Another day, another opportunity to get rid of super backlogged posts! I'll waste no breath as I've got a lot, as in a LOT, of awesome things to share starting the end of last year to now. Here we go! :) 

Sometime on the first week of December, I went back to Manila to take part in Bloggers United 6. Going to Manila is always such a treat for me, especially where food is concerned--the capital never seems to run out of new and exciting places to try, and it always seems to be brimming of inspiration. However, I owe it all to world-renowned travel and bookings site Agoda for making this trip extra remarkable-- they have, once again, decided to collaborate with me and my humble blog, paving the way for a great culinary journey and a fabulous stay. I cannot thank you enough, Agoda!:)

The first, and definitely most memorable stop during my stay was to check out the critically-acclaimed Japanese restaurant Yanagi, one of the flagship restaurants of The Midas Hotel, which housed us during our stay. I've encountered and heard about Yanagi often in lifestyle blogs and magazines, so I was very, very psyched to try it myself. Photos up ahead!

Warning: photo heavy blog post of really appetizing Japanese food. you've been warned, haha... 

my handsome dinner date for the night :)

Making it to some of the Asia's most esteemed "Best Restaurant" lists such as Esquire and the Tatler, Yanagi takes pride in serving incredibly authentic Japanese fare. Ran by Executive Chef Kimito Katagiri, Yanagi offers delectable choices ranging from various sushi and maki selections, their popular beef teppanyaki, as well as bento boxes and even dessert. You will immediately get a sense of how you'll be in for something special just by stepping into their area-- while the hotel feels festively modern, Yanagi feels very traditionally Japanese and intimately sleek that it feels almost otherworldly.

Me and the husband were grateful to have sampled so many of the best items on their buffet that it's tough to pinpoint my favorite, but I would have to say that their beef teppanyaki is the one thing I would never forget... bo biases here when I say that it's one of, if not the best beef I've ever had. Too succulent and juicy for words! We also had generous helpings of their 5-kind Aburi Sushi, which is comprised of slightly burned hamachi, eel, lapu-lapu, tuna and salmon; as well as ubercolorful maki and tasty sashimi. Ultimately washed it down with some green tea ice cream and their signature brewed iced tea-- definitely one of the most memorably gastronomic date nights out in Manila :)

If you're looking to satisfy your insatiable appetite for standout Japanese cuisine in Manila for your most special of occasions, look no further than Yanagi in the luxurious Midas Hotel. I highly recommend it to friends from Cebu looking to try new places in the capital. Many, many thanks to Agoda.com and Midas for having us! Much appreciated!

Yanagi Japanese Restaurant is located at the Mezzanine floor of Midas Hotel and Casino, 2702 Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City. Lunch and dinner hours are at 11:30am - 2:30pm and from 6:00pm to 10:30pm. Call (02) 902 0100 , or visit www.midashotelandcasino.com for more details!

Agoda Company Pte Ltd (Agoda.com) is a leading Asia-based, online hotel reservations company, which specializes in securing the lowest discount hotel prices. Agoda.com is part of priceline.com (Nasdaq:PCLN). Agoda.com's network includes more than 360,000 hotels worldwide. The multinational staff of more than 1,400 professionals, located throughout the world, provides a first-rate reservation service that uniquely combines local knowledge and local connections to provide the best hotel deals to both business and leisure travelers.