Here’s another restaurant to add to your must-try list when visiting Tagaytay: Aozora Japanese Restaurant. Aozora literally means “Blue Sky” in Japanese. It refers to the food quality served in Aozora: “the place where your taste meets the sky.”
Aozora is notable because it’s the first Japanese restaurant established in Tagaytay. At the time of our visit, they have 2 branches in this city.
I went here along with fellow bloggers from South Bloggers community. This was our dinner location after a tour in Imus, Cavite.
Location and Ambiance
The interior of Aozora is similar to a traditional Japanese izakaya (an eatery for after-work dining). It’s simple with wooden table setups. There’s a mezzanine area ideal for large groups. There’s also outdoor setting if you want to enjoy your food with the chill weather of Tagaytay.
Food
Aozora serves authentic Japanese food, but some of their dishes are also catered to the Filipino taste.
We started with their a Kani Salad (P310). It has organic greens and fresh & fried crabsticks, served with wasabi mayo and sesame dressing. What I like about it is it’s rich in textures and it’s not nakakaumay.
For the mains, we had Dragon Maki (P385). It has ebi temoura or shrimp. I’d like to give it plus points for the presentation. Moreover, it may look overloaded (which is something I don’t like in maki rolls) but taste-wise it has a nice balance of flavors.
We also had Aozora Ramen (P350) which is a bulalo-inspired ramen. The soup was very flavorful, the beef was fork-tender, and the occasional bits of corn add texture. Seeing as this restaurant is locaetd in Tagaytay, this is a must-order dish.
If you’re looking for other ramens available, Aozora also has a new offering called Spicy Curry Ramen (P350). I wasn’t able to see how this tastes like, but my fellow bloggers say it oozes with spices.
For those who can’t get enough without having a plate of rice, there’s Aozora Fried Rice (P350). It uses authentic Japanese sticky rice mixed with veggies. I love that it’s very tasty so you can have it without ulam.
Lastly, we had Mixed Seafood Teppanyaki (P550). It has shrimp, salmon, tuna, and squid in a sweet sauce. I love the salmon in particular. This is a perfect dish to go along with the fried rice.
Overall, we had a satisfying dinner here at Aozora Japanese Restaurant. I don’t think we ordered a dish that I didn’t like. I’m a fan of Japanese food so I’d like to go back here to taste their other Japanese offerings especially the sushi variants.
About Aozora Japanese Restaurant
Suggested budget: P1000 for 2 people
Opening hours:
- Monday to Friday: 9AM to 9PM
- Saturday to Sunday: 9AM to 10PM
Contact: Facebook
Disclaimer: Thanks to my South Bloggers fam for organizing this visit and Aozora Japanese Restaurant for feeding us! As always, thoughts and opinions are my own.
Have you been to Aozora Japanese Restaurant? What other restaurants in Tagaytay would you recommend? Let us know in the comments below!
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