First and only ‘tempura bar’ in Cebu celebrates anniversary

THE oldest city in the country, Cebu, has something for everyone—from its white sandy beaches and century-old churches to the famous Sinulog Festival and the rich culinary history.

A Cebu food trip wouldn’t be complete without trying out the local as well as international cuisines Cebu is proud of. One of these stops in Cebu that should be in one’s bucket list is Siosai Tempura by Yasu Suzuki located at Bonifacio District. With numerous tempura dishes to choose from, it is the first and only Japanese tempura haven in Cebu.

On its first anniversary, the Japanese restaurant invited media members and bloggers to experience its various selections of tempura from meat to seafood. These are prepared from its open-kitchen, allowing everyone to see how the tempura dishes are made from the preparation of the raw ingredients to the frying process.

According to its Japanese head chef Kojiro Shimamura, the secret to a perfect tempura, a Japanese dish of battered and deep-fried food, is not the batter but the temperature of the oil.

“When I came here, I’ve noticed that the tempura served here is only Ebi (shrimp). That’s why we’re bringing this tempura bar here in Cebu.” he said.