Hello, hello! It’s time for another food post, yay!
I’ve been wanting to try this place called Tenya Tempura Tendon for the longest time. This restaurant first opened in Market! Market! in BGC last April 2015 and it’s been calling out to me because, hello, who doesn’t like Tempura???
I like that most of the Japanese restaurants that now open in Manila specialize in certain dishes. You have specialty Ramen restos and Katsu restos but for the first time you have a Tempura specialty resto. Yay!
The Tenya branch that we went to in Market! Market! had two entrances, one located along the outside of the mall that faced Serendra and the other inside the mall in one of the newer wings. So take your pick!
Of course the place had your stereotypical Japanese wood panelings, quirky paraphernalia, and tempting photos of Tempura. When we visited, there were still some Christmas decorations around. 🙂
Tenya specializes in Tempura-style dishes so don’t be surprised if most of the fare is, well, a variation of Tempura-something. They have Tendons (rice bowls), Soba/Udon Sets (noodles), and Teishokus (set meals).
Filipinos, I think, are used to variety and you might end up disappointed if you go into Tenya expecting that they serve your typical Japanese selection of dishes.
Their sets usually come with choices of toppings, depending on what you feel like munching on. They have prawns (of course), chicken, pork fillets, and crab. 🙂
For starters, we ordered the Isobe Cheese (Php185).
5 delectable pieces of cheddar cheese wrapped in Nori (seaweed), fried tempura-style, and can be dipped into Japanese mayonnaise! I would go back here just for this! It’s a yummy snack!
Then, for the main course, I got the Asakusa Special Tempura Teishoku (Php420):
This set was a mouthful! It had 3 prawns, green beans, a special shrimp & veggie fried cake (something like Ilocano Ukoy but fried Tempura-style), potato salad, miso soup, and rice.
My boyfriend ordered the Asakusa Special Tendon (Php315):
The Tiger Prawn Tempura is glazed in a different kind of sauce. I’m not sure how to describe it but it tastes nothing like Tempura sauce or Teriyaki sauce. It must be their own special blend, haha! The Tendon comes with miso soup, too. 🙂
The final verdict? The food is okay. It isn’t bad, don’t get me wrong, but that’s just what it is, OKAY. Maybe I’m jaded by the number of Tempura dishes I eat on a monthly basis, I don’t know. It’s kinda frustrating.
Oh, but the Isobe Cheese was really good, though, so that’s something I’m definitely going back for if I have a craving for cheese and nori. LOL.
Tenya Tempura Tendon has branches in GF Market! Market, 4L MegaMall, 2F Bonifacio Stopover. 🙂
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