TURNING JAPANESE: NANBANTEI, GREENBELT =D

If Zaifu is our default restaurant in Rockwell, Hubby Sweet automatically gravitates towards Nanbantei everytime we're in Greenbelt! I don't mind since it was also one of our (meaning BFF Apes and me) favorite haunts when we were still single. Then again, I suppose it's not for everyone. I treated my other set of BFFs Marts and Myla there once for my birthday and their official verdict is that I paid too much for "street food". HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I suppose one could think of it that way. =) Still, when I introduced Nanbantei to the Hubby, it was a case of love-at-first-bite that has since turned into a lifelong love affair.

We usually start dinner with the complementary veggie sticks and their version of sate which they import all the way from Tokyo. I know because we went there once and they "ran out" and were serving the veggie sticks with wasabi mayo and it just wasn't the same. =( Side by side with the veggie sticks, we would order a plate of edamame. Hubby Sweet would only eat the "beans" inside and throw the pods away. I, on the other hand, would eat the beans and "skin" the pod as the skin tastes just as good as the beans. Sayang eh. Haha! =D It's a concept that the Hubby does not understand. =)

Nanbantei is all about yakitori. Japanese grilling. Since most, I think, is only seasoned with salt, I get the feeling the yumminess of the food in Nanbantei is intrinsic in the ingredients that they use.

One may choose to order ala carte (2 sticks per order), but we usually don't bother and order the Bestsellers platter instead. It's 21 sticks of the literal best sellers of the house. P770.00 per platter. It's good for 2 people (or even 3 if you order it with rice). I don't. Hubby Sweet does. Which means on a good night, he can finish everything on our plate, but when he's full, we usually take home 3-4 sticks. =D

They don't serve the entire plate in one blow. They usually serve stuff straight from the grill in sticks of three. These usually arrive first. Aspara Maki or asparagus wrapped with pork, and Poteto Maki (yes, poteto =D) which, as you can see, is potato wrapped with bacon. I suppose they cook more quickly than everything else.

Hubby Sweet devours his share immediately as they arrive, I suppose because he wants to eat them hot. I restrain myself and keep eating the edamame first because I usually reserve these first two and use them as "breaks" between the rest of the sticks which are mostly made of meat.

Now, these usually arrive next. Now, this is tricky. I think (=)) this is the Pork Garlic Yaki (really, just pork with garlic flavor) and Shisho Maki, pork with Shisho leaf.

Soon, my personal favorite....uh....Grilled Corn (hahaha) arrives. Now, Hubby Sweet seems to think the corn is not worth his while so--except for a few bites--I usually get to keep all three sticks for myself. YEY! ^_^ Along with the edamame and the veggie sticks, I use them as "breakers". I also sometimes eat them for dessert. How plebian. Haha. *Sheepish grin. =D*

These arrive soon after, but really, by this time, I'm beginning to fill-up. I end up eating it "tokenly" (is that even a real word?! haha). And since the Hubby is not a fan of "wet" chicken dishes, he usually just takes one stick of this as well. Negima. Chicken with long onion. It's good actually. Kinda teriyaki-tasting. Sana lang they serve it earlier than the rest.

Now, while the Hubby practically sniffs his way through the others, this one, he savors. =) We used to fight about who gets the extra stick. We have since learned to just place an extra order or two. Tebasaki. Chicken wings. =)

Yum. Yum. Yakitori heaven. ^_^

Now, I did not all of a sudden grow a talent for remembering foreign-sounding dish names. Haha. I confess. I'm cheating. I took a pick-up/delivery flier the last time we were there. And that's how I know. Haha. =D

Nanbantei is at Greenbelt 3. Near the cinemas. Next to the Ice Bar. Same row as Figaro. Go. =)