Teriyaki Boy, Cebu
Teriyaki Boy
Baby’s teeth have been giving us problems again. Her two upper canine teeth just came out and we had an interchanging cocktail of fever, runny nose, dry cough, and soft stool. One thing that never goes away though is Baby’s appetite. Sick or not, she eats the same way (Ha!). So after she started feeling well, we decided to go out as a family. We spent the afternoon at the mall and let Baby ride her favorite rides at Timezone. Then for dinner, we went to eat at our favorite Japanese restaurant in Ayala Center, Teriyaki Boy.
Teriyaki Boy is obviously not a fine dining Japanese restaurant. It’s more on the casual side. You can’t exactly compare it to Ginza or Mizu, but if you need a quick Japanese fix then this is the place to go. The restaurants you can compare Teriyaki Boy are most definitely Rai Rai Ken, Tokyo Tokyo, Japengo, and Tempura.
Tempura Tuna Tartare (P138)
We were 4, including Baby and we paid P1,399, including all taxes. Not too bad for 9 dishes and 4 drinks. We started with the star of the meal, Tempura Tuna Tartare (P138). I call it the “star” because this is absolutely my favorite dish in Teriyaki Boy and I do not fail to order this every time. Furthermore, this is the dish that tilted Hubby from not liking Japanese food to liking it. So this is very special to me! The dish was as good as I remembered. Crispy fried tempura bits with small tuna cuts in a wasabi-mayo dressing. A little bit more oily than usual but still very delicious.
Firecracker Roll (P225)
The custard dip that came with the Firecracker Roll.
I wanted to order a roll for the table to share. Teriyaki Boy has a couple of interesting choices. The one we decided to get was the Fire Cracker Roll (P225). As you can imagine from the name, this was pleasantly hot. I have this thing for spicy food right now. This was just enough to my palate. It was served with a custard dip which was good. It’s a change from the usual soy sauce and wasabi dip, but I could see how this went well with the roll. But if you want really good rolls, try the ones at Red Kimono.
Agedashi Tofu (P95)
Dad ordered Agedashi Tofu (P95) and a Chashu Ramen (P150) for himself, but ended up sharing with Baby, and picked at our food choices as well. Agedashi Tofu at Teriyaki Boy is Dad’s favorite kind of tofu. Deep-fried bean curd in light soy sauce. This quickly became Baby’s favorite too and she ate 1 whole piece by herself.
Gyoza (P110)
Hubby’s choice was Gyoza. Gyoza (P110) is pork dumplings. It was good, very juicy. But not distinctive enough to set it apart from Gyozas in other restaurants.
Chashu Ramen Regular (P150)
Dad and Baby shared a Chashu Ramen/Pork Noodle Soup (P150/regular). I have to say the best ramen I’ve had in terms of presentation and taste are the ones in Rai Rai Ken. This one did not compare. It was rather bland and looked plain. In the end, I think Baby enjoyed it more than Dad, but then again, give her any kind of noodle and she’ll be contented with it.
Yakimeshi (P96)
Hubby and I each had a bowl of Yakimeshi (P96) or Japanese fried rice. This was alright, although it tasted a little burnt in some parts. Honestly, I’ve had much better Yakimeshi.
Ebi Tempura (P170)
After the appetizers came out, Dad wanted to eat Ebi Tempura (P170). I asked the waiter for an order of the 3-piece Tempura, so we could have one each. I ended up eating more breading than shrimp. When the tempura arrived at our table I could not help but notice how small the pieces were. I didn’t realize at that point that the shrimp were in fact more tiny than I thought and they were just wrapped with more breading than needed. Again, not a dish I was raving about today. If you want to good Ebi Tempura and that’s unlimited, try the lunch or dinner buffet at Mikado.
Teriyaki Boy Chicken (P195)
Finally for our last dish and in my opinion the most disappointing one, Teriyaki Chicken. I don’t know anyone who comes to Teriyaki Boy and does not order a teriyaki dish. But after this, I’m thinking I ‘m probably gonna be one of them and not order this anymore. What happened to this dish? Do they have a new chef? The chicken was grilled just fine. But the sauce was way too thick and way too sweet. All in all, it did not go well at all. And it’s a shame because I thought they served the best Teriyaki Chicken in town. For a second, I wished I could just wipe away the sauce and eat only the chicken.
Watermelon Shake (P130)
Dad and I each ordered a Watermelon Shake. I love watermelons as fruits. As a shake, I thought it was an acquired taste, but after sipping my drink for a couple of times, I started to like it. It was definitely refreshing and not too sweet. Hubby ordered bottomless iced tea while Baby had a bottled water, although she took sips from my watermelon shake. She liked it right away.
The final verdict? If this meal was a wrestling match, I feel as if the appetizers dominated the main dishes/noodles/rice hands-down. But I wouldn’t be quick to shut down this restaurant in my book yet, I think it still has potential. Let’s just hope the next time turns out better.
