Irasshaimase! If you have passed by any Japanese restaurant before, I guess you may have already heard of this warm and welcoming greeting from a staff standing in front of their restaurant. Among all the Japanese restaurants in Bangkok, which ones are a must-try? In this week’s Panda Peeks, foodpanda will be taking you to one of the most popular Japanese restaurant chains, Ootoya.
The first and original branch of this Japanese home-cooking restaurant was opened in the year 2005 at J-Avenue Thonglor, which was then followed by branches in some of Bangkok’s major shopping malls. Ootoya focuses on providing its customers with the best Japanese dishes combined with friendly service.
As soon as you’re seated, a Green Tea drink will be served to you for free. You can choose whether to have it hot or cold. A hearty meal at Ootoya usually starts with a light salad dish. I would recommend trying out their Homemade Style Potato Salad, priced at only THB 69.
Ootoya’s must-try menu item is this Korean-Japanese fusion, called the Tofu Kimchi Soup, served in a hot bowl together with rice, soup, and a mini cup of steamed egg. The soup tastes a little bit sour and salty, which resembles a milder version of a real Kimchi. I usually stir this hot soup while pouring in the raw egg, which distributes the egg more evenly in the soup. Try it!
If you need something extra to satisfy your appetite, then you can go ahead and order another must-try on their menu. The Mini Rice with Charcoal Grilled Chicken and Sumiyaki Sauce served with Udon at THB 249 is really worth it. With this meal set, you’ll get to try both Udon served with their authentic Japanese soup and three charcoal-grilled chicken topped with a dark, sweet sauce. You can make your own choice whether to go Soba instead of Udon, and either have it hot or cold.
Don’t leave Ootoya without wrapping up your meal with a traditional Japanese dessert! The Warabi Mochi with Ice Cream is a good choice. The ice cream scoop is heaven for Green Tea lovers. If you don’t want to try Green Tea, they offer it in Vanilla, too. The sweet red beans and the sticky Mochi is perfect together!
This is my kind of a casual Japanese meal. What about you?
Ootoya Bangkok
Address: Ootoya J Avenue, Room B9, 2/F, J Avenue, 323/2 Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thonglor), Bangkok
Opening hours: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
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Writing is not a one way communication. I always keep this quote in my mind whenever I start to write, and that’s the reason why I’m so much in love with the world of writing. I’m Patsaya Pongpanich, a 22 year-old recent graduate from the Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University.
