On our first road trip to Pampanga for this year, we decided to extend our ride and actually drive all the way to Tarlac! Spontaneity truly is a gorgeous thing and we are always up for it!

Anyway, when we were in Tarlac, we discovered how the food scene is also booming here. Seriously, everywhere we look, there is something new for us to try and you guys know how excited we get when it comes to trying new things, right? Well, you bet we devoured as many dishes as we could when we found ourselves dining in at Roppongi.

Roppongi is a popular Japanese restaurant here in Tarlac, and we just wish we had at least one in Manila! We promise you, our time with Roppongi was absolutely worthwhile. Believe it or not, Roppongi is an actual district in Japan that is not only known for its progressive development, but also for its tourist-friendly establishments. That said, Roppongi in Tarlac aims to bring that rich culture alongside a unique experience to their guests with their carefully curated modern Japanese selection that is housed in a beautifully designed, eye-catching space.

Since Roppongi is well-loved for their sushi, donburi, and sake, we made sure to start with one of their sushis and one of their appetizers! Their Volcano Sashimi (Php 350) which is a delicious plate of mixed tuna and salmon sashimi coated with their signature fire breath sauce topped with crispy tenkasu and fresh spring onions is definitely an easy favorite and is a must-try. While their Kani Crunch Salad (Php 225) that is actually a chef special made of crispy fried kani shreds with fresh cucumber and carrots served with goma-roasted sesame dressing, is such a refreshing bowl of goodness that we were glad to start with.

After finishing their Volcano Sashimi, we then moved onto their bestselling rolls. Their Ebi & Gyu (Php 410) which is their take on surf and turf as this one is actually made of hibachi style steak and shrimp tempura served with yakiniki glaze and ponzu sauce; their Roppongi Roll (Php 435) which is a house special that is a futomaki roll with crispy kani, fresh salmon and tuna, shrimp tempura, and fire breath mayo; as well as their Kani Aburi (Php 350) which is a serving of torched maki roll with their signature kani seafood mix are all luscious rolls that had us doing yummy noises in every mouthful.

From their rolls, we then reached for some of Roppongi’s ala carte and chef specials such as their Shrimp Tempura (4 Pieces Php 310 | 8 Pieces Php 590) which is a plate of crisp and light battered nobashi shrimp deep fried to golden perfection; their Steak Hibachi (Php 675) which is an exquisite plate of flat iron steak cooked teppan style then coated in a special steak sauce, and then served with potato crisp, shiitake mushrooms, and sweet potato puree; and their Salmon Belly (Php 355) which is a delectable serving of salmon belly that was barbecued and coated with their yakiniku sauce topped with sesame. We paired these three flavorful dishes with their Cho’s Chahan (Php 140) which made everything more satisfying as this is actually a bowl of Japanese style fried rice with ground meat, vegetables, and egg topped with tobiko roe. 

Honestly, at this point, we have already fallen in love with Roppongi, but of course, we just could not have enough and we just really wanted to make the most of our Tarlac trip, so don’t judge us for actually having more. We promise you, you will understand us better once you get your hands on some Roppongi goodness too!

With that, we made sure to snatch one of their donburis and a few of their ramens too. Their The Don Katsu (Php 250 | +Php 275 Katsu Melt) which is a bestseller, is a serving of tender and succulent crunchy pork loin cooked in a sweet soy-egg sauce finished with fresh chilies and leeks is such a filling dish; while their Spicy White Miso (Php 340) which has creamy and rich ramen broth with a kick of spice for that balanced umami taste as well as their Black Garlic (Php 340) which has a bittersweet umami broth specially made by their chef are two ramen choices we are happy we did not say pass on. 

Indeed, Roppongi knows how to more than just satisfy their diners’ cravings as they are not only big on flavor, but also on servings. In fact, if your mouth is watering for their rolls right now, then we suggest you grab a few of their Roppongi Trays and Sushi Boxes as these are now being offered all-year round. 

If you are in Tarlac but can’t physically dine in at the store, then do know that Roppongi is also available in Grab, foodpanda, Toktok, and Mangan. For more information, you can visit Roppongi’s Facebook and Instagram.