Raising the Bar: The Omakase Private Dining Experience by Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen

For Barbara Ann Reyes-Javelosa, taking her home-based food business to the next level is part of the game setting Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen apart from the rest. In a bold move, Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen adds an Omakase Private Dining experience to her growing repertoire of culinary offerings showcasing elegant Japanese dishes made with the finest and freshest ingredients. Hotel and restaurant quality dishes masterfully prepared with the best ingredients, it's the secret formula to Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen's continued success. And now, she's taking it a notch higher with private dining. Read on for an exclusive peek...

Widely known for her indulgent take on Japanese cuisine, Barbara Ann Reyes-Javelosa expands her catering component with a private dining option to her loyal base of customers. It's the logical next step for the successful high-end catering business of Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen, adding yet another layer to her exclusive dining experience. And the concept just fits perfectly with Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen and their extensive experience on elegant Japanese cuisine for a straightforward and seamless addition. 

And it really was just a matter of time before Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen added private dining to their growing menu of dining options. From the table setting to the different courses served that day, Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen definitely elevated its game with their sumptuous all-Japanese offerings. In a special preview, guests were treated to a peek at Omakase Private Dining in the elegant style of Barbara Ann Reyes-Javelosa's premium selection which included the much sought after and prized toro, fresh salmon, foie gras, Iberico Bellota and Wagyu Beef. After all, it's just what you'd expect from Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen.

From the first time I sampled the Japanese menu of Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen back in 2019, Barbara Ann Reyes-Javelosa never stopped raising the bar for her home-based food business. I've seen Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen evolve with her five-star hotel grade dishes using the finest and freshest ingredients including many flown in from Japan for some of the metro's very best Japanese cuisine. 

For Barbara Ann Reyes-Javelosa, constantly raising the bar is a continuous process reflecting her uncompromising commitment to quality (for more on Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen, see my earlier posts, Turning Japanese with Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen... on my very first experience with Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen's Japanese cuisine and her now famous Tempura back in 2019, A Tasty Peek at the New Premium Japanese Offerings by Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen on her lavish dishes using fresh seafood imported from Japan's Toyosu market from 2021, Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen Raises The Bar for Home-Based Food Businesses with Restaurant Quality Dishes on her elegant and sumptuous Japanese menu, ECQ Eats: Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen Elevates the Bento Experience on her creative and inventive Bento-inspired offering, Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen Raises the Bar for Home-Based Food Businesses. Again. on her expanded menu from December last year and Pure Baking Indulgence. Meet The Artisan Bakers Company...on her latest venture).

Little touches matter, down to the minutest detail for a lavish 13-Course Omakase Private Dining experience by Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen. The menu also showcases the creativity of the kitchen, using the finest ingredients available for an impressive menu. The term "omakase" literally translates to "I leave it up to you" common in Japanese restaurants where the chef prepares a series of dishes with seasonal ingredients on hand. Almost like a tasting menu or degustation, Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen draws inspiration from classic Japanese flavors for its Omakase Private Dining experience infused with her own inventive spin.

Our Omakase Private Dining experience at Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen began with the Dashi Jelly with Garlic Chips, Chives and Ikura, a light and refreshing starter with its contrasting textural play and rich flavors concentrated in a jelly. The dashi becomes the flavorful base of the jelly, intensifying in flavor with its briny notes as the jelly melts in your mouth followed by the bold hints of garlic, chives and the rich burst from the ikura or salmon roe. Right from the start, Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen teases your palate...

The Hamachi with Kizami Wasabi takes us all back to what made Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen famous throughout the metro with her selection of the freshest seafood. Laid on a fresh shiso leaf, the slab of hamachi or yellowtail amberjack is simply plated with a zen-like vibe feeding the eyes before the palate. Topped with Kizami Wasabi, you can expect real flavors from true "hon" wasabi chopped and marinated for that smooth sharpness in taste. 

Wrap the hamachi in the shiso leaf with a dab of wasabi before gently dipping it in soy and enjoy the rich weave of delicate and nuanced flavors. Through the years, Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen has mastered the complex flavors of Japanese cuisine with each course in the Omakase Private Dining menu. 

Expect only the very best from Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen. For the third course, the Toro with Yuzu Kusho was served continuing the parade of fresh flavors of the Omakase Private Dining menu. The deep red hue of the toro, the fatty belly of tuna, is the star of the plate. One bite and you'll know why this is the most prized cut of the fish with its buttery flavor and texture that just melts in your mouth. The vibrant citrus hints of the yuzu kusho tempers the briny richness of the toro for a delicately balanced finish. You don't need to overcomplicate premium and fresh seafood like this, and Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen keeps it simple so you can enjoy all the flavors at its unrestrained and purest form.

The Tako Carpaccio brings even more fresh and briny notes to the palate with thinly-sliced octopus drizzled with yuzu and calamansi topped with herbs and cherry tomatoes. Freshness is flavor, and it's the quality of the ingredients that deliver all the richness.

Tender and rich with fresh and clean flavors, the blend of yuzu and calamansi brings a bright and vibrant layer to complement the briny notes of the octopus. It's this delicate play on flavors that shows just how far Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen has evolved with its inspired take on Japanese cuisine.

The Trevally Konbijime with Pickled Pineapple and Cucumber is another masterfully executed course with the tart sweetness of the pineapple and cucumber against the fresh flavors of the fish without overwhelming it in a delicately balanced weave. It's just pure flavor on flavor with the freshness of the ingredients conspiring for another tasty course.

