the sights and sounds of a bustling Japanese market with the fragrant aroma of Japanese dishes adding to the experience. And the interior layout is quite easy to navigate, but just to be sure you won't miss out on anything, a handy yet comprehensive guide can be found at your table detailing each feature of the market.

Executive Chef Nobuyoshi Onishi, a former sushi master from the renowned Midori Sushi in Japan is at the helm of Ichiba Japanese Market's massive kitchen, bringing with him years of culinary experience.

Earlier that day, Executive Chef Nobuyoshi Onishi gathers his team to prep for the lunch service, as he inspects all of the stations ensuring everything is ready before the arrival of the lunch crowd. The fresh and premium ingredients are then sorted and prepped...

 

...including fresh Scallops from the cold waters of Hokkaido, Japan. Executive Chef Nobuyoshi Onishi displays his prowess as he shucks the large scallops with ease and precision (L), with the first batch of freshly shucked scallops set aside for the different signature seafood dishes (R).

But what sets Ichiba Japanese Market apart from the usual restaurants is its live aquarium display where guests can pick out lobsters, crabs and a variety of live and fresh seafood. Simply point out your choice, and the friendly staff at Ichiba Japanese Market will do the rest. Have it prepared and cooked in a variety of styles, all expertly executed by Ichiba Japanese Market's skilled chefs. And it just doesn't get any fresher than that...

The impressive live aquarium can hold up to a massive 600 kg of live seafood, from fresh Lobster (L) and Oysters (R), to stonefish, jacks, slipper lobsters, shrimps, and lapu-lapu. As an added feature, Ichiba Japanese Market also boasts of a fishing pond where guests can cast a line for their meal, now how cool is that?

Meat lovers won't feel left out at Ichiba Japanese Market, with their impressive selection of high grade steaks and meats, including Wagyu and Angus Beef (L). Your favorite meat dishes like yakitori, sukiyaki, and gyoza should also satisfy your craving for meat at Ichiba Japanese Market. Then, the staff rolled out their prized catch for all to see (R)...

Executive Chef Nobuyoshi Onishi presented Ichiba Japanese Market's fresh Bluefin Tuna, just some of the many premium selections.  At Ichiba Japanese Market, you can find it all, simply let Executive Chef Nobuyoshi Onishi walk you through their fresh selections. Market to table, reinvented at Ichiba Japanese Market.

Then, the open kitchens were fired up as chefs from the different stations prepared their specialty dishes. On one side of the long central open kitchen, skewers of chicken, seafood, pork and beef were prepared (R) at the Yakiniku Station, as fiery hot charcoal were laid on the grill.

At the Takoyaki Station, the first batch of this Osaka specialty was ready for plating. The open kitchen becomes a hub of frenzied activity, as more dishes are prepped. Ichiba Japanese Market then comes to life with a delectable array of dishes prepared at the open kitchen...

...including Grilled Prawns (P 120)...

...Gyukushi or Grilled Beef Tenderloin (P 130), and Negima or Grilled Chicken Thigh with Negi (P 55). At the Yakitori Station you have a wide range of choices, including Tori Kawa (chicken skin), Quail Egg, Tsukune (chicken pate), Chicken Liver, Sunagimo (chicken gizzard), Torimomo (grilled chicken thigh fillet), Squid, Tanuki (grilled minced chicken with shitake), Pork Belly, Baby Octopus, and Salmon, glazed in either Tare or Shio sauces.

Ichiba Japanese Market also offers comforting ramen, like this Paitan Ramen Set with Gyoza (P 285), a richly flavored bowl of noodles in a lightly salty broth topped with tender chashu slices, paired with three pieces of Gyoza. The flavors are milder, somewhat delicate, compared to the usual ramen, but it still hits the spot. And the set offers great value for the price.

