At my friend, Janjan’s recommendation, I traveled almost 15 kilometers to try out Salon-O.  I was iffy, at first because my hair is curly/wavy, and my personal experience is that very few people know how to cut curly/wavy hair properly.  When the hairdresser does not know what he/she is doing my hair misbehaves afterward by getting split ends, becoming stringy, etc.

The Salon

This is what Salon-O looks like from the outside.  The right side, starting from the doors, is the reception area, on the left is where the magic happens.  At the back of the salon is the shampooing station.  The main color scheme of the salon is black and white – the chairs are black and everything else is white, except for the products.  They do not have their own parking spaces but street parking is allowed.  We were able to park right in front of the store.

Hair assessment

After the initial “hi and hello” and a little “getting to know you” Ms. O (as Ms. Olive is often referred to) sat me down on a station and assessed my hair.

Uncontrollable curls, dry ends (but thankfully no split ends), uneven color, gray strands scattered here and there … oh, the horror!  Hence, my often pulling my hair into a bun (to hide my shame, j/k!)

Verdict, I need …

1. coverage to hide the random gray hair.
2. treatment to put moisture back into my hair.
3. color, to even out my hair color.  Ms. O chose a natural brown for me to match my roots.
4. hairstyling to make my hair more manageable.

Disposables

Before any of the treatments were started I was provided with a couple of disposable items – a plastic smock that is worn over your clothes and under their standard smock, and a face shield that is attached to your forehead after they wipe any sweat or oil off your forehead first.   A minimal fee of ₱50 is charged for these items.

These items are provided in an effort to comply with the minimum requirement of the IATF to minimize the possibility of spreading illness (like COVID-19).  If the client does not want to pay for these items they can just go ahead and wear the one that they brought themselves, but it might get in the way of the haircut as most face shields are attached to glasses frames and hooked over the ears.

Service

As with most hair treatments, it starts with a shampoo which I find very relaxing.  Ms. O. did my gray coverage herself. My random gray hairs were not completely covered but most of them were, which was good enough for me.

Afterward, I was put in the very capable hands of their resident hairstylist, Fernan. A snip here, a snip there, several inches of my hair fell to the ground by my feet.  He did a wonderful job cutting my hair!  No wonder so many of their clients ask for him specifically.  I am happy to find another hairstylist who knows what to do with curly hair aside from telling me to have it rebonded or straightened.

The entire process – from assessment, gray coverage, treatment, color, to final blow dry – only took a couple of hours.  This is what my hair looked like after all that.

Transformation

I thought the transformation was amazing! Definitely a big improvement for me.  In addition, it is very easy to maintain with an ionic brush.  Blow drying my hair has always been hit and miss for me, especially when my hair was extra-long.  Purchasing an ionic brush was one of my best hair care purchases.

Thank you, Ms. O and Sir Fernan, for my new ‘do.  Salon-O is owned by Ms. Olive Akatsu, a Filipino entrepreneur who is married to a Japanese national.

Their rates are competitive with other salons.  A haircut, their most basic service costs ₱400.  Just like other salons they also offer mani-pedi, color, hair straightening, rebond, curl, styling, microblading (for shaping your eyebrows), and makeup.

Here are their rates for your reference:

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I entered Salon-O feeling okay and exited feeling awesome (or should I say, O-some!)  You should get a chance to feel that way, too.

Follow Salon-O on Facebook and Instagram and their website.  Send them a message, they are highly responsive!  In addition, they have ongoing promos you may want to avail of.

Salon-O is located on Padre Faura just a block away from Roxas Boulevard.

Then look no further! Hackensack is now open. Located at Devour Food Hub on E. Rodriguez. It’s a 50’s US-style diner. You can eat burgers, hotdogs and yes, there is apple pie.

I had a 50’s style cheeseburger while my sister had the deluxe cheeseburger. It’s interesting because the difference between the two is barely noticeable but it is definitely there! The buffalo wings definitely had a kick to it. We also had fries and of course, root beer floats.

Visit Hackensack at 1216 E Rodriguez Sr. Ave, New Manila, Quezon City, Metro ManilaQuezon City, Philippines. You can call 0926 066 7828 for inquiries.

Yakikai is located just off Tomas Morato. If your thinking that it looks like a home rather than a restaurant, that’s the feel you also get when you walk in. It felt like I had walked into a home prepared for a large buffet party, with a Korean/Japanese theme.

