The 5th Taste

Angelique Balmes

3.0

The 5th Taste is a casual Japanese restaurant on the second level of Tamayaki in San Juan. They are known for serving affordable Japanese dishes with a twist such as the Deconstructed Miso Soup (P98)- silken tofu, leeks and pork floss in a glass cup with the miso broth served separately pour-over style. Plus points for creativity and presentation!The Kani Salad Pizza (P225) is their version of the classic Japanese salad on a pizza. The crust was crispy thin and the toppings go well together. We also tried their Smoked Mackerel Maki (P150), Mussels Tempura (P150), Crispy Chicken Curry (P220) and The 5th Taste Cheesesteak Sandwich (P200), but it was their Jalapeño Cream Cheese Onion Tonkatsu (P325) that caught our interest. It looked like a regular pork tonkatsu but wait until you get inside the jalapeño cream cheese and onion filling.

M Dimapilis

4.0

Various Japanese restaurants pepper Metro Manila. Despite the wide array of choices, some of these restaurants tend to get boring as they serve mostly the same dishes prepared in the same way. Hence, discovering a Japanese restaurant carrying a menu inspired by Japanese flavors yet executed in a new and modern way is extremely refreshing! FOOD 4/5:1) 5th Taste Lasagna! I love Lasagna! It's one of my comfort food. As such, I was very hesitant to try The 5th Taste Lasagna 'cause Teriyaki sauce in pasta does not really sound normal, and I don't want to taint my comfort food with any negative experience. However, one bite was all it took to change my mind. The Lasagna pasta was al dente, the Teriyaki Bechamel was creamy with the right hint of sweetness, and the nori in between layers provided both complexity and harmony of flavors to the dish. The only thing this dish can improve on is the cheese. I would like this dish more if the cheese used was mozzarella.2) Kani Furai PizzaWho would have thought that eating pizza can feel so light and refreshing? 5th Taste's Kani Furai Pizza is well-balanced dish composed of taco-like thin crust, shredded kani, carrots, cucumber, mozzarella aJapanese mayo. I actually don't eat cucumber, but this pizza is so good and well-balanced that I didn't mind eating cucumber. I highly recommend this dish!3) Chicken Furai PizzaCurry is another flavor I really like, hence, I was really excited to try 5th Taste's Chicken Furai Pizza which is composed of taco-like thin crust, crispy chicken bits, potatoes, bell peppers, mozzarella and curry sauce. It was savory and light at the same time. Very filling and satisfying!4) Chorizo and Mushroom Tonkatsu, and 5) Jalapeño Cream Cheese Onion TonkatsuTired of the same old plain tonkatsu? Why don't your try 5th Taste's tonkatsu with savory fillings? I do not eat pork, so I did not try this but my seatmate Sachie said that she liked both of these dishes. According to her, the tonkatsu was crispy and not oily. Moreover, she mentioned that the filling complimented the tender pork. If you are feeling adventurous with your tonkatsu, I suggest you try this. Both dishes are served with Japanese coleslaw.6) Bacon Prawn TempuraAgain, I don't eat pork but I imagine this will tickle the taste buds of bacon lovers. I tasted the batter of this dish and I liked that it was crispy and not oily. Again, Sachi liked this dish. I checked the prawn and it was cooked right. 7) California Maki Furai + Tempura RollI don't often eat fried sushi but I really enjoyed 5th Taste's California Maki Furai and Tempura Roll because the crispiness in contrast to the soft rice, kani, mango and shrimp is really nice. The ratio of rice to the filling is good. Most of all, as in all the other fried dishes, both are not oily. Highly recommended!LOCATION 2/5:Finding 5th Taste can be difficult as the signage is not that apparent. Also, the restaurant is located on the second floor, inside Tamayaki so it tends to go unnoticed considering the bright and perky Tamayaki signages. So if you are planning to visit, I suggest that you look for Tamayaki instead. Note that owner of both Tamayaki and 5th Taste is the same, so you can cross-order!  AMBIANCE 5/5:5th Taste is very cozy, perfect for dates or hanging out with your friends. The place is also quite big and can serve as a venue for functions and events.SERVICE 5/5:Servers are very friendly and attentive.VALUE FOR MONEY 5/5:Generous servings + delicious food = great value for money!TOTAL SCORE: 21/25