5th Taste: Modern Japanese Cuisine

Located along P. Guevarra Street (above Tama Yaki), 5th Taste is a restaurant that gives its diners a new way of experiencing traditional Japanese dishes.

Deconstructed Miso Soup (P98)
Miso broth, silken tofu, pork floss, and leeks

For starters, instead of serving miso soup in a plain white bowl, 5th Taste brings it by the pot and with a small, but hugely significant addition, pork floss. We were all surprised that the pork floss brought out a lot of flavor and texture to the already well loved dish. It makes it less boring, in a sense. The presentation is not to be ignored, of course. I'd definitely order this again.

Smoked Mackerel Maki (P150)
Smoked mackerel flakes, mango

Aside from the usual california maki, 5th Taste has created their own take on japanese rolls. Their Smoked Mackerel Maki is a perfect example of their being a modern Japanese restaurant. Not a lot of places go out and risk creating their own versions of popular dishes, so I commend them for this.

Kani Salad Pizza (P225)
Crispy thin crust peppered with shredded kani, cucumber, carrot ribbons, mozarella, and Japanese mayo

A light and crunchy kind of pizza, perfect as a snack. This was one of the favorites that night. They serve it with chili powder and shredded nori on the side. It's also a good way to get kids to eat cucumber and carrots. Haha!

Mussels Tempura (P150)
Lightly battered mussels with wasabi mayo and sweet eel dressing duo

It was my first time trying something like this and I really liked it. The mussels wasn't malansa, and unlike most shrimp tempuras, you won't end up with 80% batter in your mouth.

5th Taste Cheesesteak Sandwich (P200)

Stir-fried beef sukiyaki and mozzarella cheese on ciabatta bread, served with fries on the side

A twist on philly cheesesteaks. Different beef, different bread, but idea's the same.

Crispy Chicken Curry (P220)
Lightly crisped chicken and Omurice

If you're craving for curry, try this. You can either have the chicken crunchy or dipped in the sauce with omurice. A pretty heavy dish compared to everything else we got to try. 

Like their other dishes though, this one's good for sharing as well.

Jalapeño Cream Cheese Onion Tonkatsu (P325)
Soft pork cutlet with crispy coating and jalapeño cream cheese and onion filling, served with Japanese slaw

Yabu, is that you? I loved this one! Stuffed with jalapeno cream cheese instead of mozzarella cheese so it has a bit of punch to it, not that I'm complaining. The roasted sesame sauce is A+! Did I mention I love this dish?

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5th Taste is located at 2/F 453 P. Guevarra Street, San Juan City.
Opening hours: 11:00AM - 11:00PM | Call (02) 705-1856 for reservations

Don't forget to check out their milk tea and takoyaki offerings at Tama Yaki while you're there!