Japanese eatery Botejyu opens in Manila

Japanese eatery Botejyu, a restaurant chain specialising in okosoba and okonomiyaki dishes, has opened a flagship at One Bonifacio High Street in Taguig City.

The new branch is the largest of 12 Botejyu locations in the Philippines, with more outlets expected to open later this year. All branches feature an open kitchen and a private meeting room at the back of the venue.

The brand is the second concept imported by Viva International Food & Restaurants.

“Most Japanese restaurants only specialise in one item like ramen, or just tempura,” said Viva International senior VP Vicente Raphael “VR” del Rosario IV. “But for Botejyu, though we specialise in okosoba and okonomiyaki, the main selling point is that technically, we carry the best of each place in Japan.”

Botejyu is a legacy brand in Japan, credited as the first to use mayonnaise as a dressing on okonomiyaki pancakes, as well as inventing the okosoba by wrapping traditional stir-fried noodles in the okonomiyaki batter.