I heard about a relative who tried out Kimpura one day and told hubby about the promo the restaurant currently has. All I can say is that they serve quality food but not enough reason to pay for its original price.
We went to the Kimpura Greenbelt branch on a weekday because the promo is not available over the weekends. You also cannot avail of the promo during government-declared and special holidays. An advanced reservation is required, so ensure you have booked before going.
The promo is available to Chinabank cardholders (see photo for the type of cards eligible). You must order a minimum of 5,000 PHP to get a 50% discount on the food bill, whether dine-in or take-out. Take note that the maximum discount you can get is up to 5,000 PHP.
Wagyu, Teppanyaki combination, and Teishoku and Bento Menu are not included in the discount. The promo started on October 24, 2022, and ends on November 11, 2022.
Early dinner at Kimpura
We entered Kimpura at 5:30 PM and found only a few tables occupied. The server led us to the table they reserved for us, which was near the entrance door. While we were checking out the Kimpura menu, a server gave us an appetizer.
The appetizer consisted of sweet anchovies, pickled radish, and some pickled vegetables (cucumber, carrots, and Chinese cabbage). Our toddler even tried the pickled radish, but he was not happy about its sour taste.
Ambience: 5 stars
Inside Kimpura, you will feel that Japanese vibe. They have that Japanese door, called shoji, that separates private rooms from the rest of the restaurant. The place uses yellowish light and has a very cool temperature so you can enjoy eating more.
Food: 4 stars, Price: 3 stars
The Aburi salmon maki arrived first, 20 minutes after we placed our orders. Inside every mat-rolled sushi rice are crab sticks, tobiko (flying fish roe), Tempura crunch, and Japanese mayonnaise.
On top of each roll is a generous serving of lightly torched salmon pieces with mayonnaise dressing. I loved how the crunchy Tempura flakes matched so well with the soft flaky salmon. On the other hand, the mayonnaise counters the saltiness of the dipping soy sauce.
Then came the Kani mango salad, which has kani (crabmeat), romaine lettuce, tomatoes, Japanese mayonnaise and sesame dressing. The pale mango cubes seemed sour, yet they were sweet.
If you love Kani mango salad, you should try out Kimpura’s. The chef even topped the salad with roasted seaweed strips, which added a smoky flavor overall. Usually, kani mango salads from other restos do not include tomatoes, but this one does.
Thankfully, the tomatoes did not affect the original flavor of the Kani mango salad. And another good thing about it is that tomatoes are rich in lycopene and vitamin C, which are good for us. So, we enjoyed munching on the refreshing Kani mango salad.
While we were mixing the salad, the Spider maki already arrived, so it was waiting for us as we indulged in the salad. Stuffed with soft-shell crab, ebiko (shrimp roe), cucumber, and lettuce with unagi sauce, the Spider maki is one of the restaurant’s best-selling sushi.
After dabbing wasabi into my Spider maki, I dipped it lightly into the soy sauce and stuffed it into my mouth. The mixture of everything bursts slowly with every bite. And as I get another roll, the Maguro Teppanyaki and Katsudon arrived.
I got a piece of the Maguro Teppanyaki (tuna) cube while it was still piping hot. I dipped it into the ponzu sauce, then put it in my mouth. The chef knows how to cook his tuna well because each piece melts into your mouth.
Grilled with ground garlic, onion and bell pepper slices, the Maguro Teppanyaki tastes best while hot. The tuna meat tasted great with or without its tangy dipping sauce. I liked it with a little bit of ponzu sauce and some rice.
We ordered a bowl of Katsudon for our son, but he did not like the pork cutlets that night. However, he liked the rice, even though it was not Japanese rice. I liked the Katsudon because it was very tasty.
Egg covered each piece of pork cutlet and was a little bit sweet. There were also slices of shiitake mushroom, leeks, and onion on the side. The combination of everything in the bowl makes up for a hearty meal.
Child-friendly: 4 stars
My son shrieked with delight upon seeing the Ebi Tempura arriving while he was busy eating his Katsudon. He immediately called me to give him a piece even though it was still hot. I had to blow that one piece for about 5 minutes so he could eat.
We were expecting a Tiger prawn with Kimpura’s Ebi Tempura. However, what we got was a large shrimp instead. Not that bad, and my son and hubby enjoyed them well. I am not a fan of tempura, so I don’t eat much when we order it.
Even though my son was very happy with the food on his plate, he immediately looked at me when he saw the plate of Tori Karaage. It indeed is one of his favorites (well, I think most children love chicken!).
And again, my toddler instructed me to blow his chicken so he could immediately eat them. Thankfully, hubby volunteered to cool the chicken for our son, otherwise, I would still be eating when everyone else is done1.
The server included a dipping sauce for the chicken karaage. It tasted like a tonkatsu sauce, which I think did not blend so well with the chicken. Kimpura used chicken lollipops for their karaage, which is great for children who like to hold their chicken with their hands.
I liked Tori Karaage because not only they were crunchy, the meat tasted like Japanese curry. And even though I don’t like Japanese curry sauce that much, it seems it is great when used as a seasoning for fried chicken.
Service: 4 stars
Finally, the Sukiyaki arrived. I saw it passed our table earlier. It seems that part of their service is to divide the soup into small bowls, so they divided the soup equally. Even so, the soup was hot when they arrived at our table.
Each bowl was presented beautifully, with the glass noodles below, and the meat and vegetables as toppings. Cooked in dashi, mirin, and soy sauce, the vegetables were not overcooked. The order even comes with 2 cups of rice, which is great for rice lovers!
I was impressed that the beef was very tender when I ate it a bit cold, given that I had to blow every food my son asks of me. The Chinese cabbage, water spinach, leeks, tofu, and shiitake mushroom were all very tasty after absorbing the soup base.
Since our son is still small, we were hesitant to let him eat raw eggs, so we asked them to separate them. Thankfully, my son also enjoyed the glass noodles from his sukiyaki bowl. He ate a lot that night!
We enjoyed the meal and even had takeout because we could not finish the food. We added another order of the Tori Karaage and Tori Teriyaki to meet the minimum amount on our food bill to be eligible for the discount.
Kimpura does not allow takeouts for the promo, however, you can order the food, and they will serve them at your table. When you can’t finish them, you can have the servers pack the leftovers.
Conclusion
I enjoyed almost all the food we ordered at Kimpura Greenbelt. However, if the promo is over, we might not go back as the original price is not affordable. While the serving sizes of every dish are okay, I still think their menu is a bit pricey.
I hope my Kimpura review has helped you decide whether to try their dishes or not. This is probably the best time to try it out, especially if you have the Chinabank credit cards shown in the photo at the top.
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