Restaurant Review: Sai-Bachi Japanese Restaurant at Festival Supermall

We found ourselves visiting Alabang once again for another staycation along with our trip buddies, Jeff and Joie. We arrived at the hotel a bit too early for check-in, and since one of our rooms was not yet ready, we decided to just go out to have lunch first. Our feet led us to Festival Supermall. Jeff came in prepared with a list of restaurants from different parts of Alabang, and part of the list was Sai-Bachi. Boy scout lagi ‘yan si Jepoy e! 

Since we were all unfamiliar with the mall, it took us a while to find the restaurant, and when we finally found it, I felt that all of us held back a bit in giving it a try. The restaurant is housed in a small space, and there was nothing inviting at it at first glance. We all asked each other, “Ano dito na ba tayo?” But Sai-Bachi taught us that thou shall not judge a restaurant by its cover. Hihi!

I only saw three crew members of Sai-Bachi. There was one lady manning the takeout counter outside the restaurant, a waiter, and a cashier who also helps in serving food. The restaurant is a bit small so I can’t really say that Sai-Baichi is understaffed. But Boyet and I noticed that the three employees were really efficient. They were multitasking and made sure that all customers were being attended to.

Now, let’s talk about the food! I decided to have Beef Teriyaki Don. I wasn’t really expecting to be impressed with my lunch because of my initial impression of the restaurant. But the beef teriyaki instantly changed my mind. I love the smoky flavor and the balanced sweetness of the beef. Some beef teriyaki has the tendency to be too sweet which can ruin the dish. ‘Yung tipong mapapaisip ka, beef teriyaki ba ‘to o arnibal?! :p Who would have thought that chunks of beef teriyaki on top of a bowl of rice would make me rave about it weeks after? This is one of the best beef teriyaki I have ever tasted. Even my husband liked it.

Boyet had a bento meal consisting of rice and tempura. He liked it, but there was nothing special about it. He also said that the breading was a bit too thick. I wasn’t able to give it a try because I was busy inhaling my bowl of beef teriyaki don.

I love tofu steak that’s why I make sure to get one when I see it on the menu. For PHP80, this is one helluva good (and very affordable) tofu steak! Four pieces of breaded tofu are topped with a savory sauce and strips of mushrooms. I love biting into a crispy crust and eventually getting that soft, melts-in-your-mouth tofu.


Years ago, I was just like Boyet and Joie. But over the years, I have learned to appreciate eating something like this. I just don’t do it regularly because I’m being frequently reminded of an episode of HOUSE wherein he handled a case of a woman who grew parasites in her brain because of eating raw foods all the time. Hahaha!

Anyway, we all liked the tuna mayo maki. We could taste the freshness of the tuna and there was no hint of fishy smell and taste. I just didn’t like the fact that the nori is too chewy. I had to spit it out.

Sai-Bachi is surprisingly a good Japanese restaurant. We definitely got our money’s worth. Even after our lunch, we could not stop talking about how good and affordable their foods are. =)


Sai-Bachi Japanese Restaurant
Level 1 Festival Supermall,
Corporate Ave. Alabang,
Muntinlupa City