Ninyo Fusion Cuisine (Loyola Heights, Quezon City)
We revisited the restaurant formerly known as In-Yo Fusion Cuisine recently — now aptly renamed after the chef behind the establishment: Ninyo Fusion Cuisine.
This place has been a company favorite of ours, pleasing even the most discriminating and well-initiated palates of key executives who have marked it as one of their favorites in the city.
On our first visit after their re-branding, here’s what we had and what I thought of them.
Herbed butter..
..for the complimentary bread. It was not warm and quite flaky…
A Chef Niño classic: Wasabi Fried Oysters (P225) with citrus mayo dressing and topped with lumpish caviar
Complimentary spoonful of Calamansi Sorbet to cleanse our palates for the main courses
Here’s something I’ve already ordered on past visits: U.S. Hanging Tender Steak (P465) with red wine sauce served with buttered seasonal vegetables and mushroom risotto. Meat was very juicy, and I love the mushiness of the risotto. This is a dish that’s well put together, a complete meal in itself — plus extra points for the colorful presentation!
I’ve also had the Broiled Coconut Lime Chicken (P290) in the past, but forgot that it wasn’t as outstanding as the steak. The fragrant chicken skewers are served with ginger garlic rice and buttered seasonal vegetables.
I’ve never tasted anything quite like the Baked pili-crusted Unagi topped with Butterscotch Cotton Candy (P620), served with pan-seared foie gras in dalandan miso. It was very tasty, with the perfect blend of sweet and savory flavors, invoking the undeniable sense of umami in every bite. We loved this dish so much that we wanted another order — too bad the kitchen was closed when we decided to do so.
On the side, we had a plate of Pan-seared Foie Gras (P295).
The Chilean Sea Bass Confit with Blue Swimmer Crab and Edamame Ravioli in an uni tomato sauce (P880) is another winning dish. The immaculate sea bass meat flakes easily with a fork, and has a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture. The ravioli pasta was al dente and serves as a fitting canvas for the well-seasoned crab and edamame filling. Hope this dish sticks around at the frequently-changing menu!
Our desserts were not to be upstaged, starting with the Vanilla Bean Infused Pannacotta (P180) with fresh vanilla bean and served with seasonal fruits..
..Chocolate! Chocolate! Cake (P270) — Valhrona chocolate pudding filled molten chocolate truffle, served with tropical fruits..
..and my favorite, the Mango Pavlova (P225) — light and fluffy meringue topped with vanilla ice cream and fresh mango.
Setting was virtually identical to the original In-Yo setup: fully air-conditioned quaint house with a large parking space upfront, koi pond, cozy and lively main dining area, and a subdued and snug upper floor that’s perfect for dinner dates.
The service was relaxed and casual, eager at best. Not a lot of frills and what not, as they’d mostly leave us to our privacy in enjoying our meal. Chef Niño regularly comes out to greet the patrons.
Price: very reasonable for the quality of food offered; ~P800-1000 per head.
Overall Verdict: The place’s rebranding does not take anything away from its charm as it delivers more of the same delight and value I have come to appreciate. As with my previous visits, Chef Niño’s creations has consistently pleased both our tastes and wallets. Highly recommended.
Ninyo Fusion Cuisine
66 E. Abada St., Loyola Heights
Quezon City, Metro Manila
The Philippines
Tel. #: +63 2 426-0301
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