Botejyu SM City San Pablo for your Japanese Food Cravings.

In the past year and a half, so many new cafes, restaurants, and diners have popped up in my beloved hometown. My siblings and I would often say, "feeling Seoul ang San Pablo" (San Pablo feels like Seoul), because of the numerous coffee shops and (milk) tea houses that have mushroomed practically everywhere - from the city proper to the outskirts, even in the most far-flung barangays.

And that's a good thing, actually. These new cafes and restaurants are a sign that the food and beverage industry is slowly recovering from the COVID slump. In addition, San Pableños now have a plethora of food options all over the city. I'm thinking of visiting and trying out as many new and relatively new restaurants as I can, as part of my 'aspiration' to blog more often this year and share more quality content.

Botejyu, home of authentic Japanese cuisine.

First on the list is Botejyu, a world-renowned restaurant chain that originated from Osaka, Japan. The very first Botejyu restaurant was established in the city of Tamade in 1946, with okonomiyaki and okosoba as its specialties. Now on its 77th year in the industry, Botejyu boasts of 126 shops worldwide, 64 of which are in the Philippines.

One of those branches happen to be in SM City San Pablo, and I could not be more ecstatic! Finally, an authentic Japanese restaurant in the city to satisfy our ramen, katsu, and yakisoba cravings!

Botejyu finally made it to SM City San Pablo!

Botejyu SM City San Pablo held its grand opening last January 6 but it wasn't until last week that we finally had the chance to dine at the restaurant. And we had a good reason to indulge in some great food - Yue's grades went up this quarter and he retained his spot on the list of  students with high honors. That called for a celebration by all means!

Here's a glimpse of what we had at Botejyu.

First off, Chicken Karaage because Yue loves chicken, haha. This was the first thing he had in mind when I told him that we're going to the mall for some Japanese food. Crispy, golden, and perfectly seasoned... it's no surprise that Botejyu's karaage is the number one karaage in Japan.

Large Chicken Karaage, Php 520.

For his main course, Yue had the Pork Tonkatsu Cutlet with Egg Teishoku. The term 'teishoku' means set meal, and this one comes with a bowl of rice, some fresh side salad, a bowl of miso soup, and a small plate of kimchi.

Pork Tonkatsu Cutlet.

I tried a small piece of the Tonkatsu, and I'm impressed by how thick, tender, and flavorful the meat is. Yue absolutely loved it, being a huge fan of my homecooked tonkatsu, which of course, pales in comparison to this one.

Pork Tonkatsu Cutlet with Egg Teishoku, Php 415.

The rest of us had donburi, or rice bowls served with meat or fish, and vegetables.

Steakdon (Diced Beef Garlic Rice Bowl), Php 545.

Jaymee had Steakdon, and I could tell how delighted she was with surprisingly tender beef pieces. She was smiling from ear to ear after one bite! :)

Tendon (Tempura Rice Bowl), Php 325.

Our resident shrimp eater, Thomas, had the Tempura. He was pretty much impressed with the crispy and crunchy batter and the juicy, perfectly cooked prawns. 

Butadon (Grilled Pork Rice Bowl), Php 325.

As for me, I had the Butadon because I was in the mood for pork. The tender and flavorful meat and the slightly sweet and savory sauce make a perfect combination.

Of course, no gastronomic trip to Botejyu would be complete without a bowl of ramen. We had their bestseller, Pork Tonkotsu Ramen with Char Siu Pork, and omg, one sip of the creamy, (slightly) fatty broth was enough to blow me away. It's heaven in a bowl with the milky broth, springy noodles, and tender meat. Really, you have to try it to understand. 

Pork Tonkotsu Ramen with Char Siu Pork, Php 485.

The boys enjoyed their first Botejyu experience, and it seems there will a be second, third, fourth, and so on visit. The food may be a little bit on the pricey side, but trust me, you're paying for really good, authentic Japanese food. 

Two tables full and Php 3k worth of food.

Congrats to you two! 

Botejyu 

2F SM City San Pablo 

Brgy. San Rafael, San Pablo City, Laguna

(0917) 805 7234