Discover this secluded Japanese restaurant inside one of Manila’s most iconic spots
When people hear about Diamond Hotel in Manila, they instantly think about Corniche (their buffet hall) or their fluffy, cheesy ensaymada. But tucked behind their lounge café is the deliciously whimsical Yurakuen Japanese Restaurant.
Upon entry, you’ll be greeted by a gorgeous kimono, and as you walk down the marble hallway to the main dining area, you’ll see their private Teppanyaki Room and Yakiniku Room — perfect for fun gatherings with friends and family, or for unique corporate meetings.
Golden honeycomb doors open up to the 70-seater main dining room, whose piece de resistance is the glass cherry blossom tree, creating a whimsical look any time of the day, while morphing into something especially lovely come nighttime.
Yurakuen is the Japanese word for “paradise”– and at the Diamond Hotel dining outfit, it truly is the perfect metaphor for the experience you’re about to have in this authentic Japanese restaurant.
Expat recommend
Upon Yurakuen Manager Shinji Sato’s recommendation, we started our meal with their Sashimi Platter (with nine different kinds of seafood like salmon, scallops, mackerel, and tuna) and their signature Yurakuen Maki (with soft shell crab, prawn, tobiko, cream cheese, mango, and cucumber).

For the main course, we had the highly recommended Grilled Salmon in Teriyaki Sauce. The sauce alone could’ve launched a thousand other dishes! The salmon was pink and sweet, moist yet flaky. The smoky flavor perfectly complemented the teriyaki sauce.
Their Chahan (Japanese fried rice) went really well with the grilled salmon. It’s subtle saltiness cut into the sweetness of the teriyaki.
For dessert, we had Yurakuen’s satisfyingly creamy Matcha Ice Cream. The sweetness was just right that you can still taste the goodness of the green tea.
Yurakuen Japanese Restaurant is located at the ground floor of Diamond Hotel, Roxas Blvd. cor. Dr. J. Quintos St., Manila. It is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. For reservations, call (02) 528-3000.
 
By CHING DEE