Hodai Restaurant: Affordable Korean-Japanese Buffet Fit For The Family

Buffet restaurants are aplenty, but there are times when I’d prefer dining a la carte because buffet restaurants often sacrifice the quality of their dishes by just keeping you full (but not really satisfied with the overall taste). Korean BBQ places are the trendiest among the bunch, so it’s quite refreshing to see other cuisines catching up to this trend. For instance, there’s this restaurant along West Avenue which serves a fusion of Japanese and Korean dishes, buffet style!Hodai Unli Japanese Restaurant is a testament that good food can be found in buffet restaurants, too! With affordable prices and good quality food, it is no wonder that they are usually packed. Here’s what we got to try during our visit, which is part of their Gold Set:

✅ FISH FILLET
Their fish fillet comes with tartar sauce, and is served with some vegetables which look like Pinakbet to me. HEHEHE. Wasn’t able to try this, though!

✅ JAPCHAE
What we liked about their japchae is the firmness of the noodles, and the savory taste of the dish as a whole! Some japchaes tend to be on the sweet side, so this was a delicious surprise for us.

✅ ROSÉ CREAM PASTA
This is similar to a spicy carbonara. The pasta noodles were al dente, but I wish the sauce was thicker. Taste-wise though, it’s quite addicting and appetizing!

✅ TEMPURA ❤️
I enjoyed their tempura because each prawn was plump and fresh, and the breading was not too thick. It’s perfect to eat it on its own or with some rice!

✅ ROLL TOWER
Stuff your faces with various types of sushi rolls, from the classics, to those with honeydew and strawberry sauces! The rice they use is sticky enough, and the ingredients are authentic and fresh.

✅ KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN ❤️
Some of our companions said this reminded them of the Korean fried chicken sold in the streets when they visited Korea. It’s sweet and savory, and has a crisp exterior that would make you crave for it more, piece after piece! One of the crowd favorites that day! 😍

✅ KANI SALAD
Fresh greens, kani, topped with Japanese mayo? Yes please! It’s a staple in Japanese restaurants, and I’m glad they have this, too.

✅ KIMCHI GYOZA
This is your typical gyoza with a spicy kick. There are some meat in the filling, but it’s mostly kimchi. Their kimchi is more on the spicy than on the sour side.

✅ TONKATSU
For me, this is more reminiscent of a Filipino style breaded porkchop than actual tonkatsu. The taste was okay, but the meat could have been juicier.

✅ CHEESE CREAM SPICY BBQ BOWL
You only get to have this amongst the food options when you get the gold set, but it’s worth it! This one is served on a hot plate, with tender and flavorful slices of meat, a side of veggies, and an umami cheese cream where you can dip the barbecued meats to mellow down the spice. It’s really addicting, and pairs well with Japanese rice!

Of course, in true Japanese fashion, they cannot do without the Japanese rice and miso soup. They have this in a separate station, and you can always go back to refill to your heart’s content! 😉

After your filling meal, you may also opt to get some Korean ice cream to end the meal on a sweet note, like what we did! There’s always room for desserts, right?

Overall, Hodai’s food is very affordable at around Php 500 or less, and they frequently have promos with even more markdown on their prices! With these, Hodai could be a good place to get your unlimited Japanese food fix. When in the area, you may opt to check them out! ❤️

Hodai Unli Japanese Restaurant is located at 14 Examiner St., West Triangle, Quezon City.

To know more about Hodai Unli Japanese Restaurant and their food offerings, click on the link below to read what other foodies have to say: