Tenya Tendon - it's Tempura over rice!

I grew up with a notion that a Japanese restaurant serves EVERYTHING Japanese food.  There should be sashimi, sushi, tempura, ramen, teppanyaki and etc.  But I realized that when I went to Japan, that it was not the case!  Hahaha..

In Japan, the restaurants are stand alone ones.  A restaurant served only one kind of Japanese dish, for example a restaurant only serves ramen, another restaurant beside it will serve sushi and shashimi, and another will serve tempura.  It was quite a change from what we from the Philippines is used to.  I realized that of course, in our country - a restaurant would want to serve as much fare they can to entice customers to eat a variety.

To be honest, when we're in Japan - the kids would ALWAYS ask for ramen.  My Panget and I would always indulge them because they would be eating heartily and fast.  I on the other hand, was already craving for tempura.  But I can't seem to dine in one because Connor is allergic to shrimps and seafood.  One time, on my insistence - we ate at a Tendon restaurant.  A tendon restaurant serves anything tempura fried on top of rice, a tempura rice bowl.  So of course, most of us ordered shrimp tempura, while I ordered chicken tempura for Connor.  But after a few bites, I noticed he was itching and a rash formed around his mouth.  I later realized that this was because all of the tempura food was cooked in the same oil!  Hahaha..

I have tried Tendon previously and I was impressed with the serving size, the taste and of course the pricing.  I was surprised that it was quite affordable - affordable because it was filling.  You also have a choice between a regular and large - the difference is the amount of rice that will be served.

So last Sunday, we decided to have lunch at Tenya in Megamall.  And these are what we ordered:

Look at the generous pieces of shrimp tempura and veggies!  I would remember having tempura that the shrimp was so very very thin because it was covered in so much batter.  With Tenya the ratio was quite good because the shrimp pieces were really solid.  The shrimp doesn't get lost in the fried batter.  Hihi..

They all so delish right?  They were very good and filling.  We ordered the sets so my Panget won't feel bitin - but just the tendon alone, he was already full!  I got the set because I needed to share my hot soba with Shobe.  Kailee thoroughly enjoyed her own bowl of tendon.  She ate everything, well except for the veggie tempura which Shobe looooved.

I wish though that they would open somewhere north of Manila so I can have it quite often.  I needed to travel to Megamall to have Tenya!  Hihi..

Someday..