Japaella, unagi chocolate sushi, and other bold flavors at John & Yoko

The newly renovated John & Yoko has a more trendy industrial vibe. Photos: Nikka Sarthou-Lainez

I’m far from being a food purist, as I enjoy bizarre food combinations as much as traditional recipes. My palate gets excited when I’m presented with flavors beyond the typical. That’s exactly what happened during my recent dining experience at the newly renovated John & Yoko.

Creative, cosmopolitan Japanese cuisine

Gone are the restaurant's dark interiors with purple and red motif. In its place is a lighter look and feel, with a hint of industrial vibe. Instead of upholstered seats with caricature faces, you’ll see warm wooden furnishings accented by modern lighting fixtures. Aside from the change in décor, there were major menu changes as well.

According to Chef Sonny Mariano of the Sumo Sam Restaurant Concepts Group, “It’s the same favorites, but we just innovated it and made it bolder. We just made it more exciting.” He collaborated with the other chefs from the group to revamp the menu of the restaurant, which has been around for the past eight years. “My contribution are all of the desserts and some savory items.”

The chef was able to get inspiration from his travels, especially when he stayed in the US for a year of culinary training. “For my part, my inputs are most of my favorites like the uni truffle. I came from the US before and there’s this restaurant that served uni and truffle carbonara, and I tried it with pizza and it works.”

I like how the new kitchen creations are more playful—both in terms of flavor and presentation. When my hubby and I recently had dinner there, we were pleasantly surprised with our dining experience. We were familiar with John & Yoko since we ate there before it was renovated, and we saw the difference indeed.

Enjoy the flavor and texture of this cheesy Salmon Lasagna—no pasta here.

For starters,  the Salmon Carpaccio is pretty light. Picture thin slices of Norwegian salmon in soy truffle ponzu, topped with arugula leaves and shaved parmesan cheese. It’s not the usual sashimi; it’s an elegant dish with a clean and crisp taste. Salmon is my favorite and I would have finished the whole serving if my husband didn’t eat his share.

Another must-try appetizer is the Spicy Tuna Salad. This pretty plate of mixed greens tossed in onion dressing is surrounded by spicy tuna tartare over seared sushi rice nigiri. The level of spiciness is tolerable so don’t be scared to take a bite. Just make sure to include some greens so you’ll get a bite with balanced flavors.

For something unique, there’s the Salmon Lasagna sans the pasta. In its place is a bed of crispy fried nori and Japanese sushi rice that is layered with torched ground Norwegian Salmon, Japanese mayo, and teriyaki sauce. I like the contrast of textures with the crunchy nori and cheesy topping. Warning, it’s a very filling dish so you might want to share it with someone.

Uni & truffle on a pizza, oh my!

I was also able to try one of the chef’s masterpieces, Uni Truffle Pizza. This thin-crust pizza is topped with bechamel sauce, mozzarella and cheddar cheese, uni, and button mushrooms, garnished with arugula and drizzled with truffle oil. For me, truffle makes everything better! I also didn’t expect the uni to go well with the cheese but their creamy consistency and mild flavors went well together.

Don’t miss the Unagi Chocolate, the most unusual sushi plates I have ever encountered! I would never think of combining freshwater eel with chocolate, but the chef was able to successfully do it. Each piece of sushi was topped with micro greens and given a dash of crushed chili flakes. Before taking a bite, squeeze some lemon into it and dip the sushi into the dollop of mayo for another layer of flavor. It’s sweet and savory at the same time, and the taste would seem weird at first, but it kind of grows on you.

Be surprised with the unexpected flavor combination of the Unagi Chocolate sushi.

Those craving for something heavy should opt for the Chicken and Shrimp Japaella, stir-fried Japanese rice with chorizo, grilled prawns, and chicken slices. My hubby liked this the best since it’s a meal in itself. What I liked about it is that it’s very tasty and it’s good value for money. The hefty serving could serve three hungry diners, and the price is affordable as well.

In case you want an entrée to go with the rice, order the Ropponggi Steak, US beef teppan served on a bed of three kinds of sautéed mushrooms, garnished with fried shallots and sesame teriyaki on the side. The meat is tender and cooked just right—a little pink in the middle. Also try the Crispy Chicken Teriyaki, the restaurant’s version of the traditional chicken teriyaki, but it’s fried instead of grilled. The fillet is lightly dredged in cornstarch and deep-fried, seasoned with salt and pepper, brushed with unagi teriyaki sauce and served with wasabi cream sauce.

Get a complete meal with the Chicken & Shrimp Japaella.

Even if we were already full, we just can’t say no to the Dessert Bento that has tasting portions of their dessert items. My favorite was the Molten Green Tea that has warm green tea-flavored white chocolate oozing from the center. It’s best eaten with the vanilla ice cream and choco-coated cornflakes for that delightful hot and cold contast, and both crunchy and creamy textures. I enjoyed it so much that I forgot all about the other sweet treats. — BM, GMA News

John & Yoko (+63 2 623-7255; johnandyokoph@gmail.com) is on the 2nd Level of Greenbelt 5, Makati City.