We’ve been pronouncing ASAKUSA wrong this whole time!
Be it ramen, matcha, or katsu–we bet you there are TONS of Japanese specialty restaurants around the city. But tempura? Asakusa’s got that in the bag.
Owner Celline Bautista and her husband, Jacob Bautista, have always had a knack for food, but one trip to Japan made a world of difference–it led to the birth of this now go-to tempura joint. Haven’t tried Asakusa yet? Check out these 8 cool facts and we bet it’ll get you booking a table right away.
Book now and get up to P500 off!
1. It’s pronounced as ah-sahk-sah.
Yes, you’ve been saying it wrong this whole time.
2. Owners Celline and Jacob came from extremely different careers.
Jacob, now executive chef of Asakusa, spent years as a money broker and used to practice his love for cooking only within the confines of his home. It was only in 2015 that he finally went into culinary as a profession. Celline, on the other hand, is a fashion designer who owns a boutique in White Plains, QC.
3. The concept is inspired by their travels.
Asakusa is the district in Tokyo where Celline and Jacob had their life-changing tempura experience in a small mom-and-pop shop owned by an old Japanese couple. The tempura was so good that they knew they had to bring it to Manila. The owners happily obliged, and stood as consultants for Celline and Jacob to learn the proper technique to achieve perfect tempura.
4. It has beautiful interiors, and each decor has a story behind it.
All the wares in the store are from Japan, with each of them having a special meaning. Even the artworks on the walls are made by a friend of the couple.
5. Their black tiger prawn tempura is HUGE.
Asakusa’s tempura differs from other Japanese restaurants not just in flavor, but also in size. Unlike other tempura dishes, theirs isn’t overloaded with batter–so you can enjoy a good ratio of prawn to breading. It even comes with a special sauce.
Aside from the Black Tiger Prawn, they also have the following tempura: Large Prawn, Jumbo Prawn, Scallop, Fish, Squid and various vegetables. You can also choose from 5 tempura sets:
Geisha Set. Shiitake mushroom, squash, eggplant, sweet potato, French beans
Seafood Catch. Black tiger prawn, fish, squid, kani
Samurai Set. Black tiger prawn, fish, squid, eggplant, squash, French beans
Shogun Set. Black tiger prawn in 3’s or 5’s
Emperor Set. 2pcs. Black tiger prawns, scallop, shiitake mushroom kani, fish, zucchini, French beans
6. The secret Asakusa sauce takes 6 hours to make.
…and only the executive chef has the recipe. Even on his rest days, Chef Jacob spends hours creating his special sauce–and no other person, not even his wife, Celline, knows how to make it.
7. They’re always coming up with unique dishes, like uni tempura.
Asakusa is one of the very few places around the country where you can get uni tempura, salmon salad, and their newest dessert: the strawberry mochi tempura.
8. They’re planning to open up a bigger second branch.
Asakusa: Home of Tempura will soon reach new places around the Metro. Its current branch at The Grove seats 55 people, but they’re planning to acquire a bigger space for their 2nd branch to accommodate more private events.
Asakusa: Home of Tempura is one of our newest Booky Prime partners, and one of the most popular restaurants at The Grove Retail Row in Pasig. That said, book a table via Booky to skip the queue and get exclusive perks like secured seats, a 100-peso discount and a free surprise dessert!
If you still haven’t, sign up to Booky Prime now and get P1000 worth of Booky discount credits!
View their Instagram account
Grove Retail Row, Ortigas Ave, C5, Ugong,Pasig
(02) 941-0157
