Bigger and Better: Saturday Brunch at Yakumi

Bigger. Better. And it's back...

Handcrafted cocktails, a nitrogen ice cream station, a wider selection of intricate sushi creations, an expanded Salad Station and fresh whole tuna flown in all the way from Tokyo's famed Tsukiji Fish Market carved by your table side, Saturday Brunch at Solaire Resort and Casino's Yakumi just got bigger and better with these sumptuous additions. You'll find your favorite premium fresh salmon, succulent scallops, and juicy US Ribeye too in addition to the exciting new features of the Saturday Brunch. The Saturday Brunch relaunch is set for September 15, 2018, read on for a sneak preview of what you can expect at Yakumi...

Ever since my very first dining experience at Yakumi late last year, I've been impressed with both the extensive buffet selection and impeccable service (for more on the Yakumi Saturday Brunch, see my previous post from last year at Freshness and Authenticity: The Yakumi Saturday Brunch at Solaire Resort & Casino).

Just how can you top a good thing? Leave it to Yakumi to make a great dining experience even better. Arriving early for the special media preview, the staff at Yakumi made the final rounds for the Saturday Brunch service...

...with elaborate table settings elegantly highlighted by the morning light from the impressive panoramic floor to ceiling glass walls facing the bay. The spacious interiors exude a sleek and modern vibe with its subtle minimalist design, it's the perfect setting for an epic Japanese feast with breathtaking bay views.

Over at the Main Station with its central open kitchen layout, Yakumi's chefs prepare the day's selection of fresh hand-rolled sushi and sashimi as well as hot savory dishes including premium items from the teppan and robatayaki grill. Like a delicately choreographed performance, each chef performs the assigned task in a seamless ballet of precise movements for the special Saturday Brunch relaunch preview. At exactly 11:30 am, the doors were opened and diners streamed in for a sumptuous weekend feast...

The bigger and better Saturday Brunch experience at Yakumi now features a bar offering handcrafted cocktails along with unlimited wine, selected sake, beer and non-alcoholic beverages. A tipple before brunch? Yes, please...

During the preview, we sampled some of Yakumi's signature cocktails created for the Saturday Brunch. From sweet and fruity to bold and robust notes, the selection of new cocktails is a welcome addition to the bigger and better Saturday Brunch offerings at Yakumi. Have another round to open up your palate... 

...and get into the cool weekend vibe. The special cocktail with house-brewed tea infused with bourbon is a personal favorite. Another round and you're just about ready to start your feast at Yakumi's Saturday Brunch.

My trio of refreshing starters from the Cold Salad Station include the Potato Salad with Japanese Mayonnaise Dressing, Japanese Duck Salad, and Japanese Leek and Pork Belly Salad, each prepared in delicate tasting portions. The expanded Cold Salad Station now includes a variety of garden-fresh greens and vegetables for your own customized bowl as well as a selection of prepared salads. Simply pick your greens and vegetables with your choice of dressing, or better yet, let the station chefs whip up your salad.

One more highlight to the bigger and better Saturday Brunch at Yakumi is the roving cart with whole fresh Tuna flown in direct from Tokyo's Tsukiji Market. Sliced right in front of you, nothing compares to the distinct briny sweetness of fresh tuna coating your palate with its richness. 

And it really just doesn't get fresher than this. The vibrant red hues of tuna just triggers the palate, with each thick slice carved directly from the whole tuna. Flown in chilled and never frozen, the flavors just pop in your mouth with its bright and mildly sweet briny notes. It's freshness taken to a whole new level...

...and you can come back for more. The fresh tuna has a firm texture, releasing delicate notes with every bite. This alone is more than enough reason to check out Yakumi's bigger and better Saturday Brunch.

Pair your tuna with freshly grated wasabi for that subtle contrasting sharpness. The fresh wasabi delivers a deeper, more rounded finish to the tuna without overpowering its delicate notes unlike the common commercial variety of wasabi. Freshness and authenticity are what you can expect at Yakumi's Saturday Brunch.  

Then, walk through the different hand-rolled sushi creations in a wide variety of colors and textures made with different kinds of fresh seafood. From sweet and briny to tart and mildly spicy, you'll find it all here at Yakumi's Saturday Brunch.

Keep an eye out for special sushi creations, like this one topped with sea urchin and fish roe for an indulgent richness that will have you coming back for more.

Don't miss out on the fresh and succulent Oysters drizzled with a citrusy Yuzu sauce for contrasting yet balanced flavors. The sweetness of the oysters are perfectly tempered by the sharpness of the sauce, and it's not long before going through a half-dozen oysters leaves you wanting more. It's this combination of variety, authenticity and value that make Yakumi's Saturday Brunch one of the must-try deals in the metro. 

But there's more. In addition to the buffet spread at the Main Station, Yakumi also offers two separate live stations offering freshly prepared dishes from the Teppan Grill as well as a separate Tempura Station. Hand-made Gyoza are seared on the teppan grill to perfection as you order, including Japanese Fried Rice and Okonomiyaki. Prepared a la minute, your dish is served hot and fresh from the teppan grill.

The soft Okonomiyaki is generously topped with a variety of flavorful ingredients like bonito flakes with its deep, smoky hints and fresh spring onions for that distinct bite. Enjoy your Gyoza with a special sauce prepared by the station chef, and come back for seconds. The uncluttered layout allows you to explore the spread at your own pace.

