Red Hana

Sometimes I drop by Matalino street which used to have more mom-and-pop shops but changed when the large fast food franchises arrived. One of the places that stood the test of time is this quiet Japanese restaurant called Red Hana.

Red Hana sells all sorts of Japanese food (sushi, sashimi, donburi, makimono, tempura, teriyaki, teppanyaki, and more...) so there's more option than, say, Happon. But as you might notice, when you have lots of food options to offer, the quality often goes... down.

If Happon was generally 'ok' but better compared to other Maginhawa spots, Red Hana is just okay. 'Okay' in the sense that if you were looking for something to eat that's not fast food, you can eat here and be full. Taste-wise... I wouldn't ask you to raise your expectations.

Dry curry beef donburi, PHP 140.

A friend ordered dry curry beef donburi in the past and it tasted better than what I ordered (I can't even remember what it was) so I got this from my latest visit. It's okay. The curry flavor is there, there's also ample 'sauce' coating the beef... but it's nothing to write home about. It's certainly filling though, with the vegetables and all.

Large red iced tea, PHP 60.

Their iced tea is on the fruity side, reminiscent of Tokyo Tokyo's--but I find this a good order. For sixty pesos it's not a bad order to complement your (hopefully decent) meal.

TFD's review - ♡♡♡ (the only thing going for this shop is its unique offering in Matalino street)