CoCo Ichibanya's Lovable Curry Dishes in Robinsons Manila
It was during my trip in Hong Kong (particularly in Hysan Place) when I first saw CoCo Ichibanya. I really wanted to give it a try since I was experiencing deep cravings for curry, but unfortunately we was too early as they were just readying up. Sadly, I ended up trying a different restaurant, but I sworn to myself that I will eventually give it a try! Well, you are reading this now, which means I have finally got to try it!
CoCo Ichibanya in the Philippines
I no longer need to go to Hong Kong (or even Japan, since that's where this restaurant originated from), as CoCo Ichibanya finally arrived in our country. The best part is, we have one branch close to where I live. This is the branch found in Midtown Wing of Robinsons Place Manila.
Interior is quite similar with what I saw in Hong Kong. I believe they are very consistent as to the ambiance and overall branding. In fact, it was able to feel the authenticity of Japanese dining during my visit.
As heartbreaking it may seem, each time I recommend CoCo Ichibanya for our regular family dine outs, it always gets turned down. Apparently, not everyone in the family likes curry, so I always needed to be considerate. Since this is the case, I took the initiative to dine by myself just to finally try it. Hence, you are now reading the product of that initiative.
It's more than just curry
When I browsed over the prices, I noticed that dishes appear to be not exactly budget-friendly. I was determined to give it a try, so I didn't mind, but interestingly, once you order any of the curry dishes, you can avail side dishes for less -- very less! I actually got myself a soup, salad and ice cream for just a total of P100.
The soup of the day had this fresh & distinct garlicky-onion taste that is very heartwarming. Perfect for those into herby type of soup.
The house salad is also quite lovely. It was served chilled, and thus preserving the crisp and freshness of the veggies
The ice cream dessert is served perfectly chilled, preserving its ultimate creaminess. Although there was nothing special with the taste, something with the way it was served was special!
The Pork Cutlet & Vegetables Curry (P440) is extraordinarily tasty with its remarkable blend of spices. Surely a must-try!
A unique curry experience
The curry is highly comparable to that of Yabu as well as Nihonbashi Tei, but CoCo Ichibanya offers something even tastier due to the added diverse spice in the curry sauce itself. You can feel its 100% authenticity in every spoonful. Rice is of exquisite quality as well. It blends harmoniously with the sauce providing a velvety texture as you munch.
For each dish you order, you have to option to choose the level of spiciness. I chose "Hot", and it certainly is "to-die for"! The hotness simply enhances the tastiness of the entire dish. Excellent indeed!
CoCo Ichibanya - Overall Ratings and Summary
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 P450 each for a personal curry dish with soup and salad
No. of visits for this particular restaurant/branch - 1 || Date of last visit - June 3, 2017
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CoCo Ichibanya
Location: Ground Floor, Robinsons Midtown Wing, Pedro Gil corner Adriatico
Service Charge: 10% before VAT
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