Louie, his thesis group mates back in college, and I were invited to be defense panelists for an IT course in De La Salle University-Manila last month and we were so happy to have seen one another after a long time. After giving out comments and ratings to students, we drove to SM North EDSA to have a nice catch-up over a light dinner. In our visit, we found that there’s quite a number of newly opened restaurants to try.
Our first choice was Dohtonbori but the super long queue outside was a big turn-off. We could not wait any longer, so we went to The Block in search of another Japanese restaurant. Shortly, we found Nadai Fujisoba near the supermarket area. Nadai Fujisoba specializes in soba and udon, Japan’s traditional noodles. Table for five? Yes, please.
Nadai Fujisoba was first established in Japan in 1966. Apart from the Philippines, it also has branches in Taiwan. In Metro Manila, it is present in Bonifacio High Street, Lucky Chinatown Mall, SM Aura Premier, SM Mall of Asia, and SM North EDSA.
Review of Nadai Fujisoba (The Block, SM North EDSA, Quezon City)
Ambiance:
Nadai Fujisoba at The Block, SM North EDSA isn’t spacious but lines are clean and tables are not too cramped. Fitted with wooden furniture in lighter color and Japanese writings on the walls, the place looked like a page torn from a manga. Overall ambiance felt creatively composed. This is the kind of restaurant that once you enter, you will know: you’ll have an easygoing yet cool dining experience.
Service:
The staff was accommodating at the start but we had a few bumps in the road toward the end. We felt pushed out of the door since we had stayed for almost two hours. Is there such thing as overstaying here? Not quite sure about that. One of the waiters got us the bill even when we were not done with the food yet.
Food:
Over the years, ramen has become a source of foodie fiending in Metro Manila. Nadai Fujisoba suddenly enters the party and introduces udon and soba to Filipino taste buds. To differentiate the three, here are short descriptions:
- Ramen: thin, wheat served in hot broth; typically yellow in color
- Udon: thick, wheat, served in hot broth; generally quite pale white
- Soba: thin, buckwheat (50-100%) + wheat (its gluten makes the buckwheat more manageable) served hot in broth
We ordered the most recommended dish at Nadai Fujisoba: Aka Fujisoba (PhP 260). It turned out as a light and easy meal that’s perfect for a lazy weeknight. Sitting on hot broth, the Japanese buckwheat noodles (soba) had a nice firmness and a nutty flavor. Texture was smooth and resilient. With simmered beef, a poached egg, and a generous sprinkling of chili powder, the broth was on the light side and not too rich.
Louie and I also shared Nadai Fujisoba’s Oyakodon (PhP 180). The dish consisted of just tender bites of chicken and sweet, jammy onions in a deeply savory mirin and soy sauce broth, simmered in a silky, eggy custard and ladled, soft and loosey-goosey, over fluffy white rice. It’s definitely comforting and nourishing. A must-try! Get a big smile on your face as you take the first luscious bite. 🙂
Price for Value:
It’s a pleasure to have dined in a restaurant that’s already 50 years old. Its age is testament to the fact that tastes and portion of their food do not disappoint. Nadai Fujisoba’s prices that don’t hurt the budget and the good casual vibe (minus the latter part of customer service) seal the deal here. I’m positive my sister will be enthusiastic to try this Japanese restaurant. We’ll check out their branch at Lucky Chinatown Mall next time. 🙂
About Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco
Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.
For a japanese foodaholic, i like everything japanese, this resto is one of them. I believe the food is okay and i love soba. … Unfortunately, i believe they need to retrain their staff. With regards to that incident, thats a big no no. It’s part of Filipino culture, to enjoy food and company so it means, we stay and chat over food. Unlike, other places in asia where it is sometimes more of a chore and not to be enjoyed, LOL anyway cheers roch and see you soon dear
The food is quite tasty and prices are affordable. I did not notice if there’s a fast crowd turnover. I doubt that staying long is an issue with other branches, so ttry namin sa LCM. 🙂
I love trying new foods, and I wish that more authentic Asian food was available in my area. But, alas, what passes for Asian food in Idaho is pretty un-authentic! I hope that when my kids are a little bigger we can travel and try food in the places where it comes from to get a truly authentic experience! I would definitely want to try the Nadai Fujisoba’s Oyakodon.
This is a good restaurant to try if you’re looking for something more authentic than those offered in your area. I have yet to visit Japan to test and sample what authentic Japanese food tastes like. In any case, food here is nice and appetizing.
I love visiting restaurants that have withstood the test of time! There is just something to say about how wonderful they are when they’ve been open across multiple decades. It would be hard for me to look pass the incident of being rushed. That is one of my pet peeves!
There’s plenty of must-tries here and I love that the menu has pictures of food so you can pretty much make up your mind on what to order based on what you see. Flavors are simple yet satisfying. I couldn’t say the same for service though.
My husband knows when it comes to special days like my birthday or Mother’s Day I want Japanese food! Japanese food is my favorite. This dish looks absolutely delicious! I love how authentic this restaurant is there aren’t many like this.
Japanese food is comfort food. I appreciate that they offer a choice between either soba or udon, which helps to satisfy different cravings and makes sure everyone can eat his/her fill!
The atmosphere in that restaurant seems like it’s awesome. I love the design and decor inside. And then you mention the food. I am completely sold. It looks so delicious (and way better than the Japanese food around me)!
It’s a small restaurant space but inside is cozy. Soba is okay but on a cold, dreary night, I would still crave the warm, luscious broth of ramen over soba.
I love the way the place looks and the food, oh boy it looks like it is right up my alley. I would love to visit and try just about everything on the menu! It all sounds so yummy and it really looks like a great place to go with my husband!
Nadai Fujisoba is not your regular ideal date place but if you share your love for Japanese udon/soba, this place is worth a try.
I love Nadai Fujisoba! For me it’s sulit. 🙂 Nice new design BTW. I miss the fuchsia though? Haha