ZAAN JAPANESE TEA HOUSE - Quezon City

The most authentic Japanese food you can get in Manila. They also have vegan options!

Tucked away somewhere in Mother Ignacia Ave in QC with a very low key appearance is this charming Japanese restaurant called Zaan. The interiors convey a minimalist look which is almost politely quiet. Ring the bell on the table to order your meal. The food itself is surprisingly unusual and so its a great way to explore other Japanese dishes. The Zaan Okonomiyaki is the best I ever tasted outside Japan. The Bonito and Cheese Razu or rice sandwich is a good start but would prefer a dipping sauce for it. Classic Onigiri which comes in 3 is a like a rice meal in itself and quite heavy. Crystal Warabi Mochi which looks good is unfortunately a big miss. The Kintsuba sweet bean paste pastry is a nice dessert to end a meal but the Black Sesame ice cream is the best. Our takeout bag is a delightful paper map which is recycled and quite an ingenious environment friendly packaging. We look forward to trying the Nabe which was not available during our visit. Our initial foray into Zaan is a very good one and we intend to explore further. Giving it a 5 star is easy. We will bring reinforcements on our next visit. Arigatou Gozaimasu.

Truly authentic japanese style dishes. Two thumbs up! Foods are wonderful from main dish to dessert!

Cozy little place with delicious food. We really liked the soba and the okonomiyaki. There's also crystal warabi mochi, it was nice.

This restaurant conducts tea ceremony. Send them private message for reservation. They are responsive. A short lecture will be conducted by Madam Iwamoto before going through the actual tea ceremony. The lecture and ceremony will immerse you on Japanese culture, which is characterized by politeness, repect and discipline. You will leave the restaurant with deeper undertanding why Japanese people are admired all over the world.