When Daddydoodledoo starts craving something, you know it’s going to be an adventure. Lately, he’s been watching countless Japanese karaage restaurants and cooking shows on YouTube, and naturally, his taste buds started screaming for crispy Japanese-style fried chicken.
Good thing we were already scheduled for a family day last Thursday. We had to take a family picture in Barasoain Church for Twinkle’s PETA project, and after that, we headed to SM North. Perfect timing kasi I remembered na may dalawang karaage restaurants doon—so of course, we chose Karayama, a Japanese brand that’s actually hailed as “The Legendary Karaage” in Japan.
What We Ordered at Karayama
It was super tempting to order the 15-piece Karayama Mountain (because wow, imagine a whole mountain of karaage in front of you!), but I knew we wouldn’t be able to finish it, lalo na since it was our first time there. So we played it safe and ordered the regular Karayama Set (₱339) instead.
The set came with:
- 🍗 4 pieces of hot, crispy chicken karaage – perfectly golden, crunchy outside, juicy inside
- 🥗 Shredded cabbage – refreshing and balances the richness of the chicken
- 🍚 Rice – fluffy and filling (plus, you can have one refill!)
- 🍲 Miso soup – warm and comforting
- 🥢 Two sauces – you can choose your favorites (additional sauces are ₱35 each)
I got the Goku Dare sauce (their signature!) and Honey Mustard Sauce. The Goku Dare tastes nutty with roasted sesame and garlic, while the Honey Mustard was tangy-sweet. Ang sarap when paired with the crunchy, piping-hot chicken—it really hit the spot!
Twinkle’s Cheesy Pick
My little cheese lover, Twinkle, of course went for the Cheesy Karatama Don (₱325). Imagine a bowl of karaage and rice, smothered in creamy melted cheese—dream come true talaga for her! To make it even better, she paired it with a Strawberry Fizz for her drink. Sweet and bubbly, just like her mood that day.
A Satisfying Meal + A Sweet Ending
We left Karayama with full tummies and happy hearts. The chicken lived up to its “legendary” reputation, and now I understand why karaage has become such a favorite worldwide. Crispy, juicy, flavorful — it’s comfort food at its best.
For dessert, we couldn’t resist taking home a box of Biscoff Donuts from Founders Donuts, which just opened at SM North. Perfect panghimagas to end the day!
Overall, it was such a satisfying meal and a fun experience. We’ll surely be back to try the other items on Karayama’s menu (maybe next time, the Mountain Set na talaga 😅).
