Turning Japanese without really trying

 
When I was young, my dream is to become a Japanese.

In spite of the many war movies that I have seen where the Japanese soldiers were shown as villains, I still want to be a member of the Voltes V team, hunt down Godzilla and play catch with Mickey Mouse at Tokyo Disneyland.  Even in college, I dig Shonen Knife's music and follow Son Goku's adventure as if I am part of it.

I am now a family in my thirties and still, the Japanese dream sticks in my bucket list but a little logical this time, of course.  Well, I just want to visit the country and experience the wonder of how high-end technologies is able to go along with the rich tradition of the land of the rising sun.  And I do hope to accomplish this anytime soon.

For now, easiest access to feel a little bit of Japan is to consume all the Japanese dishes I can.  Well, the month of March seems friendly that I got quite a treat on it's first day.  I was invited to the launch of the new additions to the already-awesome menu of Japanese dishes of Yoshinoya, one of Japan’s largest chains of beef bowl restaurants and a favorite fast-food brand.

For two hours, it felt like I was a Japanese with eight (yes eight!) different Yoshinoya dishes served to our table one by one that when somebody called me up over the phone, I answered "konichiwa."  Now that's what you call turning Japanese without really trying.

I want to share to you the delectable entries me and all my fellow bloggers and members of media had that night which everyone can also experience only in Yoshinoya.

For serious meat lovers, Yoshinoya’s Tokyo Beef is the perfect indulgence anytime of the day. Imagine gratifying yourself with a bowl full of white rice, topped with tender slices of pure beef and freshly sliced onions sautéed into perfection and garnished with sesame seeds and capsicum slices. Truly, a succulent beefy treat with a Japanese twist.

An alternative to the hefty Tokyo Beef is Yoshinoya’s Veggie Beef. The ideal choice for the health-conscious crowd, the delectable tender slices of beef simmered in a special broth of authentic Japanese herbs and spices come with a medley of fresh choice vegetable on top of steaming white rice.

Yoshinoya also offers their version of Shrimp Tempura, one of the all-time favorites of Japanese foodies. Treat yourself to an array of light and fresh-tasting crispy golden brown white prawns, battered and deep fried then glazed with a special tendon sauce over steaming white rice. But what makes Yoshinoya’s rendition of this relished Japanese treat a total stand-out is that they only use the freshest ingredients that renders an absolutely distinct taste.

Another Tempura treat, Yoshinoya lovers will definitely love Tempura Chicken. A bed of flavorful tender chicken chunks, lightly breaded and fried to golden brown perfection, awaits your discriminating palate.  To complete your Japanese feast, Yoshinoya adds a slice of sweet potato and eggplant plus a serving of its special tendon sauce perfect for glazing the meat, leaving it more appetizing. Meat lovers have more options at Yoshinoya as their Tempura dish comes in pork variety as well.
For chicken lovers, Yoshinoya offers the Yoshi Chicken, one of their star dishes. But there’s more to this delicious Yoshinoya treat than just your ordinary chicken dish. It comes in either leg or thigh part and is perfectly double coated with a special batter that comes out ultra-crunchy after deep frying. The chicken is also smothered with Yoshinoya’s special sauce, adding pizzazz to the already delectable dish.   And once you sink your teeth into the juicy meat, an explosion of flavors assaults your mouth, delighting your taste buds with its interesting combination of authentic Japanese spices. Without a doubt, chicken lovers will absolutely love this dish!

Chicken lovers will surely be delighted with Tokyo Chicken, another one of Yoshinoya’s signature chicken dishes. Treat yourself to a generous serving of golden brown pieces of grilled chicken fillet doused in their special ginger-based marinade and generously draped with their special Japanese sauce. An ample serving of mixed vegetables and white rice completes the meal.

If crunchy, deep-fried and tender meat is your thing, then opt for Yoshinoya’s Pork Tonkatsu. One of the more popular Japanese dishes, the Pork Tonkatsu is served together with a slew of shredded cabbage siding on top of fragrant white rice. It is also served with Yoshinoya’s special concoction of tonkatsu sauce that will definitely keep the diners coming back for more.

These signature dishes will be initially available at the Robinson’s Galleria branch.

After the event, all I can say is, "Domo arigato, Yoshinoya!"