斬新なアイデアに注目
比×日のフュージョンメニュー
和食を食べるか、フィリピン料理にするか悩むとき、ぜひおすすめしたいのが首都圏ラスピニャス市にオープンした「マノン・スシ」です。20～30代を中心に斬新なレストランとして注目を集めています。
マノン・スシのオーナーシェフ、ポール・デセナさんがフィリピンと日本の食文化を掛け合わせるアイデアを思い付いたのは、現在北欧のアイスランドに２人の子どもと住む奥さんがきっかけ。奥さんはフィリピン料理好き、ポールさんは日本料理好きということで、「この２つを掛け合わせてしまえば、ディナーを何料理にするかでけんかにならないだろう」という結論に至ったんだそう。
人気メニューはなんといっても「スシシグ」。フィリピンの定番料理シシグを寿司のように一口サイズで楽しめるのがポイント。シシグの深い味わいとともに、寿司のシャリに欠かせない酸味部分はフィリピンらしくカラマンシで表現されています。
フィリピン料理と日本料理の思いが結実した独創的＆実験的なメニューの数々。
Manong Sushi will entice you to explore experimental dishes that will make you think “Pwede pala ‘yun?” (That’s possible?)”
ユニークな「ピアトス・ロール」はフィリピンの人気ポテトチップスのピアトスと、家庭に１つはあるであろうチーズスプレッドのチーズ・ウィズが使われた巻き寿司です。ほかにも「ポーク・ギョーマイ（ギョーザ×シオマイ）」、牛骨だしが効いた「ブラロ・ラーメン」、濃厚なカレカレソースで楽しむとんかつなど個性的なメニューが続々。デザートにはギョーザとトゥロンを掛け合わせた「ギュロン」を忘れずに。
当初、家族と離れて事業を始め、成功させることができるのか不安だったというポールさん。現在ではテレビ番組の取材も受け、遠方から注文もくるほどの人気店に成長しました。ポールさんの情熱のもと、今後マノン・スシは支店のオープンや新メニューの開発を進め、さらなる成長を目指します。
オーナーシェフのポール・デセナさん（33）。北欧アイスランドでシェフとして働いた経験を持つ。 Paul Decena, the 33-year-old chef and owner of Manong Sushi, studied at the Global Academy of Culinary, Baking, and Pastry Arts at Las Piñas City and worked as a sous-chef in Iceland in 2017.
For the Curious Taste Buds:
Fusion Dish in Bite-sized Brilliance
Can’t decide between Japanese and Filipino food? Experience the best of both worlds with Manong Sushi, a newly opened restaurant in Las Piñas City that has quickly become a hot spot for adventurous eaters aged 20 to 30.
Chef Paul Decena, the owner of Manong Sushi, conceived the idea of blending the rich flavors of both cultures as a loving tribute to his wife, who resides in Iceland with their two children. “My wife loves Filipino food, and I enjoy Japanese food, so I thought, ‘Why not combine the two so we won’t argue over dinner?’” Paul jokingly said.
Among their top sellers is the Sushi-sig, featuring sisig as its main component. This classic Filipino dish in bite-sized form delivers a triple S taste — savory, salty, with a hint of sourness from calamansi. But what really caught my eye was the Piattos roll, which stars the iconic potato crisp over ebi tempura, made more flavorful by Cheez Whiz, a nostalgic cheese sauce beloved by every Pinoy household.
A true crowd pleaser is the Pork gyo-mai, a tender, juicy pork siomai filling wrapped in molo shaped like a gyoza. You can enjoy it as a side dish or eat it on its own.
For a hearty meal priced at ₱₱339, you can indulge in the Bulalo Ramen which offers a rich beefy broth with a trace of saltiness from nori, and accompanied by a generous serving of marrow. Another standout is the Tonkatsu Kare-kare, where the nuttiness and slightly-sweet kare-kare sauce perfectly complements the crispy and savory tonkatsu.
To conclude your dining experience on a sweet note, the Gyu-ron (gyoza + turon) is a delightful balance of fruity and nutty flavors of plantain, langka, and sesame seed in a crispy package.
左がギョーザ＋シオマイ＝「ポーク・ギョーマイ」、右はギョーザ+トゥロン＝「ギュロン」
From left: Pork Gyo-mai (Gyoza + Siomai) and Gyu-ron (Gyoza + Turon)
You can order individually, buy in sets, or avail the Manong Sushi platter for ₱₱1499 that comes with 56 bites and 7 sushi rolls to satisfy your craving.
Chef Paul, who made the sacrifice of being away from his family to launch Manong Sushi, initially had doubts about its success. However, the restaurant has surpassed expectations, garnering attention from two television features and attracting orders from as far as South Luzon.
He predicts that fusion cuisine will continue to grow, with Filipinos becoming more explorative in their culinary choices. Looking ahead, Chef Paul plans to expand Manong Sushi with new branches and dishes in development such as Sushi Pares Overload, Bicol Express Sushi, and Sushi-nudo (sushi + menudo).
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Manong Sushi 142 Gloria Diaz, BF Resort Village, Las Piñas City 12pm –12am Daily
Text : Kaxandra Salonga, Rene Arata , Keiichi Tokisawa Photo : Joy Jamora, Cy Igne
