Tadakuma Japanese Restaurant

It’s no secret that I love Japanese cuisine. If I had to eat one particular cuisine for the rest of my life, I’d pick Japanese without hesitation. It therefore comes as no surprise that I’ve made a few  rounds to various Japanese restaurants in Davao, but here’s one that truly brought that authentic Japanese vibe – Tadakuma. 

This is one of the first Japanese restaurants in Davao City and was formerly called Ramen Tei. They have a couple of branches in the city, the first one is located near Central Bank (where I had the opportunity to dine in) and the other one is in Damosa. I prefer the branch near Central Bank because the ambiance feels more authentic, in fact it is more like dining at an actual Japanese home.

This is, therefore, a relatively small restaurant with only a few tables to pick from. However, every small detail of the restaurant's interior design help to incorporate authenticity into your dining experience. There is no need for anything fancy because the food is the star here.

Image: blogalag.com

Image: Blogalag.com

Here are our orders for the night…

First order up is the Seafood Ramen. The sauce is thick and creamy with a succulent flavor coming from the seafoods added into the soup stock. I appreciate the fact that it is served with huge slices of squid, fish, and crabsticks so every mouthful is a pleasure to your taste buds. The noodles used for this soup is also homemade, not the variety you can get from the grocery. Nothing fancy with this dish - just pure Japanese soup goodness that makes it the perfect comfort food for that night (it was fitting that it was a rainy evening when we dined here, too). 

Of course, I can't have a proper meal at a Japanese resto without trying out their sushi. We went for the California Maki, which is an 8-piece serving. I forgot to note the price for this one but it is certainly affordable, especially when compared to the more high-end Japanese restaurants in the city. The freshness of the ingredients is very apparent here. And they don't scrimp on the fillings on this sushi.

We also ordered their Ebi Tempura consisting of two slices of prawns. The simplicity and fullness of the flavor to these dishes remind me why I have come to develop such a deep love for Japanese food. The freshness of the ingredients and their natural flavor serve as the highlight of every meal. And here in Tadakuma, you cannot get anything better than that.

The authenticity of the ambiance and the food are two of the qualities that make Tadakuma a true favorite for the Japanese food lovers out there. If you haven’t been to Tadakuma, you haven’t tried the best of what Japanese cuisine has to offer, locally speaking.