Among the things I loved about Yakikai:

• It’s very bright. This is a family restaurant. I would be very comfortable bringing my entire family over to come and eat at Yakikai.
• It’s very clean. Very important when you are eating out.
• The owner, Sam, was very hands-on. She’s a wonderful host. She made sure that we had everything we needed and made sure we were comfortable.
• The buffet – most grill restaurants don’t have a buffet. Yakikai had a fair selection and it tasted delicious to me.
• I walked out without smelling like the food we cooked. The excellent ventilation is an absolute plus in my book.
• Ebi tempura – no restaurant that says they have Japanese food is good in my books unless they have Ebi tempura. But that’s just me
• The price is fair. You get the unlimited meat to grill + the buffet. That’s a lot!

Yakikai is currently open daily from 4 PM to 2 AM. Their address is 122 Scout Dr. Lazcano Street, Sacred Heart, Quezon City. You can call 02 82469069 ext:634

This restaurant was easy for me to find for these reasons:

1. I live nearby
2. this used to be Bagoong Club which I once frequented
3. it is a stone’s throw away from my favorite Starbucks branch, the Starbucks Reserve Legacy Store on Tomas Morato.

For people with cars, if you arrive early enough you can park right in front of Yakikai, otherwise, your next available parking will be on Tomas Morato.  Not to worry, though, as Tomas Morato is a very short distance from the restaurant … very walkable.

The first time I heard about Yakikai I couldn’t help but wonder if this was going to be any different from other samgyupsal restaurants I have visited in the past.  While there are definitely similarities, the owner, Ms. Sam, introduced us to some features that make this restaurant stand out.  FYI, Ms. Sam used to be the owner of Sodam, a samgyupsal restaurant in Greenhills, which she has since sold before she opened this place.

Dining Area

Since I have been to this building before when it was a different restaurant I was interested to note if they changed anything about its appearance or layout.  So far, they have made the dining area brighter and, of course, there is the addition of the ventilation pipes for the hoods over each table.

There are three dining areas on the ground floor: the main area near the buffet which can seat approximately 24 or more people, another one just to the right of the main dining area which can comfortably seat 30 people, and an outdoor seating area at the lanai which can comfortably seat another 24 people.

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On the second floor, there are two rooms.  The room on the right could possibly seat around 20 people while the room on the left could possibly seat 50 people.  This set up makes Yakikai ideal for big groups.  While their Zomato page says they do not take table bookings, I think they do take reservations for special events.

Restrooms

It is important to note that there are two gender-neutral restrooms, one on each floor.  This is a carryover from Bagoong Club.  However, I wish they could maintain it better.  One tip I would possibly give them is to have one of their staff check the restrooms every 30 minutes or every hour to make sure it is still clean (and not stinky) and clean it when necessary.

The Menu

As with other restaurants they have an ala carte menu and an “eat all you can” menu.  In this review, I will focus on the latter because this is the menu that they really want to push.  That is my gorgeous sister holding up the menu for me.

They only have 2 sets to choose from.  The premium set and the emperor set.

Premium Set

The first is the PREMIUM SET.  This was originally priced at P499 but, at the moment is available for P339.  Unlike other restaurants, this package is composed of chicken, pork, beef, and shrimp, cheese, plus the buffet!  Talk about value for money.

The meat selection is basically the same as what you would find in every other samgyupsal place but the addition of the shrimp and cheese (which is a mix of cheddar and mozzarella cheese) at no extra cost brings them up a notch.  I even noticed that there was one table that ordered just the fresh shrimp!  That was so smart!  I should do that next time.

Emperor Set

The second set is called the EMPEROR SET and is, of course, the one they highly recommend.  Originally priced at P699, it is currently available for P599.  The emperor set is composed of chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, fish, Jjampong nabe soup, and cheese!  Specifically, what makes the emperor set are the following:

• salmon sashimi
• chuck eye steak
• shrimp tempura
• and Jjampong Nabe

When cooking any kind of meat (and steak especially) it is important to know when to stop cooking it so that the meat is still edible.  When it comes to the steak which compared to the other meats served is thick, cooking it too long will make the steak hard and dry.  Your goal should always be medium.  Some like it medium-rare, others medium-well.

We asked Ms. Sam if they served tuna sashimi aside from salmon sashimi and she said that they don’t serve tuna as it spoils faster so if it is not consumed quickly they end up throwing it away.  Salmon, on the other hand, handles better and lasts longer.  I love salmon anyway so this was no hardship for me.

