Arafu Cafe's authenticity has long intrigued me so when my friend
Sumi invited me for a lunch date, I was ecstatic.
Arafu Cafe is located at the 3rd floor of
SM North Edsa which made it a bit difficult to find for those who are not familiar with the mall like me. On the bright side, I guess being isolated from the other food joints offers the diners privacy and solace within its cozy atmosphere.
What sets
Arafu Cafe apart from
other Japanese restaurants is that it offers homestyle cooked meals. It's first store in
Bonifacio Global City was established to cater to Japanese expats who live alone and are yearning for home-cooked dishes. Soon, they also had local customers which suggested that they open another branch and this branch was this.
Upon stepping in, I already liked the place. The fine and smooth wooden fixtures that matches its floors gives a homey feel. The bright lighting makes it idea for reading and other working especially since thy have a
FREE fast and reliable WiFi.
Each table has a set of condiments.
Food
 |
| ♥ Dashimaki Tamago (160 php) |
Although I often see the
Dashimaki Tamago on Animes and Japanese TV shows and Films being placed on cute bento boxes, this is actually the first time I've tried one.
The
Tamago or Egg in I usually encounter in Japanese restaurants I've been to are offered in nigiri sushi form. I liked this more! It has a light custard-like texture and tastes of soy sauce and slightly sweet and savory taste of rice vinegar. It goes really well with the grated daikon radish.
Teppanyaki & Deep-Fried
 |
| ♥ Ebi Fry (388 php/3 pcs) |
I rarely order
Ebi Fry because I personally prefer the Ebi tempura over it. But upon trying this Eby Fry with a pinch of lime and Japanese mayonaise, I was literally enchanted by the perfect crunchiness of the golden brown panko breading and the softness of the prawns. This is so good that I'll gladly finish platters and platter of this!
Noodle
 |
| Yaki Udon (270 php) |
The
Yaki Udon is quite familiar to us already. It is stir-fried thick udon noodles topped with squid, pork bits, onions, cabbage,
katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes),
kizami shoga (pickled ginger) and fried egg. The bountiful ingredients gave the noodles a rich and savory flavor. I liked the texture of the noodles too.
TAWARA (Japanse Hamburg & Rice)
 |
| ♥ TAWARA Hamburg Steak with Teriyaki Sauce (320 php) |
The
TAWARA Hamburg Steak with Teriyaki Sauce is the superstar meal among our orders. Just looking at it makes my mouth water. It is served with string beans, corn, tomato slices and a refillable quality Japanese rice and clear broth soup. The hamburg patty is made from ground pork and beef meat. It has a heavenly soft and fine yet still chunky consistency. I really like their blend of teriyaki sauce which is neither too salty nor sweet.
 |
| Japanese Sauce and Demi-Glaze sauce |
We also got to try the
Japanese Sauce and
Demi-Glaze sauce. The Japanese Sauce is mildly salty with a savory broth flavor. On the otherhand, the Demi-Glaze is thick with a light sweetness and saltiness followed by a bitter aftertaste. I noticed that the more I had, the sweetness and saltiness becomes bolder and the bitterness disappears.
Drinks & Desserts
 |
| ♥ Ice Green Tea Latte (138 php) and Homemade Marble Cookie (80 php/6 pieces) |
The
Ice Green Tea Latte is the best matcha I have ever tried! The Homemade Marble Cookie are also as delicious!
Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Arafu Cafe is a comfort place for authentic homey and hearty Japanese Dishes. If only their branches are more accessible to me, I'd visit this often. The food and drinks here has definitely won over both my heart and my soul. I highly recommend this place! The Japanese owner is very hands-on with the shop operations to so the service is great.
| Arafu Cafe SM North Menu |
|
| Branches |
Bonifacio Global City
G/F South of Market Condominium, 11th Ave. cor. 25th St.,
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila
SM North Edsa
3/F SM City North EDSA, North Ave Sto. Cristo,
Quezon City, Metro Manila |
|
| Business Hours |
10am-9pm (mall hours) |
|
| Payment Options |
 Cash |
|
| Service Charge |
10% |
|
| Budget/Person |
400-800 |
|
| Free WiFi |
Yes |
|
| Unlocked Foursquare Perks |
None |
|
| Contact |
(02) 441-02-68 | (0908) 309-1983 |
|
| Other |
Facebook Fan Page |
|
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