The Seabass with Mushroom Broth brings hearty and comforting flavors to the table with melt-in-your mouth seabass in a rich broth with just a hint of subtle sharpness from the vinegar mellowed by the nutty notes of mushrooms. The medley of fresh mushrooms brings its own unique flavors, blending seamlessly with the buttery seabass. A sip of the broth, with its mild vinegar hints, ties it all together.

The Salmon Aburi with Nikiri is a tasty bite with creamy salmon lightly torched and glazed with sweet soy. No need to dip, the sweet Nikiri glaze and mildly caramelized layer delivers all the flavors. It's just one of many creations from Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen (see more of Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen's specialty sashimi, sushi and seafood dishes on my previous posts like the Special Sushi Roll Platter and Sashimi Platterhere, the Premium Sashimi Platter, Hamachi Jalapeño in Yuzu Soy, Chirashi Rolls, Fried Futomaki Roll with Trio Sauce, Nigiri Sushi, Spicy Tempura Truffle Roll and Wagyu Sukiyaki Rollhere, Assorted Sushi Rolls and Premium Sashimi Platter with Otoro and Chutoro Tuna, Hamachi, Salmon and Scallops here and Mix Sushi Balls and Mix Nigiri Sushihere). It's the perfect bite before the next course...

The Foie Gras with Miso is just pure savory indulgence. Draped in sweet and salty miso, the almost butter-like texture of the foie gras drapes the palate with a creamy richness completed by the miso for that perfect umami finish. Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen creates a colorful palette of Japanese inspired flavors using the finest premium ingredients in creative and elegant dishes that's perfect for any special celebration. 

Foie Gras figures prominently in the menu of Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen, and it's fitting to see it in the Omakase Private Dining menu. The foie gras course is consistent with her other foie gras creations (see my earlier posts for her Death by Foie Graswith Avocado Tempura and Unagi and the Lobster with Foie Gras, Mushrooms and Vegetables here and Foie Gras Marinated in Den Miso Topped with Dried Fruits and Nuts here) and its inclusion in the Omakase Private Dining selection is no surprise. It's the use of premium ingredients for hotel quality dishes executed well, and that's what sets Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen apart from other home-based food businesses. 

The refreshing Satsuma Yuzu Granita with its bold and zesty citrus notes cleanses the palate...

...while the Kale Salad Mixed with Yuzu Pomelo Dressing keeps your palate tingling with its tart sweetness. Just pure and clean flavors with contrasting textures, each bite delivers bold and unrestrained freshness for a satisfying salad course. 

No dining experience with Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen is complete without her famous Ebi Tempura. Though not part of the Omakase Private Dining menu, the delicately crisp and crunchy Ebi Tempura is a consistent bestseller among Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen's loyal customers. Plump and succulent prawns that are larger than the usual commercial options, her version of the popular Japanese staple will give most restaurants and hotels a serious run for their money. 

A platter of her best-selling tempura with similarly sized prawns draped in a light batter for that delicate crispness delivers a burst of fresh and briny notes with a snap after each bite (for more on her signature tempura, see my posts here and here).  

The last two savory courses for the Omakase Private Dining menu were then served, starting with the Iberico Bellota with Ginger Tozasu. The premium Spanish pork brings a clean and mild nutty sweetness intensified by the ginger tozasu in another masterful play of contrasting flavors. The use of premium Iberico Bellota just elevates the dish delivering flavors you simply won't get with pork.  of lesser quality.

The tender pork is prepared in the sous-vide style for that buttery texture. The portions are just right too and after ten courses of the Omakase Private Dining menu by Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen, the Iberico Bellota with Ginger Tozasu continues the parade of flavors setting the tone for an elegant feast with a savory punch. But it gets better...

The Grilled Wagyu Tenderloin with Crispy Burdok Gobo is the savory finale to our Omakase Private Dining feast by Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen with its melt-in-your mouth and buttery mouthfeel. Grilled to a medium rare with a juicy pink center, the Wagyu Tenderloin is complemented by a mildly sweet and tart sauce for contrast and balance. Topped with crisp strips of burdok gobo, a Japanese root, the nutty hints and crunch gives the steak a distinctly Japanese vibe. 

Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen knows Wagyu Beef, and it's another popular menu item among her customers. The Grilled Wagyu Tenderloin with Crispy Burdok Gobo from her new Omakase Private Dining menu is just one more dish from her repertoire of premium Wagyu selections (for more on the Wagyu beef specialties of Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen, see my post on her Wagyu Prime Rib Steak and Wagyu Tenderloin Teppanyaki here, the Wagyu Ribeye Steak in Kimuchi Sauce here, the Wagyu Tenderloin with Special Truffle Sauce here and Gyuniku with Shimeji Mushrooms and Young Corn in Special Steak Sauce here).

Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen tweaks the popular local custard with a Japanese twist with the playfully inventive Matcha Leche Flan with Glutinous Pearls and Red Beans to cap the sumptuous Omakase Private Dining feast on a high note. The distinct and mildly bitter notes of matcha perfectly tempers the indulgent sweetness of the flan for that delicately balanced finish.

In true omakase style, just leave it to Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen to serve a sumptuous array of elegant Japanese-inspired dishes using the very ingredients. 

From the freshest seafood to foie gras, Iberico Bellota and Wagyu Beef, only the very best makes it to the menu at Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen. And now, you can enjoy tasty bites of the world's best with the lavish Omakase Private Dining menu by Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen. Premium, high-end, hotel grade, is there anything Barbara Ann Reyes-Javelosa can't do? Make your next celebration special and leave it to Bambi's Gourmet Kitchen for that memorable feast at home...