Bang for the Buck: Go Sushi ~ Simple Delicious Food Recipes

I love Japanese food and I simply could not say no to it. And when I was invited by Go Sushi to sample its mouthwatering dishes, I quickly said yes despite it being far from where I live. Japanese food is love after all.

Hello, Go Sushi!

Tucked in the foodie haven called Teachers Village, this sushi place is positioned to be a Japanese take out shop with only a handful of tables for those who prefer to dine in.

I was warmly greeted by Go Sushi's owner Violy and recommended that we order the following: Crazy Maki (PHP79, 4 pcs. | PHP129, 8 pcs.), Philly Cheese Steak (PHP119, 4 pcs. | PHP189, 8 pcs.), Crispy Tuna (PHP129, 4 pcs. | PHP199, 8 pcs.), California Torch Roll (PHP139, 4 pcs. | PHP219, 8 pcs.), Teriyaki (PHP149), Tonkatsu (PHP179) and Tiger Prawn Tempura (PHP399, 5 pcs.).

Violy and I chatted for a bit while waiting for the dishes and found out that Go Sushi was her brainchild. It all started when she got too frustrated with the hassle of going to the mall just to satisfy her insatiable maki cravings. The long wait to get parking (not to mention pay for it too), affordable but mediocre Japanese maki and the drive back home through horrific EDSA were just too much for her and that motivated her to start her own Japanese restaurant. She figured that since she's passionate with Japanese cuisine and knows what a customer like her wants, she could make it work. And she did.

The unbelievably affordable maki plates made me think that it would be a so-so dining experience. I've tried a handful of Japanese restaurants offering pocket-friendly meals and I ended up not going back for more. But Go Sushi made me realize that affordable and delicious Japanese dishes are not like unicorns. Just don't be snooty and expect authentic Japanese dishes as the ones offered by Go Bento are designed for the Filipino taste and student budget.

All of Go Sushi’s maki rolls are served warm and I first got to sample the Philly Cheese Steak. It was love at first bite!

Go Sushi did not scrimp on cheese topping and each bite was a cheesy piece of heaven. Then again, the cheese might have been a tad too much as it slightly overpowered the steak bits. As a cheese lover though, I am definitely not complaining.

The Crazy Maki which was covered in tempura flakes and topped with shredded kani was delightful as well. I loved the contrast in textures and that it was not swimming in sinful mayo. Taste-wise, this was less flavorful than the Philly Cheese Steak, perfect for those who prefer lighter tastes.

The California Torch Roll was a beauty. Think of your usual boring California maki then top it with shredded kani and melted cheese then lightly torch it. The end result was a wonderful harmony of flavors from the cheese, veggies and kani. It is best though to just order half of this as its strong flavors could be a bit cloying.

Crispy Tuna won me over with its generous sprinkle of tempura flakes, salmon roe and tuna bits. Each bite was a lovely contrast of textures and harmony of flavors. I wouldn’t mind finishing a full order of this one!

The Chicken Teriyaki rice bowl was also great. I loved the crunchy chicken skin drizzled with the sweet teriyaki sauce.

It reminded me of the famous Korean twice fried chicken franchise but with a Japanese take to it. With its sweet taste and crunchy chicken skin, kids would love this dish!

The Tonkatsu was pretty good too. It had a nice crunchy breading and the pork was juicy. I also liked the fried rice paired with it.

After 20 minutes or so, our plate of tempura was served and I was really impressed with its size. It was huge! Then again, I’ve had ginormous tempura only to find out that it was half batter and half shrimp. Yes, shrimp, not even prawn! But Go Sushi delightfully surprised me once more as the huge tempura was not heavily battered. They did use tiger prawns and deep-fried everything, including the head! I only managed to eat one as I was already stuffed from all the other dishes.

As I was enjoying my last maki, Violy mentioned that the whole meal that we had didn’t even cost more than PHP1,200. And she was right, the meal that could have fed a party of four only cost PHP1,193. Not bad at all!

Just when we were about to leave, the party bilao of Go Sushi caught my attention. Go Sushi offers party platters for its maki, teriyaki, tempura, and yakisoba for less than PHP2,000 and good for 30-40 pax. Now that’s a steal! They also deliver at a very reasonable rate of PHP50. But there’s a minimum order amount of PHP1,500-PHP2,500 depending on location. It’s not bad at all if you are ordering for pot luck and do not want to brave the EDSA traffic or struggle with the limited parking in Teachers Village.