Shoppingu ya dainingu Yamazaki de

I have been to Little Tokyo several times in the past few years, and i must say they really offer a good variety of Japanese food at very affordable prices. While most are not perfect or excellent, they are still a good buy. But one place in the compound comes through as an affordable and delicious treat, all at once - Yamazaki grocery and Ramen house.

The place faces Makati Cinema Square, and is right beside a Japanese spa. Inside is a very lowly looking grocery, but it is stacked full of everything you will need, Japanese food-wise.

They have sauces, seasoning, frozen seafood, meat and processed food. They also have noodles, drinks (non and alcoholic - they have all of my favorite coffee and juice drinks there) baked products, snack food - you name it, they most likely have it. On the left side of the grocery is the ramen house area, with a smoking and non-smoking section (yey!).

Japanese crepe cake, sliced to bite size. yummy!

The selection of ramen is decently wide, and are priced lower than most other ramen places. They also have other dishes, but they stick mostly to ramen.

I must say, their ramen is comparable to ramen I've tasted in the city. The service is fast, the menu is in Japanese and English (another yey!), and the friendly Filipina waiting staff can actually explain to you the dishes if you ask for it (another yey!). They cater to mostly Japanese clients and the place is very quiet, homey and modest and very, very clean.

the smoking area

menu in english, yey! and the wait staff can explain each dish to you, if you want!

gyoza is crunchy outside and melting delicious inside!

some of the Japanese pocket books they lend to customers

Their ramen is really good, not too oily, ingredients are fresh and serving is large enough

each table is partitioned for privacy. the place is modest and clean

Their customers are mostly Japanese the last time I went, but the grocery has its share of Pinoys like me.

While it may not be comparable to venerable Japanese establishments like Hatsu Hana Tei or Kimpura or Shinjuku, or even Tsumura, it tastes a lot better than most other Ramen shops I've visited. So if you are hungry for some Ramen, but is not open to spending a whole lot but still looking for something worth it, your place is Yamazaki. It's near, it's delicious and it's affordable!

bigboy promises to get back to you soon with new news! nunus!