Susuru Japanese Cuisine at The Pop Up Katipunan: A Taste of Affordable Modern and Traditional Japanese Dishes

Susuru Japanese Cuisine restaurant in The Pop Up Katipunan

Susuru is the new Japanese themed gastrobar, offers you a dining and cultural experience all at once- something that is hard to find in that part of Katipunan Avenue.

啜る (Susuru) It is a verb which means to slurp or to sip. 

Susuru is the sister concept of another hit local favorite at The Pop Up Katipunan [a hip and cozy place that uses container architecture into commercial establishments] called Coyote Cocina. Susuru which literally means "to slurp or to sip" in Nihonggo had recently opened its doors to the public. It features authentic as well as modern Japanese menu items which was created by proprietor and chef Mr. John Gaffud along with his Filipino team. 

Colorful wall interiors adorn Susuru Katipunan

I wanted to create a "fun, friendly atmosphere with communal eating," said the owner, Mr. John Gaffud when he thought of looking for a spot on establishing an affordable Japanese restaurant. "This isn't the kind of restaurant where you'll end up just savoring one particular Japanese dish. Here, you can order from a wide range of options, not just ramen, not just sushi and sashimi."

Japanese decors on the walls of Susuru

Owner of Susuru and Coyote, Chef John Gaffud

One of the waitresses in cute Kimono ready to take your orders

Ate Merce and Purple Plum Fairy enjoyed the night of dining at Susuru Japanese Cuisine restaurant

Colorful Japanese Umbrellas adorn Susuru Restaurant 

Sneak Peak Menu Items

Guests will be able to experience the style of izakaya dining- the menu will showcase a variety of Japanese bar appetizers. Some of the many exciting menu items SUSURU will be their juicy and tasty gyoza [it is dense in its filling], Unagi sushi, rich and creamy Tonkotsu ramen served with an option of Ajitsuke Tamago (味付け玉子) or Nitamago (煮玉子). They also serve a wide range of Nigiri [maguro, sake, tuna,ebi, hamachi and unagi] and maki rolls. There's also a type of yakitori set with Buta Bara [grilled pork belly serve in yakiniku sauce], Kushiyaki [skewered beef which is so tender with yakiniku sauce] that nicely grilled and comes in a Yaki set.

Gyoza

Rainbow Roll

Salmon Poki Salad

 Susuru's menu offers various izakaya-style dishes, noodles, salads, main courses, and sushi and sashimi combinations. Japanese food, and sushi in particular, has been one of the greatest edible trend in the world. After all, it’s rare to find fish beyond the standard tuna-salmon-yellowtail-shrimp-scallop basics, and the details that truly matter to sushi obsessives — like knife skills and rice — are often afterthoughts. It's nice to find more of that here at Susuru Japanese Cuisine Restaurant. 

Tuna, Sake and Hamachi sashimi

 The sashimi and nigiri were standard salmon, tuna and the like. But what has really wowed us were the gyoza and their unagi. The unagi [broiled eel] was simply fantastic and fresh! I just found exactly what I was hoping for: beautifully fresh seafood over Japanese rice. Unagi was lightly singed, and as tender and sweet as the salmon, but with a slight textural snap. Ebi tempura sushi was crispy on the outside and delightfully soft and sweet on the inside.  The tuna tataki had this richly creamy flesh made it the dish of the evening, delicately bolstered by its wasabi. I just wish they had a Chirashi bowl so that I can have all my Japanese cuisine wish list completely fulfilled.

Ebi tempura

Tonkotsu Ramen from Susuru

Susuru's Tuna Tataki

Susuru Unagi  Nigiri

Susuru Yaki Set

Susuru Maki variety

Every dish I ate at Susuru was visually impressive and photo-worthy, from the very first sushi platter served on our table to the equally yummy and unforgettable unagi nigiri that we had. It was sooo good that my companion that night, Ate Merce even bought a separate take out of the gyoza and the unagi so that her relatives and loved ones would also be able to try having a taste of the things we had experienced at Susuru Japanese Cuisine Restaurant that night.

i just wish that you too can experience dining at Susuru because in this day and age, everything looks good enough on social media, but it is only when you come and dine for yourself will you truly understand the actual experience of having a delicious and fresh Japanese food Izakaya style or setting. 

Susuru Japanese Cuisine is located at The Pop Up Katipunan, 273 Katipunan Avenue corner Xavierville Avenue, Loyola Heights, Quezon City [across Ateneo].

Disclaimer: I am not compensated for this post. Opinions are 100% my own.