MANILA -- Tucked away at the back of the Food Hive, a newly opened food park on Visayas Avenue in Quezon City, Hamaru, which translates to “go crazy over” in Japanese, serves up a quirky Japanese menu for Quezon City foodies to go crazy over.

Hamaru has a small space. Designer Paolo Sayo gave the restaurant a look that’s posh and modern, and all things young and hip, down to the “drink sake, stay soba” neon sign that welcomes you when you walk in the door.

You can watch your drinks and sushi get made at the bar on the ground floor, or go upstairs and stay there until you’re sated and/or sober (the latter because the steps are a bit steep). Either way, every corner of the space looks to have been given much thought -- a definite non-boring first-date kind of place.

In creating this Japanese gastropub, young owners Tadeo Chua and Therese Larroza employed the culinary brains of chef Nino Laus of Alamat and Ninyo to create modern interpretations of izakaya classics like yakitori and sushi.

“It’s not your normal Japanese cuisine. We use sustainable fish, and we do a lot of fermenting and pickling, and make our own powders,” Laus explained.

Laus, who is known for his Japanese tweaks, stayed on course with this menu, which had something for everyone from yakitori, sushi, sashimi, to even rice bowls.

To match the designer look of the place, the dishes were beautifully presented, simple and precise, with only ingredients necessary to the plate.

Not convinced? Here were some of our favorites during our visit.

1. Nori Tacos

Crispy deep fried nori wrappers cradle sushi rice with lightly dressed raw salmon, topped with ebiko (shrimp roe), and bonito flakes. This is an umami bomb, hitting your palette with umami rich items from eating vessel to topping.

Photo by Jeeves de Veyra

2. Tofu Pocket

Beancurd skin is filled with sushi rice and tuna, seasoned with housemade furikake and ebiko. Easy to eat with interesting textures, this pocket is ideal for a light meal, or a quick snack.

Photo by Jeeves de Veyra

3. Salmon Aburi Philly Roll

Salmon cooked aburi-style gets some extra creamy oomph and flavor from edamame hummus.

Photo by Jeeves de Veyra

4. Spicy Tuna Roll

Spicy tuna lovers will find that Hamaru’s version doesn’t scrimp on two things: tuna (filling + salad on top) and heat.

Photo by Jeeves de Veyra

5. Hamaru Soft Shell Crab Roll

The California roll gets a gourmet-upgrade! Laus used three kinds of “crab.” Crispy soft shell crabs replace kani inside the roll for some crunchy texture and rich briny flavor. To finish, he tops the crab-tastic roll with kani-salad, laced with aligue mayonnaise.

Photo by Jeeves de Veyra

6. New Style Sashimi Salmon

As a nod to a method popularized by one of the Japanese masters of our time, Laus pours hot oil onto raw salmon topped housemade furikake, popped rice, chilies and pink peppercorns, barely cooking the fish. Best for those not in the mood for completely raw fish.

Photo by Jeeves de Veyra

7. Chicken Peppers

Back by popular demand, Laus serves his buffalo-style karaage in Hamaru—salty from the bonito flakes, and sweet and spicy from the sauce.

Photo by Jeeves de Veyra

8. Oyster Motoyaki

Motoyaki are mayonnaise-sauced oysters served au gratin. In Hamaru, the “mayonnaise” has cauliflower puree mixed in with some gochujang. Although the oyster flavor does get lost in this dish, we still found it spicy, salty, creamy -- shell-liking good.

Photo by Jeeves de Veyra

9. Chahan

Filipinos love fried rice, and in Hamaru, fried rice uses Japanese rice and imbued with either beef or salmon flavor. Beef chahan gets our vote for its full-flavored taste and the small beef pieces in the dish virtually made it a complete meal. But there’s nothing like chahan (or beer) paired with the next items.

Photo by Jeeves de Veyra

10. Kushiyaki

There’s something almost primal in the feeling that one gets when eating meats grilled on a stick, maybe deep down, we remember our caveman days when man first made fire and cooked meat on a spit?

In Hamaru, guests can enjoy this feeling with the kushiyaki (which literally means grilled-on-a-stick). Favorites include the skin-tastic Tebasaki (chicken wings), the fatty and luscious Bonjiri (chicken tail), the creamy and earthy Reba (chicken liver), the soft and buttery Butabara (Pork Belly), and (a surprising favorite, but definitely a must-try) the earthy and sweet (US) Beef Intestine.

PS. Surprise! Each stick has a corresponding garnish or relish that will up the ante in terms of flavor. Sometimes it’s a sweet potato puree, while on other’s it’s a pickled pako (fern) relish. The only way to find out is if you order from the kushiyaki menu.

Photo by Jeeves de Veyra

11. Sake Flight

Staying true to its izakaya theme, Hamaru offers the Tanke. Savor the different aromas, notes and finishes of five kinds of sake (30ml/sake), just make sure to end with that plum sake – sweet and delicious.

Photo by Jeeves de Veyra