Restaurant Review: Kushiyaki Chikuzenya
AS Fortuna is interesting because every time I pass by this street in Mandaue, I am under the impression that it has more Japanese restaurants than I can count with my bare hands.
Kushiyaki Chikuzenya, the restaurant my friends and I tried last night, was one of these. It’s set back a few meters from the road but even so, word still got around. That’s a good thing especially if you have neighbors that serve the same ramen, the same sushi and the same sake.
You can also find these and other usual suspects at Kushiyaki Chikuzenya’s two-page menu. I’ve been to a nearby Japanese restaurant that has a full clearbook that probably enumerated every Japanese dish in the universe. I enjoyed my time there but it took us quite awhile to decide what to pick from that karaoke-esque menu.

Behold, the Buta Bara Nabe.
We were at Chikuzenya primarily for the Buta Bara Nabe. One of my foodie friends specifically advised me to find one or two more persons to share this hot pot with. Thankfully, my housemate agreed to accompany us on such short notice.
Boy, I’m glad I heeded that warning. I am not kidding when I say that this enormous mound of bacon and cabbage could be enough to feed an entire Von Trapp family. The rich miso soup and the vegetables are actually ‘bottomless.’ You can then order wagyu motsu (beef intestines) and other sides in your succeeding refills.
I wish we only had this crowd pleaser that evening but no, I also ordered an excellent platter of sashimi, a spicy tuna maki and tori karaage. Although the sashimis and makis were reasonably priced, you can skip these raw fare if you are not in the mood to splurge. The rest in the menu are quite affordable.

Tori Karaage.

L-R: Sashimi Santen Mori, Spicy Tuna Maki
Had it been that the heavy Buta Bara Nabe was served first, we’d ditch the other 3 dishes. It’s not that we didn’t enjoy the miso soup or the strips of bacon or the lone tamago. It was just a struggle to find space in our stomachs after the deep-fried chicken, the maki and the sashimi.
I think our table begs for 2 more friends and a bottle of Sochu, which is said to be national spirit of Japan. The latter would help round up our meals and our evening that’s getting more interesting by the minute.
We clearly have overfed ourselves at Chikuzenya but none of us cared at all. Maybe because in between slurps, we shared travel plans for the summer and laughed hard over massage anecdotes. One of the waitstaffs even chimed in our discussion over those viral Jollibee commercials.
This casual, wholesome vibe is then one of the reasons why this restaurant can hold off on its own despite their competition along AS Fortuna. No one reeks of smoke here. The servers are also clad in pretty, unrevealing kimonos. In other words, you won’t be embarrassed to bring your entire family at Kushiyaki Chikuzenya.
Kushiyaki Chikuzenya Japanese Restaurant
Facebook Page
G/F GASVI Building
AS Fortuna St. Banilad, Mandaue City
Opens daily 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM, 5:30-10:30 PM
Reservations and inquiries: +63 32 239 8976
WanderingFeetPH
Sige ko kaagi aning resto-ha pero wala ka higayon ug bisita. Judging from the looks of the food and ambiance, i think their food kay mahal ug presyo. But its okay if dili lang pirmi, bisan once in a while lang gud.
Emelie Anggoy (of Emelie Empire)
Wow, I will definitely try Buta Bara Nabe soon because it looks delicious in my eyes. Sushi and Maki as well because they’re my all time favorite when it comes to Japanese/Korean foods.
Herbert
I worked somewhere in AS Fortuna but never noticed this place. Gotta try them soon 😀
Basta Bisaya
Brennan, funny how we remember stories by the food we ate, the places we went to. Those Jollibee viral commercials? Hmmm… I made video reactions of those. Hahahaha.
Rea
Grabe I got hungry and it’s almost midnight. I love anything Japanese most especially food. I don’t usually pass by AS Fortuna though. It’s too out of my way but if I chance upon it one day or I feel like eating Jap food, I’ll keep this in mind. 🙂
Hanna
That Buta Bara Nabe looks like halo-halo at first glance! Hahaha. Damn these poor eyes.
I would love to try that heavenly hot pot soon. Mangita sa kog kauban kay para di ko alkansi. Lol
The Movie Junkie
Lami lagi na tan-awon ang Tori Karaage 😍 Thank you for giving us a glimpse of what this place looks like and what it offers. Would be nice if naapil ug post ang ilang menu or even the rates of the food that you’ve ordered, para naa sad mi idea kung how much ang ilang price range #poorpeopleproblems 😂
Kat
Geez! Another Jap restaurant I must try! I’m screaming inside right now. Haha!
hishiddenletters
I’ll probably end up going here because whenever I see sushi, I crave for it. Damn! Hahaha!
Jullian of Utterly Random Techie
I love that there are more and more legit Japanese restaurants coming to Cebu! I can’t wait to try this one out soon! Tori Karaage is one of my favorite Japanese dishes so I really can’t wait!
GoodFoodTrip
Oooh! I want to try it! Thanks for this blog Brennan! 🙂
Wellbein Borja
Japanese foods are ❤…
Never heard of this place before and I guess it’s worth the try. ✔
Thanks for this blog! Now, I have something to look forward to on succeeding paydays! Hahah
Channel Marie Imperial
Wow! The Buta Bara Nabe is enormous! You are right Baktin! It can feed the entire Von Trapp family! Hahaha! And perhaps some Nazis too!
Carlo Andrew
Definitely, I am going to check this out. I was supposed to be in their press tasting but I decided to go somewhere else. Nagmahay ko ug gamay hehehe.
Christoeffer John Estrada
We got to celebrate the birthday of my friend here and we tried out the ramens. They really tastes good! But it was really a struggle finding the place because it’s not that visible along the road.
Arnold Jerodiaz
I am not a Japanese Cuisine fanboy but I do love some Japanese food. That Tori Karaage though, by just looking at it, I felt like I have not eaten for 2 days. Tori Karaage is one of the food that I usually order when I was in Japan. I’d love to try that Cebu version of Karaage in one of these days. Anf the spicy tuna maki is oishiiso.
Maurice Jitty M. Villaester
I am not really into Japanese food, but I guess this is worth a try. 🙂
Ramzy
Love, LOVE Japanese food! Would definitely be up to give the place a visit and order as much as I can! Hahaha
Pam / Hey, Miss Adventures!
I haven’t heard of this restaurant! But honestly the only Japanese dishes I eat are tempura and katsudon. And maybe ramen, too! 😀