The tempura chain that originated in Japan but blew up in popularity in Singapore is known for their stripped-down menu, exclusively serving tendon and tendon sets with udon. The chain opened up in the Philippines less than a year ago, with the same dedicated approach to tempura—offering the signature sauces, following the same frying techniques, and sharing in the focus on fresh ingredients, as the local chain was trained by the chain’s chefs abroad. However, the very same chefs did one thing different: the extended the menu.
The Philippines is the only Tendon Kohaku chain that offers an ala carte/sides menu and a sushi roll menu, in response to the Filipino tradition of sharing food, or as we call it, “eating family-style.” The extended menu items were designed by the same Japanese chefs who trained the local kitchen, ensuring that the standards ran parallel with their branches in other countries.
And while we thoroughly enjoyed the tendon (especially the seasonal Ocean Gems Tendon), we couldn’t help being pleasantly surprised by this menu item:
Pork Kimchi Cheese Omelet
It’s certainly anything but traditional, but the Pork Kimchi Cheese Omelet won us over with its dripping-gooey cheese layer that coats the thin pork slices, drenched in a hot kimchi sauce. While you shouldn’t dig into a sizzling plate right away to prevent burning your tongue (a lesson we often have to relearn when hunger trumps logic, amirite), don’t let it get too cool either as the cheese will clump together and it will lose the magical stringiness that makes us love this dish.
Tendon Kohaku
A restaurant chain from Japan that specializes in tempura bowls, or tendon.
