Revamped John and Yoko - Modern Japanese Cuisine
John and Yoko is a "cosmopolitan" Japanese restaurant offering diverse (and almost fusion) cuisine. I first encountered JY back in probably 2008, and if my memory serves me right, it re-branded twice in its lifetime. And finally, with its latest re-branding, it seemed to got it right.
You may check out what John and Yoko looked like prior to this latest re-branding through this article: John and Yoko in 2015
Homey and adorable interior
With the latest set-up, John and Yoko seem to look like an inside of a doll house, especially with its pastel colors to go with the comfy wooden elements. Although there is a sense of home with the ambiance, there is no sufficient exclusivity in the air that will supposedly make it a good dating place.
Refined modern "Japanese" menu
Although it's sometime arguable whether the cuisine served is indeed Japanese, the current selection looks very decent and inviting as opposed to its previous selection (just before the re-branding). You'll find traditional Japanese favorites in the menu including sashimi, rolls, sukiyaki and donburis. However, you'll also encounter some contestable-as-Japanese items such as the paella and pizza. Anyway, let's start exploring 'em!
Salmon Carpaccio || P358
Arugula, shredded parmesan, truffle ponzu
Delicious and subtle truffle with a hint of Parmesan enough to make it slide gleefully in the buds. The sauce was lightly salty adding magic to the salmon! It may be expensive for the dish, but it's definitely good!
Cheesy Chicken Teriyaki || P278
Dynamite Roll || P328
The rolls of John and Yoki were above satisfactory in terms of taste and quality. Sure they are able to quench the cravings of some sushi, but I feel that they are mostly pricey
Shiritake Sukiyaki || P578
This dish has an abounding sweetness that may be too sweet for sukiyaki (depending on your preference). The soggy thin noodles also failed to level up the enjoyment ; hence, overall it was a bit of a lackluster.
Samurai All Meat Pizza || P348
This samurai all meat pizza failed to stand out, since it didn't pair up well with any of the other dishes we ordered. In short, we shouldn't have ordered this in the first place because the taste combination is not complimentary to the line up of dishes we had. It's difficult to assess if we liked this or not, so I'll just park this aside, and update this when I get the chance to.
Crispy Gyudon || P348
Gyu Yakinikudon || P348
The two variants of Gyudon possessed the expected taste -- sweet and savory. Now, while I wasn't able to try the Yakinikudon (because it was consumed by my friends in a blink of an eye), I would make a bet that the Crispy Gyudon is better. That's primary because the egg yolk brought out more goodness out of the beef with added "creaminess" in the texture.
Torikatsu Curry || P378
The Torikatsu Curry didn't fall short of expectations with its creamy curry sauce. It's also rightly spiced allowing to leave a memorable tang in the buds. However, if you are really looking for a different kind of katsu curry, then this may not do the trick. If you want, you can try Kenji Tei's (read more).
Chicken Karaage Paella || P558
This chicken paella had this rather bland appearance that seemed to affect the perception of the taste. However, this was natural since chicken in itself may be of weak taste and is highly dependent in other spices. Hence, for those who want a lightly flavored paella, this one will definitely suit you.
Chicken and Shrimp Japanese Paella || P598
Having a richer flavor coming from the infused seafood essence, this paella was more remarkable. compared to the Chicken Karaage. The toppings were also more generous, and the way it was neatly presented added more appeal to the dish.
John and Yoko - Overall Ratings and Summary
Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars. The ratings apply solely to this dining experience.
Place ★★★★☆
Taste ★★★☆
Service ★★★★
Value for Money ★★★☆
Budget: at least P400 each for a moderate dining experience for a group of at least 4
With the latest revamp of John and Yoko, the dishes seemed to be more interesting in term of their quality, appeal and taste. The ambiance is highly conducive for a comfy casual dining experience. On the other hand, the service may not be as superb, but they still attend to your needs when you call their attention. Overall, I think John and Yoko is a good restaurant to "explore"!
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John and Yoko
Location: 2/F Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati City
Operating Hours: 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM daily
Service Charge: 10% before VAT
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