Vlad Bunoan

Watami elevates everyday Japanese dining with fresh menu revamp

Article (news)

Leah C. Salterio

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773741235700Chef Masaaki Ishikawa - Executive Chef of Watami (2).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Masaaki Ishikawa, executive chef of Watami. Handout</div>Watami, the 26-branch strong Japanese restaurant of The Bistro Group, has introduced a revamped menu aimed at elevating everyday Japanese dining, combining updated presentations and flavors with its signature focus on authenticity.At the center of its fresh look is a menu that reimagines familiar flavors — showing how everyday Japanese can be both elevated and approachable without losing its roots.Through a strategic evolution of its brand identity integrating a whole new approach of its dining experience, Watami transforms into an elevated destination for authentic Japanese food crafted thoughtfully by its chef for more than a decade, Masaaki Ishikawa, who has been with the Japanese restaurant since its inception in Manila in 2012.“Even if it’s a franchise brand, we want to make sure the authenticity of the food is there. What better way to have somebody who is really a Japanese chef. Chef Ishikawa started as our consultant then he became full-time,” said The Bistro Group chief marketing officer Lisa Ronquillo-Along.“We have not changed our core classics like the aburi, sushi, sashimi – they are also bestsellers. We elevated the way we presented so we made sure we are relevant, more contemporary, more Instagramable instead of being the old, traditional way so that’s how they experience the brand, the taste and the look.”<div> </div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773741291098Everyday Japanese at Watami.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Everyday Japanese at Watami. Handout</div>Along also noted an evolution in the dining age group. “The Gen Z and the younger millennials, they go out to dine and they spend on dining,” she said. “Unlike before when they spent on gadgets and scrimp on food. Now, the food experience is important to them. They hardly mind if the bill is expensive.“The younger generation is driving the dining segment now. The dining experience is also important to them, not just quality. We don’t want to not be relevant to this market. We have our core, but we have them also around, day to day, not just on seasonal occasion.” Marrying the look and the taste in creating Japanese dishes for Watami is important for Ichikawa. “We cannot change the Japanese standard taste,” said the chef. “Taste is important. We need to adapt the Japanese taste to the Philippine market.“Japan has four seasons (summer, winter, spring, fall),” he noted “We need to adapt to that. Every quarter, we change something in our menu.” Watami promises premium Japanese excellence that isn’t merely reserved for only special occasions. It is authentic, nourishing and seamlessly fits into modern, urban lifestyle.Four of Watami’s signature dishes were recently reintroduced and each dish truly represents what Watami or everyday Japanese truly means.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773741361519Pork Cutlet with refilable cabbage, rice and miso soup.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Pork cutlet with refillable cabbage, rice and miso soup. Handout</div>Watami’s katsu offers the golden standard at the heart of everyday Japanese comfort – crispy, warm and deeply satisfying with a golden crunch, tender and juicy on the inside with Watami’s consistency, quality and comfort to keep diners coming back.The dining introduces its new, interactive experience with its new katsu sauce for each guest that includes grinding of the sesame seeds and mixing of the two liquid sauces.The dish is about aroma, sound and experience. The steam rises as flavors come together, and more than a meal, it’s a simple indulgence that tastes like homeThe stone pot, meanwhile, is a sizzling symphony of flavors as it hits the high-heat iron plate and transforms a familiar favorite into a small, daily celebration.<div> </div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177374439514400.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Salmon Taco Aburi and Tonkotsu Chashu Ramen. Handout</div>The salmon taco aburi is a dish that combines Japanese precision with playful innovation – fresh salmon light with torch or aburi flame sear, for that smokey finish with natural richness, balanced flavors and texture. Finally, the ultimate experience of everyday Japanese is not complete without a bowl of ramen, where refined technique meets the soul of a traditional kitchen shaped by rich preparation, comfort that lingers long after the last sip. The ramen reflects balance and depth of flavor without over-longing heaviness.The broth for the ramen is something that Ishikawa is so proud about. “It takes two days to boil,” the chef said. “The preparation takes a lot of time. It is cooked with gelatin that’s why it is very creamy and oily. We prepare it to Japanese standard.”Along emphasized that maintaining authenticity remains central to Watami’s approach, even as it updates presentation and sourcing. “We continue to evolve on how it is presented, the look, even the ingredients like sourcing for a more premium kind of salmon than using a frozen one,” she said. “When you say salmon, there are many kinds of variety. Some (restaurants) use frozen that are cheaper.“We are very careful with freshness. Everything is sourced locally even if they are imported. We don’t import directly, but we use suppliers that import for us. The authenticity, we don’t change, but we continue to evolve with how the dish is presented.“We also don’t change the ingredients. Sourcing for a more premium kind of salmon than frozen ones. There are many kinds of variety. We are very careful with the freshness.”With branches in Cebu and Bacolod, Watami recently opened at NAIA 3 and the restaurant is proud to be associated with The Bistro Group chain of restaurants. “We build on each other’s strength,” said Along. “So the branches pull brands together, like young brands can be helped by older brands. The brand association helps.” Along revealed that 30 more restaurants of The Bistro Group are slated to open this year nationwide. “We are aggressive because the market has also been responsive,” she said. “We wouldn’t grow as aggressive if the market has not been receptive.&quot;

From torch-seared aburi to slow-simmered ramen, Watami is reimagining everyday Japanese dining with a new menu that brings a more elevated, contemporary edge to its well-loved classics.

From torch-seared aburi to slow-simmered ramen, Watami is reimagining everyday Japanese dining with a new menu that brings a more elevated, contemporary edge to its well-loved classics.