Then, more dishes arrived, like this refreshing Salmon Sashimi (P 295), with its clean and fresh yet creamy flavors. Other sashimi dishes include Tamago Sashimi, Uni Sashimi (sea urchin), Ika Sashimi (squid), Tuna Sashimi, Grouper Sashimi, Unagi Sashimi, Hotate Sashimi (scallop), and Hamachi Sashimi (yellowtail). Ichiba Japanese market also offers an equally extensive selection of rolls and sushi.

Grab some of Ichiba Japanese Market's Ebi Tempura (P 385) to complete your Japanese feast. Delicate with a light crispness, it's hard to stop with just one piece. Ichiba Japanese Market's tempura selection also includes Kani Tempura, Vegetable Tempura, Mixed Vegetable Kakiage, Squid Tempura, and Seafood Kakiage.

A refreshing Wasabi Prawn Salad (P 320) is always a good option to go with your feast at Ichiba Japanese Market, a hearty bowl of fresh greens topped with grilled prawns and avocado and drizzled with wasabi mayo for a flavorful kick. The complex play on flavors makes this salad a must try, with the smoky and briny hint of grilled prawns weaving in with the sweet avocado and rich notes of the wasabi mayo. Other salads include Spicy Tuna Tartare Salad, Kani Mango Salad, and the creamy Japanese Potato Salad.

And you can't pass on the Takoyaki (P 105) to complete your experience, served fresh from the Takoyaki griddle. Topped with bonito flakes and drizzled with Japanese mayo, the chewy and lightly crisp takoyaki simply bursts with rich flavors capped by the tender octopus.  

Have an ice-cold Asahi Beer, and go for another round of Yakitori, as you work through Ichiba Japanese Market's extensive menu for the next dish... 

Grilled Chicken Liver (P 55), Pork Belly (P 85), and Tori Kawa (P 40), or chicken skin, and another cold Asahi Beer...just can't get better than that.  

But it does. No meal at Ichiba Japanese Market is complete without some fresh catch from the live aquarium, like these Grilled Slipper Lobsters (cost based on weight and market prices plus cooking charges)...

...skewered Grilled Prawns and Grilled Squid, freshly grilled before serving. The options are limitless, and it's easy to customize a dish with Ichiba Japanese Market's fresh seafood selection and different cooking styles.

Fresh Crabs Stewed in Coconut topped with fresh herbs add a distinct Asian flavor, but you can have your crabs baked with Ichiba Japanese Market's Secret Sauce and Cheese, Deep-Fried with Taosi, Buttered with Garlic, Deep-Fried with Salt and Pepper, Steamed with Garlic, or prepared with Sate Sotanghon, Chili Crab Style, Black Pepper Style, Asian Chili Singaporean Style, or Szechuan Style, your call.

Deep-Fried Lapu-Lapu Karaage is another seafood option at Ichiba Japanese Market, fresh from the live aquarium. You can also have your fresh catch prepared Sashimi Style, Grilled with Lemon Butter, Steamed Chinese Style, Sweet and Sour, Coconut Stew or Nabe Style.  

A comforting bowl of Beef Sukiyaki (P 590) is just one of the many beef dishes at Ichiba Japanese Market, thinly sliced beef with vegetables in sweet sukiyaki broth. And if you're still up for it, there's always Ichiba Japanese Market's premium Wagyu and Angus steaks.

And after seeing Executive Chef Nobuyoshi Onishi shucking some fresh Hokkaido Scallops, why not have some Hotate Sashimi (P 350). Simply squueze some lemon and that's all you need to enjoy the fresh and briny sweetness of the scallops. And no, you don't need a soy dipping sauce for this one.

On your way out, pass by the mini-grocery where you can take home the flavors of Japan. Classic and authentic Japanese cuisine prepared with the freshest ingredients for real flavors, that's what you can find at Ichiba Japanese Market. And dining in a vibrant market vibe makes it even better...

Ichiba Japanese Market is located at the 2nd Floor of the Newport Mall in Resorts World Manila, Newport City, Pasay City or call 0917-732-2176 for reservations and inquiries. 

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