The Art Of Tempura: Celebrating A Beloved Japanese Dish

A special four-day event spotlights Japan’s tempura in all its wonderful forms through exclusive dining experiences.

Discover the intricacies of one of Japan’s most beloved dishes with The Art of Tempura at Newport World Resorts’ Hotel Okura Manila. For four days only from July 22 to 25, 2024, The Grand Chef of Japanese Fine Dining of the Hotel Okura Group, Chef Tadashi Sawauchi will be at the Yawaragi restaurant to celebrate the delicate craftsmanship of tempura. The exclusive dining experience features a seven-course Tempura-kaiseki menu with Pommery Champagne from Okura’s ageing cellar plus sake pairing.

TOP LEFT: Tempura (Japanese Wagyu wrapped in shiso leaf, wasabi, carrot, corn). TOP RIGHT: Marinated tuna toro, thinly sliced yam, wasabi, nori seaweed salmon cured with kombu kelp, cucumber, soy sauce with egg yolk, parboiled seabream, green onion, grilled shiitake mushroom, mustard vinegar miso, radish. BOTTOM LEFT: Pommery Champagne from Okura’s own aging cellar. BOTTOM RIGHT: Yawagari at Hotel Okura Manila.

Chef Tadashi Sawauchi was joined by Chef Takashi Karasawa, the founder and chef of Tempura Karasawa in Tokyo, Japan, and Chef Keiichiro Fujino-the Japanese Executive Chef of Hotel Okura Manila.

L-R: Chef Jumpei Yamanashi (from Yamazato in The Okura Tokyo); Chef Ikuma Sato (Sushi specialty Chef in Hotel Okura Manila); Tempura Specialty Chef and founder of former Karasawa Tempura, Chef Takashi Karasawa; Grand Chef of Japanese Fine Dining of Hotel Okura Group, Tadashi Sawauchi; Japanese Executive Chef, Hotel Okura Manila Keiichiro Fujino; General Manager of Okura Manila, Jan Marshall

Tempura: Saimaki-ebi (shrimp), hamo (pike conger), cuttlefish, pecoros (small onion), asparagus

The exquisite menu includes masterfully created tempura dishes, such as a unique starter of crab and broiled scallop with shuto-an (salted fish guts sauce), duck loin with grilled leek and eggplant, and marinated tuna toro.

Three tempura plates served consisted of saimaki-ebi (shrimp), hamo (pike conger), cuttlefish, pecoros (small onion), asparagus, oba leaf (or shiso); saimaki-ebi (shrimp), hata (grouper), anago (saltwater eel), sweet potato, lotus root, and green beans; and Japanese Wagyu wrapped in shiso leaf, wasabi, carrot, and corn. All three were served with tendashi sauce, grated daikon radish, and matcha salt.

TOP LEFT: For the Tempura – tendashi sauce, grated daikon radish, and matcha salt. TOP RIGHT: Shokuji Kakiage tendon (mixed vegetables tempura on rice) with Japanese pickles and miso soup. BOTTOM LEFT: Oba leaf tempura. BOTTOM RIGHT: Mizugasbi: Assorted seasonal fruits from Japan.

Sashimi was also on the set. This dish was composed of marinated tuna toro, thinly sliced yam, wasabi, nori (seaweed), salmon cured with kombu (kelp), cucumber, soy sauce with egg yolk, parboiled seabream, green onion, grilled shiitake mushroom, mustard vinegar miso, and radish.

Kanmi Shiratama with red beans and wasabi pudding served with Japanese sake compote figs as well as assorted seasonal fruits from Japan was a perfect ending for this unforgettable dinner.

Catch the last dinner on July 25!

Hotel Okura Manila is located at 2 Portwood St, Newport City, Pasay. Call (0917) 8429067 for reservations.

Photos by Pepper Teehankee.