Ooma’s Vibrant Modern Japanese Cuisine in Makati

Even before Ooma started making a loud buzz, I’ve been wanting to try out the restaurant. However, I realized that I often found myself too lazy to travel or even to bother knowing where Ooma is located. In fact, even up to this date, I am not aware where the first branch is. 

When Ooma opened its new branch in Makati in Salcedo Village, I thought it would now be a good reason for me to give a visit. Still, work just took most of my energy, and I felt unmotivated to check the restaurant. Fast forward a bit, and I finally found the right opportunity. Ooma opened up another branch in Greenbelt 3. This round, the timing was perfect, and thus this blog entry. 

The adventures of Emilnions aka EK Gang aka Breakout Gang

Now, if you have been closely following this blog, you’ll know too well that I’m fond of telling stories before diving into the place and the food. So, here’s a little more of that blabbering.  (Of course, you can skip this part.)

Back when I was still in SGV, I made a lot of fantastic memories. The kind that goes all the way to my core memories (as a reference to Disney’s Inside Out, no infringement meant). We had a special bonding which made work beyond bearable. It’s just sad how reality sinks and even bites. We needed to somehow part ways as we move forward in our careers. So we made an implicit agreement to continue flourishing that friendship despite leaving the nest.  Which is why we often find reasons to meet up, and just enjoy each other’s lokohan. 

Among the group, I was second to leave SGV, and before I left I promised to treat them lunch/dinner. Little did I know that they’d collect this debt here in Ooma (i.e. on the spt). Anyway, Renz Cheng doesn’t like breaking promises, so I took care of the tab.

Ambiance with character and authenticity

When I first caught a glimpse of Ooma’s interior, I immediately had a gut feel that our experience would stand out (which it did). The layout and the elements mixed into the interior builds up the excitement. And you’ll somehow feel like you are shifted into another dimension. It was like a portal. The moment I stepped in, magic happened. 

The interior reminds me of Mitsuyado’s street-like setup (read more). Both were mesmerizing. The difference is that Ooma made me feel like I’m dining beside a seaport in Japan. Weird? Well, maybe but that's how the interior made me feel which definitely added a layer of excitement and authenticity to everything. 

Modern Japanese Cuisine in Ooma
Ooma specializes on rolls, maki and all crazy ideas in between. For the night, we ordered a handful of dishes, so we can explore around and treat our palates with immense goodness. Let's start of with some rolls we had as starters.


By the way, plates served in Ooma are a work of art. Each is carefully curated to be stunningly spectacular. You can even feel "full" just by looking it 'em/

The first two rolls we had for the night all stood out, with abundant flavors that burst inside our mouths as they danced around. There were multiple layers of flavors, some were soft while some were sharp. Nevertheless, they all worked harmoniously giving that jolt of flavors.

First of the two rolls we had was the Scallop and Tuna Aburi Maki (P295). It was sheer goodness with velvety textures mixed with the creamy mayo on top. There was also sweetness in between from the drizzled sauce. 


The second was the Salmon Skin Aburi Maki (P280) which for me had sharper and bolder flavors from the skin of salmon. There was also some hint of smokiness giving it further goodness.


For hefty eater, or those that can’t go through the night without rice, I highly suggest the rice toppings/bowls. It was a bountiful dish. Similar with the rolls, there was a graceful pull and push of flavors. Definitely recommended!

We also had two of these. The first was the Pork and Squid Takoyaki (P385). It went beyond the traditional combination of flavors found in a takoyaki. There was some additional saltiness from the nori, and some creamy sweet and sour from the sauce. 


The next we had (which I personally prefer more over the first one) was the Salmon Aburi and Spicy Tuna (P385). Both the salmon and tuna were just slightly torched/cooked giving it the raw goodness I am very well fond of. The cheese and the sauce combined together perked up the dish even more, and the crunchy nori added a fun texture to it. Excellent! 

The Hanger Steak (P498) also deserves a mention with its succulent tenderness. Flavor might have been mild compared with the roll, but the experience was different altogether. But if you are working on a limited a budget, you can trade this for rolls. This is just my personal insight. I loved this dish, but I loved the rolls more.

Now, just because we couldn't get over the rolls we had, we still ordered some pahabol to satisfy our extraordinary cravings. For this, we had the Crowd Favorites (P595) which is basically a sampler of all the favorite rolls here in Ooma. There were 4 variants of rolls in this dish. Each of which had specific character, but all of them are excellent.

If you want to experience multitude of flavors in a single dish, you should definitely go with this. Perfect for family/barkada-sharing.


This marks the end of the experience. I know I accelerated a bit, but that's how things were at that time. We needed to catch our 8:00 PM schedule for our Breakout game, so we really needed to rush-eat a bit. Still, everyone had a wonderful time.

It was truly a magical experience to finally try out Ooma. Great food with great friends. What more can I ask? 

Ooma - Overall Ratings and Summary

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Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars. The ratings reflect my personal experiences on the times I dine here.
Place ★★★★★
Taste  ★★★★★
Service  ★★★★★
Value for Money ★★★★★
Budget: at least P500 each for a sharing type of dining experience for a group of at least 4
No. of visits for this particular restaurant/branch - 1 || Date of last visit - August 23, 2018

Ooma delivered its promises of bringing excitement to the palate. My dining experience here in this restaurant was nothing short from what I expected. It got all the right elements starting with its ambiance, to its dishes and even up to the service. There was really something remarkable about how coordinated all these were.

Staff were also very accommodating, and gave attention as we dine. In fact, our server offered us more of the sauce when he noticed us fighting over it. Now, that’s exceptional.

As suggestions, you may go for the Salmon Aburi and Spicy Tuna Rice Bowl, Salmon Skin Aburi Maki and Pork & Squid Takoyaki Rice Bowl.

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Ooma
Location: 3/F Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Makati City
Contact No.: (02) 576 8446

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