The Jjampong Nabe might be removed from the menu as they have received feedback that many patrons find it too spicy.  They are still thinking about what to replace it with if they decide to remove it.  Any suggestions?

Buffet

Both the premium and emperor set comes with the buffet which is self-service and you can go back as often as you want and get as much as you want.

At first, it would appear as though the buffet offerings are limited, but as each dish is emptied, it is replaced with a different dish (if similar) dish, which makes for an almost limitless buffet.

In this photo here you can see that the options have already changed.  The dishes that I kept going back for are the shredded sweet Japanese corn and the japchae.  For those who do not know, japchae is a Korean noodle dish made with vermicelli noodles with vegetables and beef tossed in.

Sushi options at the buffet

On the far left of the buffet is a selection of different kinds of sushi from the all-time favorite California Maki to salmon, shrimp, and tamago (egg) variations. At the window above the buffet are the chefs who were busy preparing refills of all the dishes in the buffet.

I am very keen on anything spicy I sampled the spicy tuna.  The sushi tasted as expected, which is a good thing.   I had a few pieces of spicy tuna and tamago sushi.

Is “buffet only” an option?

We asked Ms. Sam if it were possible for guests to order just the buffet and no grilling and she said no.  When I think about it, though, that really isn’t too bad since the price of their premium set is not really that expensive.

Dessert and drinks

For dessert, you can ask for any of the Korean ice cream available from the freezer at an additional cost (they are not part of the package).  Same with the drinks, the packages only come with water but you can order soda or juices from the menu at an additional cost.

Eat-All-You-Can

I ate all I could and there were still so many dishes that I was not able to taste.  A tip to beginners, make sure you are hungry when you go here because I promise you, there is almost no waiting time between sitting at your table and eating.  While they set up your table you could already start on the buffet.

Located on Sct. Castor, just off Tomas Morato, Prime Samgyupsal looks like a regular house on a quiet street. I’d almost call it a hole in the wall because you might not find it unless someone told you about it or you stumbled on it by accident. You have to climb a short, steep staircase before you enter a space that feels just right for hanging out with friends.

I would say the flavor is Korean-inspired rather than true Korean taste but unless you are picky, that won’t stop you from enjoying what Prime Samgyupsal offers. You can choose from the unli options or go a la carte but know that 1 table must choose the same unli option since there is a no sharing rule.

What I loved about the place: I would be comfortable going there and eating alone. Sometimes, we need to de-stress. There are tables just right for 1 or 2 people. So if you have a craving but no one to drag along or if you just want to be alone, Prime Samgyupsal is a good choice. It’s unlimited meat. ’nuff said, right?!

They offer unlimited sausages. Something a little different on the table. It’s good pica food while chatting over soju or beer.

There is no feeling of being rushed to leave. We had a leisurely, heavy, extended lunch. The staff was accommodating and friendly. We just naturally stood up because our tummies were super stuffed already and we had other things to attend to.

Expecting a Korean grill place, I was surprised by the Japanese name and exterior decorations. I asked and found out that the name of the restaurant is a play on the name of shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. He had the Golden Pavilion built.

The restaurant is located at the corner of Tomas Morato and Scout Fernandez. It is highly accessible. Parking availability depends on time but is free.

Yoshi-Meat-Su has the unlimited meat concept we love but is a fusion of Japanese (Yakiniku) and Korean (bbq grill) food. This is perfect for someone like me who enjoys Korean bbq and LOVES Ebi Tempura (as my sister can attest)! Yes, the Ebi tempura is unlimited too!

The drinks were good too! We tried all the flavors of Lick Iced Tea they had. Then we tried the Japanese and Korean shochu.  It was fun trying to identify the differences in taste and impact.

Overall rating of the place: 4 of 5 stars.

Things I love about Yoshi-Meat-Su:

• Fair price with unlimited dishes and not just meat.
• More choices. I love the Ebi tempura and cheese-filled balls. Did I mention the Ebi tempura?
• You can stay at the table and eat as long as you want (no time limit).
• The digital ordering system per table – no need to call for assistance to ask for additional food

Currently, Yoshi-Meat-Su only has 1 store but the company already has plans to expand so you may soon find a branch near you.

#Yeahkiniku #YoshiMeatSu #WazzupPilipinas # Korean #Japanese #Foodies