Restaurant Review: Genki Sushi Uses Digital Technology to Inject Fun and Coolness to Dining Out

If you've been to Japanese-themed restaurants with conveyor belts, you also probably found it really cool to have your food "delivered" right to your table or, to be more accurate, have the experience of personally "plucking" the dishes you want before they go past your table.

Chirashi Don (big bowl) taking center stage

At Genki Sushi, this concept has been revolutionized to a higher level. There, diners get to place their specific orders via a touchscreen tablet and have those particular dishes freshly prepared in the kitchen. Immediately after, food items are placed on mini trains that are programmed to stop right beside your table. It surprised us when Mr. Eric Teng, CEO of Mother Spice Food Corp., told us that the chefs who prepare all the food are Filipino who were trained in Japan for one month. Wow!

each table has its own touchscreen tablet 

The system is very efficient such that if you don't retrieve your orders after a certain period of time, a buzzer would sound and a lighted button would blink in the panel to remind you to press it and send the train back to the kitchen so that it can deliver food to other tables. Watch this video to see what I mean.

There's something for everyone at Genki Sushi and I can truthfully say that not only kids will find this dining destination a very delightful one. There were four of us adults at our table and we found ourselves anticipating the arrival of each order (maximum of 3 per train) with fascination and glee.

unlimited matcha tea

Each table, by the way, is also equipped with its own faucet where you can get hot water to mix in the powdered Matcha Tea with. And that's unlimited servings! I found this beverage really good. What I further noticed was that the glasses we used preserved the warmth of the tea for a long time despite the air conditioning inside the establishment.  

Miso Soup, Steamed Egg Custard, Chuka Makame, shrimp, and scallop

As to food, I liked everything I got to taste during my first time at Genki Sushi. Aside from Miso Soup (P80) that I always enjoy in any Japanese restaurant, I found new favorites such as the Chuka Makame, a seaweed salad (P130) and Steamed Egg Custard (P120) for appetizers. The Salmon Roe Handroll (P250), and the other handroll variants, is also a great choice because it's so easy to eat. You just bite a bit at a time until it's gone. No need for chopsticks!

Salmon Roe Handroll

Nevertheless, Rolls (P60 and up) should never be forgotten when eating like Japanese. My table companions ordered several for sharing and we gamely tried them all. Soooo good!

handrolls, sashimi, maki, and eel

I wanted to give one of the rice bowls a test drive but I knew I wouldn't be able to finish one. So I'm reserving my appetite for the Chirashi Don (P420), which I was told is a Genki Sushi bestseller because it has a lot of toppings that are sure to satisfy one's seafood cravings.  

rolls and rice bowls

For dessert, the four of us shared a slice of Matcha Cheescake, Rare Japanese Cheesecake, (P140 each) Green Tea Ice Cream, and Strawberry Ice Cream (P80 each). Although I like cheesecakes in general, the yummy ice cream got more of my attention and made it difficult for me to choose which one is better :p 

decadent desserts

By the way, when you eat at Genki Sushi, you can check your bill's running total in the middle of your meal just by tapping a button on the tablet. You don't need to ask any of the restaurant staff and wait for them to do the computation. I find this a practical and convenient feature that will definitely help customers gauge if they're already overshooting their budget or not. As you can see all over this post, though, the dishes are reasonably priced for such good quality food!

check your running total just by tapping a button

Needless to say, I am quite excited to bring my husband and boys to Genki Sushi because, I am sure, they will also feel that sense of wonder and childlike fascination I had. This is such a good place to bond with loved ones. Bring yours, too!

happy diners with happy tummies :)
photo credit: Alu Aluzan Aran

Genki Sushi is located at the second floor of Bonifacio Stopover Pavillon, Rizal Drive corner 31st Street, Bonifacio Global City. For news and updates, please like Genki Sushi Philippines on Facebook. and @genkisushiph on Instagram.