Yakiniku Like – I heard about a new Japanese grill in SM Mall of Asia from my sister, so we decided to give try it. Turns out, Yakiniku Like will be one of our favorites because of its quality meat and being not too crowded.
And since it will launch its grand opening tomorrow, Yakiniku Like will have a promotional discount. Instead of paying 429 PHP for the Karubi Set 200g, you only need to pay 99 PHP to enjoy the set complete with rice, soup, and kimchi or salad!
However, if you plan to avail of the promo, you have to be there by 2 PM. The resto will only let the first 290 customers enjoy the discount. So, after you’ve had your breakfast, head straight to the 2nd floor of the Entertainment area to be one of the few to enjoy the promo!
Yakiniku Like Philippines soft opening
During the soft opening, we were able to eat twice at Yakiniku Like already. Isn’t it obvious how hooked we are at the new Japanese resto’s meat? We were amused by how generous and good the meat we ordered was, so I’m sure that we will be back again soon!
It was almost impossible to locate the resto when we tried it the first time because not many people were queueing even though it was during lunchtime. However, we wanted to see for ourselves if Yakiniku Like was one to tickle our tastebuds, so we immediately secured a seat to get our tummies happy.
We passed by a table that resembled restos in Japan as the server led us to our table. And the couch was definitely child-friendly as our son enjoyed sitting beside us and not choosing to sit on a high chair.
The server gave us a big Yakiniku Like menu along with a piece of paper with a QR code. She explained to us that we can place our order by scanning through the QR code once we have chosen our orders.
The resto also offered free WIFI just so you can order without using your phone’s data. The QR code will lead you to a website where you can tick your orders and check how much your bill is.
Your order will automatically be sent to the kitchen for the chef to prepare. Make sure to keep the paper with a QR code as you will need it when paying for your meal before exiting the resto. You can also add additional orders by scanning the code and repeating the steps for ordering.
If by any chance you lost your paper with the QR code, don’t worry, because you can just tell the cashier your table number to pay for your dining bill.
We decided to try Karubi Set 300g, 100g of Harami, 100g of Pork Jowl, and 100g of Misuji. We also ordered Like Cheesy Curry sauce because our toddler loves cheese. At first, we were afraid that the curry sauce might be spicy, but the server assured us that it wouldn’t burn our mouths.
Yakiniku Like sauce
After placing our order, we waited for a short while because there were not so many people eating. While waiting, I saw the sauces on the side of our table and decided to explore them. It had chopped chilis, chili sauce, original BBQ sauce, garlic soy sauce, spicy miso sauce, sea salt sauce, rock salt, and black pepper.
Among all the sauces, what we loved the most was the spicy miso sauce. A bit spicy and salty, the spicy miso sauce works perfectly on any meat type. It had a smoky flavor that will surely make you eat more meat!
Klook.comOn the other hand, our toddler loved the original BBQ sauce on his rice and meat. The BBQ sauce was a bit sweet and tasted like a teriyaki sauce and it appeals more to people with a sweet tooth.
The sea salt sauce tasted like sea salt, only it is liquid in form. It was a bit mild, so if you want to add a bit of flavor to your meat, you can dip your meat in sea salt sauce. The garlic soy sauce had a garlicky flavor compared to other soy sauces we have tried.
And since I love spicy things, I also tried the chili sauce and it added more spiciness to the spicy miso sauce.
Karubi set
The server delivered our orders and turned on the stove to start our Yakiniku Like experience. We were surprised by how generous the amount of meat was considering we only ordered a 100-gram of the other meat besides Karubi.
Our son was very excited to help out with cooking so he immediately got a cooking tong to help. One by one we tried each meat to find the difference between one another. The Karubi (boneless short rib) cut is very tender and juicy due to the marbling quality it has.
I dipped a piece into the spicy miso sauce and I knew I had to make another bite. The succulent meat absorbs the spicy miso sauce making it taste like the meat was marinated. And when eaten with kimchi, karubi is a meat cut that even kids will like.
The 300-gram Japanese rice was enough for us three so we need not order another bowl. Of course, we chose kimchi over the salad because I like the Korean side dish better. What I liked about Yakiniku Like’s kimchi is that it was sweet and mildly spicy.
It wasn’t sour so it seems that it wasn’t stored very long. The soup that came with the set was invigorating and helps remove the greasy flavor of the meat. It has nori sheets that you can enjoy along with every sip.
Harami 100g
Harami, or skirt steak, became one of our son’s favorites instantly after trying his first bite. The meat from the diaphragm area was not tough, so I didn’t have a hard time cutting it into smaller pieces.
And since harami has a bolder flavor than the other meat cuts, you can enjoy it even without much sauce. My toddler however loved it when dipped in the original BBQ sauce. He didn’t hesitate to eat it together with rice even for the second time around.
Misuji 100g
Found in the shoulder blades, Misuji is best enjoyed when the fat is burned during cooking. When you do, you allow the umami flavor to be released, thereby making the meat more flavorful. The thin slices of misuji made their way into our tummies very quickly!
I tried dipping the misuji meat slices into Like Cheesy Curry sauce and ate it together with a spoonful of rice. The creamy cheese and strong curry sauce coated every rice piece, making me want more.
Even though Japanese curry didn’t appeal so much to me, Like Cheesy Curry sauce was one I can try again in the future. It tasted great not only with misuji but with any other meat that we tried.
Pork jowl 100g
One of hubby’s favorite meat cuts is the Pork Jowl. The inexpensive pork cut comes from pig’s cheek and can be used to make many different types of viand. Usually, you can find it in a Philippine dish called sisig.
Thanks to its fat and meat layers, pork jowl can be enjoyed in yakiniku just like pork belly. We like it because not so much fat is found in each slice, and the meat is very tender. Now, we can enjoy the pork cut more often as not many restos offer pork jowl.
One thing you need to take note of when dining at Yakiniku Like is that it doesn’t offer service water. But you can purchase a 500-mL of bottled water for only 30 PHP. You can also order canned soft drinks or bottled juices for 80 PHP each.
Conclusion
All in all, we liked the quality meat that Yakiniku Like has to offer. The Karubi set was worth it and it will surely make you feel full because it even has a side dish and soup. So, if you want to try it out, make sure to visit Yakiniku Like on January 12 at 2 PM onwards to get the set for only 99 PHP!
I hope you found this post helpful if you are still in doubt about trying Yakiniku Like. What is your favorite meat cut on the menu? How about your favorite Yakiniku Like sauce? Share them in the comment box below!
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