A Restaurant That Seats Only Eight!
By Dr. Nestor Alonso
A guest commented that this “tiny restaurant has two tables of four seats each, and a counter with another four.” One blogger wrote: “An intimate place. Seats only 10 people.”
I say that the place seats only eight people comfortably. I have eaten there twice to make this observation.
But whether it seats 12, 10, or 8, the three of us agree that this is the best Japanese restaurant in Cebu. It’s the Soba Kamakura (E.C. Building, Greenhills Road, Casuntingan, Mandaue City). This dining place slogan is “Kamakura is Cooking Whole Heartedly For You”. They assert that they use only live eels and they use fresh buckwheat flour to make handmade Soba Noodles.
It was the birthday of a veterinary colleague, and he decided to invite special friends to an exquisite dinner. The partner of one guest, a Japanese citizen, ordered the restaurant’s new menu called Shiki-Gozen with 10 dishes, excuse me, from appetizers to dessert: Edamame, Tonburi Hiyayakko, Maguro No Marine, Roast Beef, Chawan-mushi, Mixed Tempura, Shimeji Dobin Mushi, Unajyu, Beef Soba, and Basque Cheesecake. Proprietor and chef Hiroyuki Sakata says that most of the dishes are cooked upon arrival of the guests.
Our dinner began with Edamame (whole immature soybean), followed by Tonburi Hiyayakko (cold tofu topped with Kochia plant seeds). There were 3 dishes that I consider to be the highlight of our dinner – Roast Beef, Shimeji Dobin Mushi or Mushroom Soup, and the Unajyu Special. Roast Beef cuts from American rib-eye were cooked medium rare. These were served with wasabi and a special sauce and the taste was simply astonishing. The soup was made with Shimeji mushrooms and broth. It was steamed and served in a teapot. The taste is the definitive example of what the fifth taste or umami is all about!
Unaju or freshly grilled eel topped on rice with a savory glaze is my favorite dish in this restaurant. It takes an hour to cook this dish and the taste is just stupendous!
Our lovely dinner ended with the Basque Cheesecake, before we moved to a bar for some drinks. Closure for a lovely Japanese dinner requires Japanese whiskey and the cost of one bottle was ½ the cost of the dinner itself!