We dined at Rosanjin last year and I liked the pretty Japanese decor. It makes me think of geishas walking down Japanese streets with Japanese umbrellas, amidst cherry blossom trees.
Anyway, Rosanjin is rolling out a new menu and I was so happy to have been invited to try them! Rosanjin’s new menu centers around Tobanyaki and Kaminabe.
Tobanyaki is a modern style teppanyaki and Kaminabe is a Japanese traditional hot pot that uses Japanese paper. I’ll show you more in a bit!
I was told that Rosanjin is the only place here in Manila that specializes in Tobanyaki and Kaminabe 
TOBANYAKI
Tobanyaki is the method of roasting something on a plate, that uses the radiation effect for even roasting. This way, the food doesn’t dry out while being cooked through. Food is cooked quickly and evenly, without burning. Meats cooked using this method are juicy and tender.
I was also told there are other advantages to Rosanjin’s Tobanyaki – it eliminates food odors and provides negative ions (these are good for you!).
We started out with the highlight of the Tobanyaki menu – the Australian Rib Steak (P380)! These are square pieces of Australian Rib Steak and Tofu. We also had the Chicken Cheesayaki (P280) and the Jumbo Scallop Butteryaki (P450).
We were first shown the raw dishes, beautifully arranged on the toban (this is what the tobanyaki cooking pot is called). The waiter then covers them and lights the fire for each of the dishes.
These dishes should be left undisturbed for 7-10 minutes (it really depends on what you order, but ours was around 7 minutes). The waiter can either remove the plate from the fire, or you can blow out the fire 
The Australian Rib Steak was tender and juicy, and affordable at only P380! It is served with 3 sauces – steak sauce, sour cream, and shapirian. I liked the sour cream sauce – it actually tastes like it has a bit of horseradish in it, but it’s not hot or spicy. The beef is really tender, with no tough parts at all! We took care not to overcook it and blew out the flame as soon as it reached our desired level of doneness 
We are used to having our beef steaks grilled, but having them cooked tobanyaki style is different and produces consistently juicy beef.
If you want some Wagyu, they have Wagyu Tenderloin Steak Kaminabe (P600), and Premium Wagyu Chuck Tender Steak (P1,200).
The Chicken Cheesayaki was a crowd favorite. It is flavored with demi-glace and cheese! There is salt and pepper on the side if you want to add more seasoning. My companion loved it as it is, but I prefer it just a tiny bit saltier.
The Jumbo Scallops are topped with Uni! Make sure not to overcook them, too. Jumbo Scallops AND Sea Urchin for only P450? That’s just amazingly affordable. The scallop was fresh and tastes like the sea (in a good way). The best way to eat it is to eat the entire scallop, toppings and all, in one bite!
KAMINABE
Kaminabe is cooking using Japanese paper as a pot. You’ll be amazed to see that the paper doesn’t burn! It’s just regular Japanese traditional paper.
Just in case you are wondering why it doesn’t burn, it’s because the paper burns at 300 degrees. But the soup inside the Kaminabe also absorbs some of the heat from the flame, so the temperature of the paper will not get any higher than 100 degrees as long as it still has some soup.
The advantages of cooking using Kaminabe is that the food will be healthier and taste more delicate because the paper will absorb any oils and scum from the food. There is also less clean up because the paper can just be thrown away after it’s been used. No messy cleanup! It’s actually quite eco-friendly.
Sukiyaki Kaminabe Regular Size (P350):
Seafood Kaminabe Regular Size (P400):
Shrimp Kaminabe Regular Size (P400):
Here they are, cooking:
The only thing holding the paper up is a wire basket, and as you can see, the paper doesn’t burn. Some people will have a fun time trying to figure out the magic behind it. 
The Sukiyaki Kaminabe was my favorite! It’s not as sweet as we are used to, the taste is authentic Japanese (the owner is Japanese) – light and sweet. It has some cabbage and glass noodles. I love the beef, too – I find it very tender. I will definitely come back for this! I can finish an entire order by myself 
The Seafood Kaminabe’s soup base is a shoyu sauce. The soup is light and delicately flavored. It has shrimp, scallop and buri (yellowtail or amberjack).
The Shrimp Kaminabe’s soup base has negimiso (curious about negi miso?). I like the soup because it is sweet, savory and shrimpy! It actually reminds me of a shrimp bisque. It’s not as thick as a bisque, but the concentrated shrimp flavor is there.
For dessert, we had the Green Tea Pudding (P150), which I really liked! The matcha flavor is not too strong (very light). It doesn’t taste grassy. It’s very light and not heavy at all, and it’s very refreshing! Even though it is not very creamy in the traditional dessert sense, I really like it and recommend it to anyone who loves light, delicate desserts. It is topped with red beans.
I also liked this Apple and Cheese Gyoza (P250) – it is apple and sweet cream cheese inside a fried gyoza wrapper, served with vanilla ice cream. If you love turon, I bet you’ll enjoy this, too!
SUMMARY
I haven’t heard of any other Japanese restaurant in Metro Manila that specializes in Tobanyaki or Kaminabe and is able to provide it at a reasonable price. It’s actually quite rare, as far as Japanese restaurants go.
Not only does Rosanjin offer Tobanyaki and Kaminabe at affordable prices, it is also very accessible, being located at SM Megamall. Give it a try if you are curious about Tobanyaki or Kaminabe!
Service is fast and friendly – the staff are knowledgeable about their menu and are eager to please.
ANNIVERSARY PROMO – ONE PESO CALIFORNIA ROLL!
Visit Rosanjin on Sept. 20 and get an order of California Roll for only P1.00, with an order of Kaminabe or Tobanyaki.
September 20(Sun) is our 1st Anniversary!We appreciate with all of our valued customers...We don't regret to effort to... Posted by Rosanjin Japanese Restaurant on Tuesday, September 15, 2015
