CHAYA : Baguio's Favorite Japanese Restaurant

I’ve been trying to address all my blog post backlogs when I realized that I had this particular establishment on my “blog to write” list for almost a year. Having seen that, I am here now to rectify that error.

Nestled beyond open gates in Baguio's Legarda Road is a cozy looking stone and wood structure that houses, some say, the best Japanese restaurant in town. The place is known as Chaya.

second son and first born loving the food

Run by Koreans, it serves contemporary Japanese cuisine that everyone who's been there, seems to be raving about.

I remember my late brother complaining that most of his Manila friends who have been to Baguio have been to Chaya, while he, a Baguio native, has not.

what to eat...?

In the handful of times we've been there, the food anticipation (or just plain hunger) as often made me forget to take photos of the place. Add to the fact that it's almost always full when we get there, that taking photos with strangers in them may not be a popular move on my part.

What I have though with me is the knowledge that whatever we ordered on any of those given times was delicious. I went to Chaya not as a blogger, but as a humble diner (my explanation for the lack of pictures).

Phil trying to get MAX to eat our spinach in vinaigrette appetizer

Budget-friendly, this place is not. Allow yourself to fork out 400 php on average for a meal for one. Service is a bit slow, and that includes ordering and bill out. Expect the extra wait as food is made fresh.

Here's a look at what we got:

complimentary appetizers of spinach in vinaigrette with sesame seeds and raw fish with spring onions and nori

for starters:

Yakitori Momo - 5 sticks of Japanese style chicken BBQ (250 pesos)

It's never a Japanese meal without some Sashimi:

Sashimi Variety - contents vary depending on availabilty (580 pesos)

The main event consisted of :

 

Chahan/Japanese Fried Rice (260 pesos per plate) - we got 2 for our group of 5

Ebi Fry (350 pesos)

 Complimentary dessert of green tea ice cream with sweet azuki beans were served after the dishes were taken out.

Oh and by the way, you may want to call ahead especially during dinner time and make reservations just in case. 

From TMW, may all your wanderings be better than ours!