At the Tempura Station, fill up your plate with Ebi and Vegetable Tempura draped in a lightly crisp batter for that delicate crunch, perfect with a squeeze of fresh lemon and a pinch of flavored salt. You'll find a variety of flavored sea salt to pair with your tempura including Curry and Matcha Sea Salt. The flavored sea salt brings out the clean flavors of the fresh seafood and vegetables while retaining its crispness. The traditional tempura soy dip is also available along with freshly grated radish and ginger.

Back at the Main Station, diners are greeted with a wide array of savory hot mains for a sumptuous Saturday Brunch. At the Robatayaki Grill (L), diners can choose from delicately grilled Salmon (R) from an impressive variety of freshly grilled offerings...

...including Marinated Tofu with Vegetables (L) on skewers and plump Prawns (R). And there's no need to rush. The team of station chefs replenish the selections with a constant stream of freshly grilled items, so take your time and enjoy a leisurely Saturday Brunch. Going for seconds is just a few steps away...

Seafood lovers will enjoy the spread at the Main Station, from tuna to salmon, mackerel, plump prawns and succulent scallops, each one prepped for the grill. Just load up on your fresh catch and leave the rest to the station chefs. In minutes, your plate of fresh catch is grilled and served to your table. 

Other savory treats include tender Chicken (L) served with grilled mushrooms and Chicken Liver (R). Now this one's just one of many flavorful surprises at Yakumi's Saturday Brunch. Perfectly grilled draped with a thick and sweet teriyaki sauce, these chicken livers call for another round of cocktails.

Salmon, scallops, prawns, mushrooms, chicken  and chicken liver, fresh from the Robatayaki Grill, and there's still so much more to try and discover at Yakumi's Saturday Brunch. 

And here's the beef. An impressive slab of USDA Ribeye is a tempting sight that you just can't pass up at Yakumi's Saturday Brunch.

Ask the station chef for a plate of USDA Ribeye, and a hefty portion is carved and placed on the fired up grill. Have your steak paired with US Scallops for a spin on surf and turf for Saturday Brunch.  Sliced into tender cubes, each bite drapes the palate with a beefy and savory richness. No wonder it's one of the more popular attractions...

...and why not. Evenly marbled with just the right layer of fat for even more flavor, the beefy richness is complemented with the nutty hints of thinly-sliced slivers of crispy garlic to complete the flavors. One more plate?  

In between bites, why not have some of Yakumi's Agedashi Tofu?

Or go for my personal favorite, the Buta Kakuni, made with Berkshire pork belly slow-braised and simmered for hours for that almost melt-in-your-mouth texture. The rich sauce and broccoli complements the delicate notes of the pork for a comforting dish. It's one of those dishes I keep looking for at Yakumi ever since I first tried it last year (see my post from last year, Freshness and Authenticity: The Yakumi Saturday Brunch at Solaire Resort & Casino).  

After enjoying one too many rounds of cocktails, switch gears with a bottle of freshly-squeezed Orange Juice. Yakumi offers a variety of fresh-squeezed fruit juices including a refreshing Lemonade.

In addition to the lavish buffet spread at Yakumi, diners can also enjoy a la carte dishes masterfully prepared by Yakumi's chefs.

The hot and hearty Shabu-Shabu with thinly-sliced fork-tender beef simmered in seaweed stock with glass noodles and mushrooms is always a good choice...

...warming both the palate and body with its comforting flavors. Yakumi also offers their signature Sukiyaki in the a la carte menu for even more tasty options.

Craving for noodles? Nothing like noodles to complete the weekend vibe. The a la carte menu also includes tasty noodle dishes like Soba Noodles, Soya Ramen, Miso Ramen and the spicy Tan Tan Men, but it's the Tonkotsu Ramen with tender pork belly, egg noodles, seaweed and spring onions that makes your Saturday Brunch at Yakumi even better.

But save room for dessert for the newest indulgence from the Dessert Station, a serving of Nitrogen Ice Cream prepared as you order from the station chefs. Choose from a variety of flavors including Black Sesame, Red Bean and Matcha and add your favorite toppings of fresh fruits for that perfect sweet ending. 

The dessert selection at Yakumi's Saturday Brunch is equally impressive, with delicate sinful bites like the Sakura Macarons to tempt you for a bite. Grab a plate and just go with the flow...

The Dessert Station at Yakumi's Saturday Brunch offers a tempting array of intricate desserts like the Chestnut Meringue (L) and so much more to cap your feast. In addition to the fresh seasonal fruits, Yakumi's decadent desserts are just what you need after a sumptuous brunch.

The fusion of unique Japanese notes to elegant European desserts offer unique flavor experiences you can only find at Yakumi. Give in and indulge with Yakumi's Kinako Creme Brulee...

...Red Bean Rolls (L) and other colorful dessert creations. Pair it with Yakumi's Nitrogen Ice Cream for a winning combo. The same detail and attention is given to the tempting dessert options by the chefs at Yakumi making the Saturday Brunch offer a must-try dining experience at Solaire Resort and Casino.

One more bite of the Matcha Cremeux, and your Saturday Brunch at Yakumi ends on a high note. Bigger and better, the selection and variety of offerings at Yakumi's Saturday Brunch combine for excellent value not to be missed. The Saturday Brunch at Yakumi is offered from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm for only P 2,688 + per person inclusive of unlimited selected sake, wine, beer and non-alcoholic beverages. The weekend is coming up, see you at Yakumi...

Yakumi is located at the Ground Level of Solaire Resort & Casino, 1 Asean Avenue Entertainment City, Tambo, Paranaque City, Manila or call +632 888-8888 for inquiries and reservations.

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