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Part One
WITH the
summer vacation officially on, no doubt Boracay Island
will be one of the favorite destinations.
On a
recent visit, we stumbled on two new restaurants that
are sure to excite the palates of this season’s crop of
bakasyonistas.
First
off, Hama is the latest venture owned by business
partners Juan Elizalde and Paolo Occhionero, both of
Aria and Café de Sol fame. With wunderkind chef Robby
Goco and partner Raymond Palmez as consultants, the
restaurant also relies on a veteran, chef Jimmy Cuenca,
who has trained under the most demanding chefs in
various prefectures in Japan.
Fresh
ingredients, sauces from scratch
Hama was a surprise. Before we even knew that Goco had an
inspiring hand in the creation of its menu, the
restaurant already wowed us with its distinctly savory
dishes, reasonable prices and generous servings. Part of
the secret must be the top quality and freshness of most
of its main ingredients, such as the seafood and
vegetables, and high-grade meats such as the steaks. No
doubt it can rival the best Japanese restaurants in
Manila.
Wunderkind.
Chef Robby Goco
is pleased with his own meal at Hama. Photo by Stella
Arnald o
So we
had really fat shrimps coated in the thinnest of batter,
which gave a perfect crisp and volume to the ebi
tempura. The salmon sashimi was a bright orange and of
the fleshiest cuts. The Wagyu Strip Steak was perfectly
tender and juicy. (I only objected to the sweet heavy
sauce—made from Italian vinegar and teriyaki sauce—which
smothered the meat. I suggested to chef Jimmy that the
sauce be served on the side next time. Another friend
suggested to Goco that maybe the diner should be asked
how he wanted his steak done, as he had received his
steak too well-done.)
Another
noteworthy aspect in the creation of each dish is that
most of the sauces or dressings are made from scratch.
Nothing comes from a bottle except the oil and basic
condiments of soy sauce and vinegar. So expect that the
mayonnaise it uses, for example, won’t be your garden
variety kewpie in the clear plastic-squeeze bottle that
most restaurants, even the high-end ones in Manila,
uses, but actually homemade with egg yolks, salad oil,
rice vinegar and salt.
 “I
would describe
Hama’s food as a combination of authentic Japanese cuisine and
some original dishes with a unique, modern twist,” said
Elizalde in an interview with the BusinessMirror. “It
should not be mistaken as a ‘fusion’ restaurant,
however, as we still use the basic ingredients found in
authentic Japanese cuisine even for our original dishes.
The
Hama
menu is designed for everybody who loves Japanese
cuisine and should appeal to a broad range of customers
with its varied menu selection. To be honest, all the
dishes on the menu are truly delicious, and I’m very
pleased with their outcome.”
We were,
too. One of my favorites was the Salmon Three-Ways
Salad, which was an interesting combination of
succulence (from the salmon meat), crunch (from the
crispy skin) and saltiness (from the salmon roe). It was
obviously another creation from the mischievous mind of
Goco, who strives to impart umami (the elusive fifth
taste) in the dishes he creates, be they Japanese,
Greek, or Mexican. (Goco is also the brains behind Cyma
and, in another lifetime, Tequila Joe’s.)
Of the
versatile Goco and his team, Elizalde said, “Jimmy is a
very knowledgeable chef in authentic Japanese cuisine
due to his extensive work experience abroad and locally
for Japanese expats. When Robby and Raymond were
developing the Hama menu, they tapped Jimmy’s experience
in creating many of the authentic Japanese dishes, but
also combined their talents together to create new
dishes with a slightly modern approach. This is why our
Hama menu has an interesting mix of both authentic Japanese
dishes and those with a unique and modern twist.”
Unfortunately, Elizalde doesn’t have any plans of
putting up a branch in the metropolis. “At this point,
the restaurant is still too new to make plans to expand
Hama outside of Boracay, but the intention is there.”
Now, that is certainly something to hope for.
***Hama
is located at Phase 2, D’Mall, Station 2, barangay
Balabag,
Boracay
Island. Call (036) 288-5978. The restaurant also accepts
take-out orders. |
