Beauty Collagen Hot Pot Now Available in Bijin Nabe by Tsukada Nojo at S Maison Conrad Manila

Anybody who's familiar with collagen knows that this protein helps keep skin look plumper, more hydrated, and younger. It's no wonder products containing collagen has become very popular in recent years. But, what does this have to do with food, you ask? Read on …

looking forward to trying a beauty collagen hot pot for the first time
photo credit: ARC Public Relations, Inc.

Bijin Nabe by Tsukada Nojo is a unique Japanese farm-to-table concept restaurant that became popular for its signature Beauty Collagen Hot Pot. Also known as Bijin Nabe, this dish uses the Golden Collagen Stock, a rich and exquisite broth that is imported directly from the Miyazaki Prefecture in Japan, home to the Jidori chicken.

the soup stock initially looks like white gelatin before it is heated

A special breed, Jidori is considered the "kobe beef of chicken" because it is meatier and more sinewy than its counterparts, making it tastier and richer in collagen. Jidori is grown in the only privately owned free range farm in Japan, under constant care and with a closely watched diet.

tender and tasty Jidori chicken in nabe

To produce the famous broth, Jidori chicken undergoes a delicate 18-hour stewing process until the essence of the bones and meat is completely dissolved into the stock. I was quite surprised when it was served on our table because it looked like white gelatin!

beautifully arranged ingredients on top of the soup stock

When heated, the stock slowly dissolves into its liquid form that is delicately milky and tastes very, very flavorful. My first sip from the tiny tasting cup was simply lip-smacking! Plus, the chicken meat that came with the broth was very tender and tasty.

condiments (from left): Layu, Leek Oil, Yuzukosho, and Shoyu

Of course, a hot pot wouldn't be complete without additional ingredients so we also enjoyed fresh vegetables, ground chicken meat, and seafood paired with a selection of four condiments: a light soy sauce called Shoyu, flavorful Leek Oil, the zesty spice of Yuzukosho, and the aromatic chili Layu sauce.

ready to make zosui

After the veggies and shrimp are consumed, diners have the option to use the remaining broth where one can add cooked rice and egg to make a tasty porridge called zosui, or request for a new bowl of nabe and add noodles instead of rice.

I like the dressing of this romaine lettuce salad, not too heavy

Before we started on the hot pot, my table companions and I also got to enjoy a Romaine Lettuce Caesar Salad with deliciously crisp greens, an interesting appetizer called Maximum Eggplant that surprisingly tasted really good, and Chicken Nanban made of boneless chicken that is moist and juicy beneath the breading.

the maximum eggplant -- crispy outside while soft and moist inside

We also got to sample different variants of Nikumaki -- rice wrapped with a thin layer of pork then rolled inside a lettuce leaf, which can already be a meal in itself. We capped off our amazing meal by sharing a plate of Sweet Potato with Vanilla Ice Cream. Yum!

like chicken fingers, I think this would be a hit with kids :)

Bijin Nabe is the brainchild of the Tsukada Nojo (Japanese for "Tsukada Farm"), a pioneering private farm located in Kyushu, Japan that is acclaimed for its high quality poultry raising methods. With its bona fide background, the Bijin Nabe by Tsukada Nojo branch in the Philippines guarantees a new kind of authentic Japanese culinary experience that's exactly the same as its overseas counterparts in Japan and Singapore.  

Nikumaki has four flavors: original, cheese, mayo, and spicy

Guests should also anticipate that when visiting this restaurant, they'll get a very personal dining experience as the service staff treats every bowl of nabe as a piece of art, giving it ceremonial respect aptly reserved for the most exquisite of Japanese cuisine. They are well-trained in guiding diners to make the Bijin Nabe experience as authentic as can be.

dessert for sharing to cap off a very filling meal

To give us an idea about the price, our server shared that a serving of Bijin Nabe per person costs P750. Visit Bijin Nabe by Tsukada Nojo at the second floor of S Maison in Conrad Manila. Learn more by visiting their official website at http://bijinnabe.ph. You may also follow @BijinNabePH on Facebook and Instagram as well as join the conversations online by using the hashtag #BijinNabePH.