Dining with the stars

MANILA, Philippines - When you enter Zensho, a Japanese restaurant that has become a sort of a landmark on Tomas Morato, once you get past their teppanyaki tables, you’ll notice three corkboards brimming with pictures of people who have dined in this famed restaurant.

“A lot of celebrities and politicians dine here,” says Zensho’s owner May Acosta. “Even President Noynoy Aquino is a frequent customer. Sometimes, the customers would rather stay than go right away because we have a lot of celebrity customers.”

Their celebrity board features a host of celebrities that turns Zensho — a Japanese phrase meaning “all win, our victory” — into a playing field for politicians and showbiz personalities from different parties and giant studios. There’s Jean Garcia, Ai-Ai Delas Alas, Sarah Geronimo, Susan Enriquez, former Vice President Teofisto Guingona, and even singer Stephen Bishop. Sam Milby celebrated his birthday here, Zensho being his favorite restaurant. It’s enough to evoke a sense of wonder while you’re dining in Zensho, especially with the thought that a big celebrity might have sat where you are sitting. 

So what is it about Zensho that draws people back again and again? It’s the food, of course.

Zensho boasts all-authentic Japanese cuisine. From the fish to the soy sauce and crumbs used in certain recipes, everything is freshly flown in from Japan. The welcoming interiors, even with four teppanyaki tables and two tatami rooms (which you can reserve if you want the full Japanese dining experience), don’t feel cramped. Beaming receptionists in kimonos greet and lead you to your seat of choice. Right at the beginning, Zensho promises dining like no other.

Already in their 12th year, Zensho has nothing but good food and good memories to fuel more years ahead, serving not just celebrities but also everyone with an appetite for authentic Japanese food. Their main draw is the Eat All You Can promo that has been going on since its inception. Upon arrival, diners will be given a checklist for their prospective orders. Orders are cooked fresh, unlike other buffet-style eat-all-you-can promos, so you can be assured you’re having nothing but the best, well-cooked food. The enticing smell of food being cooked wafting in the air will be sure to whet your appetite.

With one of the chefs cooking up a storm in front of you at the teppanyaki table, its not easy not to control yourself from dipping into whatever’s simmering in front of you right away, just like when the cook is preparing Zensho’s special fried rice. Mixing portions of beef, pork, chicken and fried egg into a mound of rice cooked with Kikkoman sauce, along with an assortment of vegetables such as carrots and green pepper, you’ll probably ask for repeated servings to go with various dishes.

Another Zensho must try is their Australian tenderloin steak teppanyaki: thick cuts of meat that go well with the fried rice. Its juicy, savory flavor is like a party for your palate; it’ll haunt you for days and the only thing you can do is order it again and again.

Their sashimi has a mix of vibrantly colored crabsticks, tuna, blue marlin and pink salmon. Sushi and sashimi lovers can feast with Zensho’s eat-all-you-can option, where you get nothing but the best fish and genuine Japanese ingredients, all made by a Japanese-trained chef. Zensho’s oyster motoyaki is also a highlight of any meal, especially when dipped in their special sauce.

To cap it all off, customers are served with Zensho’s Japanese green tea, a concoction that smells like roasted rice and reminds you of rice fields during a bright summer day.

So the next time you have an overwhelming craving for authentic Japanese food, try Zensho and keep your eyes peeled for a celebrity dining nearby.