It is uncommon for me to share my overall verdict for a restaurant at the top part of my review text, but Sushi Kappo Kobikicho is by all means not a common establishment. It's simply the best sushi restaurant in town, using only the top-quality ingredients flown in fresh from Japan and masterfully prepared by chefs who are word-of-mouth favorites of other known chefs.

Setting. Not featured in dining guides and unbeknownst to most folks in my circle, this place is tucked away in a quiet part of Legaspi Village in Makati. Interiors are modern, chic, and simple, exuding a courtly ambiance but sans the high-strung snobbishness. We were seated in a private dining room, with the staff bowing in and out every now and then to serve us.

We had a "Bizen" Sushi Kaiseki set menu for dinner, having the chef prepare dishes to his liking and to our delightful surprise.

Salmon and Tuna Sashimi, served with Ikura (salmon roe). Very fresh, tender as jelly, making me forget that I don't like raw food.

Tofu curd in soy

Kyoho grapes

A hot bowl of Miso soup

Sushi platter: tuna, salmon, tamago (egg), ika (squid), and the weird looking one (second from left, front row) which left us all dumbfounded — it was absolutely divine!

The tour de force of our meal: Grilled Gindara, in all its juicy goodness. I loved the mild sweetness from the mirin, and how the charred parts of the fish gave it a bit of a caramelized crunch. Although a bit small in serving size, I'd easily pick this any day over some bigger slab elsewhere.

Service, while formal to the point of imperially decorous, was very welcoming, making us feel at ease after their first few bows (which the staff does everytime they'd enter or leave the room). Price range is a bit on the expensive side, at ~P2500 per head (this was for the set dinner — lunch orders should be significantly cheaper), but take my word for it — it's really well worth every hard-earned penny.

Sushi Kappo KOBIKICHO
G-03 JAKA II Bldg. 150 Legaspi Street
Legaspi Village, Makati City, Philippines
Tel. #: +63 2 752-1280. Fax #: +63 2 894-2685
Email: admin@kobikicho.com. Official Website
Open Monday to Saturday Lunch: 11.30am – 2.30pm, Dinner: 6pm – 10pm (Strictly by Reservation Only)

You might also like:

Tsumura (Salcedo, Makati)

[3 Oct 2008 | 5 Comments | ]

Shinjuku Ramen House (Makati Ave.)

[15 Jan 2009 | 7 Comments | ]

Kagura Japanese Restaurant (Little Tokyo, Makati)

[10 Aug 2009 | One Comment | ]

Nanbantei of Tokyo (2/F Greenbelt 3)

[24 Nov 2009 | 4 Comments | ]

Mr. Kurosawa (G/F Eastwood Mall)

[20 Mar 2009 | One Comment | ]