Mashitta means delicious
Inside the UP Shopping Center is nice hole-in-the-wall Korean restaurant that is perfect for those seeking budget Korean and Japanese food. In my 3 hours of sitting there, I noticed that most of their customers are Korean foreign students. Having worked with a Korean employer for some time, I know enough about them to say that their food is extremely important to them.
Their diet is not flexible as that of the average Filipino and that they always have to have their kimchi (spicy pickled vegetable) and related spices each time they eat. Their diet is no longer a question of preference but that of survival. And why not? Korean and Japanese food are some of the most healthy cuisines in the world. So while I was ruminating over the menu and the food, I decided to adhere to my personal philosophy about restaurants service foreign cuisine; if it’s good enough for the expats, then it’s good enough for me.
Looking at their menu you can see that their prices are nowhere near their Makati counterparts.В The gyoza (Japanese-style dumplings) cost P70.00 (US$1.43) for five large pieces, which would normally sell for P150.00 (US$3.06) in most Makati restaurants. Their Chapchae (Korean glass noodles) is only P70.00 (US$1.43) and is large enough for two people with moderate appetites. Their kimbap (rice with meat and vegetables wrapped in dried seaweed sheets) costs P75.00 (US$ 1.50). With these prices, you’ll think the food is terrible. A delightful surprise awaits anyone who tries Mashitta.В I think the taste is slightly at par with the expensive restaurants in Makati and the Fort, considering the kilometric difference in prices. Not bad at all!
There is some waiting time before you get your food. I would think it is because they only prepare the food when the customer orders for it. I didn’t mind the wait because I was just killing time then. I’m thinking it would have been different had I been on a strict one-hour lunch break.
Their chap chae is good but a tad salty. Maybe a little less salt and a bit more sweetness would do it for me. Nonetheless, I appreciated the fact that they used real cellophane noodles and not some lousy bihon substitute common to most mall food court Korean restaurants.
I found the kimbap a little too bland. I just wonder why they served it with soy sauce and wasabi. Kimbap is usually served with a little kimchi (Korean chili pickled vegetables) on the side. Perhaps their servers were getting a little confused with Korean kimbap and Japanese sushi. It’s understandable as most Filipinos couldn’t tell one from the other.
Their gyoza is quite good. Each piece was large and the whole order was very filling. It was served hot and freshly cooked. I guess you can say that they got this one right. I wish they put more forcemeat in each dumpling though, but at the price, it was a good value for my money.
Mashitta is a small place inside the UP Shopping Center. Do have lunch or dinner there when you can. They are open from 10 am to 8.30 pm.
February 28, 2009
В· 
Arpee В· 
3 Comments
Tags: budget dining, chap chae, cheap japanese food, cheap korean food, gyoza, kimbap, korean restaurant in UP campus, mashitta, mashitta restaurant, restaurants in quezon city, restaurants inside UP campus, UP campus restaurants. university of the philippines dining places, UP dining, up shopping center В· Posted in: restaurants
3 Responses
One of my fave foodie finds ever. i love their food. i have trouble memorizing the korean names but i love the veggie rice toppings with fried egg on top sprinkled with sesame seeds. For the japanese menu i love the tempura udon and kani salad.
My dining choices in SC are limited to Rodic’s and Mashitta. I love their maki and gyoza. If they can only speed up their service, it would be much better!
glass noodles is actually sweet potato noodles…
Japchae is one of my favourites..
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