Tea Monkey Tamayaki & Tea

Devina Kurniati

4.0

Hello Sweeties!Do you want a bit of adventure when you dine? Well swing by Tea Monkey at SM Center Ugong Pasig where website bought me to try out not just the Milk Tea drinks that are their specialties but also the uncommonly unique food flavors.Tea Monkey opened their first shop at the Manila but they recently moved to their new location in Pasig and now have an extensive menu with not just Tamayaki and Tea but sandwiches and rice meals.We started with a drink, something not on the menu yet. A refreshing flavor of orange! Dried orange peel green tea. I would probably drink this like water if given a chance since it is really good specially on a hot day which is like every day in Manila.Then we tried their Tamayaki or to be specific it`s actually takoyaki the ball shaped Japanese snack. Tea Monkey has them in three varieties comes a pack of 6 : 2 balls each of Akegi (Clam), Ebi (Shrimp) and Tako (Octopus). I am uncertain if you can also order this with just all in one kind but seeing that they have such variety in the filing makes me think that it is possible in case you are allergic to a certain ingredient.Charlie Chimp is their original flavor, Jap Mayo, Tamayaki Sauce, Roasted Nori and Katsuboshi.Gorilla Geroge: Jap Mayo, Tamayaki Sauce, Roasted Nori, Katsuboshi, Fresh Nori and Toboko.King Kong: Jap Mayo, Tamayaki Sauce, Roasted Nori, Katsuboshi, Fresh Nori, Toboko and IdakoTea Monkey also gives the option for the sauces Sweet Chili Sauce maybe used instead of Jap Mayo and Tamakayi Sauce or Wasabi Sauce maybe used instead of Jap Mayo.Their Tamayaki balls are so tasty maybe because per order you get different fillings, generous toppings and they have a special batter.After trying all the three Tamayaki variants, I decided that King Kong or the ultimate Tamayaki with everything on it. It was served with Wasabi Sauce which gives it that extra pop. Coz what is Wasabi without the eye popping experience?My beasties would enjoy these because ever since I introduce them to this Japanese snack they`ve been having occasional cravings.From the Tamayaki they served us their sandwich which is part of their Hunger Buster menu.To be honest their sandwiches are huge, and in my opinion good for two people. The chicken is still juicy and served in a bed of the freshest lettuce, tomato and onion on ciabatta bread, which is not the typical bread used. I only ever got to eat this kind of bread at a specialty sandwich store. I love this about their sandwich. You have the option to have your sandwich in honey, black pepper or cumin. My favorite flavor is by far the cumin. I am spice girl at heart.Although I would like to suggest that they also have a pork option for the sandwich but this is the pork loving carnivore in me talking.Speaking of pork, Tea Monkey has two variants, the Pork Belly which won me over just because it was pork. It was so beautifully prepared, and juicy, I loved the crispy caramelized parts and it smelled heavenly! I dare you to have this with just one cup of rice! Too bad I didn`t have a decent shot of their Japanese Rice that had a slight pandan after taste.Chicken Thigh Fillet is similar to their sandwich also served with pickles and rice. I really liked their Honey flavor for the chicken, I know my son who likes his dishes on the sweet side would enjoy this.Their rice Hunger Buster also comes in 3 flavors: honey, black pepper and cumin.For dessert Tea Monkey served their Quaffle. For fans of Harry Potter books we all know what a quaffle is. The Tea Monkey version is actually waffle like, but it is crunchy outside, chewy inside and comes in 5 flavors like Original, Blueberry, Chocolate, Matcha (my favorite), Mango and Strawberry. You can dip it on the designer dips of maple or chocolate. I forgot to try dip, we forgot they gave us some because it was so chewy and tasty even without it. This would be perfect snack for my son and I as we watch my daughter`s football games, not messy and can be eaten with or without the dip.Tea Monkey as the name implies is a predominantly a Milk Tea place we got to sample a lot of their drinks.Blueberry Smoothie and their Matcha Rock Salt & Cheese are my top favorites. The blueberry was not a typical flavor and I thought it was perfect to pair it with the spicy wasabi King Kong Tamayaki. The creamy Matcha Rock Salt & Cheese was a hit or me because unlike the ones I usually order from a well known milk tea brand, this one does not have the bitter after taste and I don`t really need to mix it like the other one before drinking (I disliked the bitterness).Taro Milk Tea with pudding (the pudding not too sweet), Plum Slush (tasted a lot like champoy), and their Wintermelon which tasted the same as other shops but with softer pearls. Their drinks come in two sizes the Regular and the Large and cost 85php to 120php. Tea Monkey Tamayaki and Tea is not your typical Milk Tea place since it is so much more. You can have a snack, light lunch or a heavy one and end it with a chewy tasty dessert with a large variety of drinks to go with it. If you look at their menu prices it is so affordable that even students will enjoy exploring their menu without going broke!They only have this one branch at Pasig and according the own Sir Dave, they plan on expanding their menu and adding other atypical combinations to tickle the adventurous palette.Why don`t you swing by and check them out!Until next time!

Abdullah Çetinkaya

5.0

I love the tamayaki!  Can't get enough of it!The price is also very reasonable. For something that tastes very close to the original Japanese snack, it is worth every centavo that you spend.

Hengky Assana

4.0

clean place, reasonable price. i love tamayaki! tried their gorilla george and found the take-out box cute. got a bit disappointed with the presentation (i dined in, by the way) but when i tasted their tamayaki, oh my! these balls will never be the same again. i'll experiment with their other sauces next time.i goy to try their grilled chicken thigh fillet sandwich too. i thought the sandwich was small but boy, the taste was big.i downed everything with their tea monkey special - the one with pearls, pudding and coco jelly.