Rinjin Japanese Restaurant opened only a few months ago at Eroreco Subdivision but it has already gained a lot of attention through word of mouth. Rinjin means neighbor in Japanese and the fact that it’s located in a residential subdivision that makes it your neighbor if you live in the area.
The restaurant was on the former garage of a family and can accommodate around 30 people on a packed seating. The restaurant is very cozy and you can see the kitchen area through the glass partition so you know how they prepare your food. It has no fancy decoration and what might catch your eyes is the large metal clock on the wall which is rather artistically made.
Bang Agustin, the daughter of the owner is a friend of ours so it’s a must that Team Tikim visit Rinjin Japanese Restaurant.
Betsy and I ordered Miso Soup while waiting for our friend Pushpa. Miso soup is probably the most popular Japanese soup. Its ingredients are very simple, dashi soup stock, miso paste, tofu and chopped onions. Rinjin’s Miso Soup really tasted good, it’s not too salty and the serving size is just enough to prepare you for the next dish.
We ordered Spicy Rinjin Salad as recommended by Bang since it’s one of their best selling dishes. It’s raw tuna with tugarashi sauce, bread crumbs and mayo. I love spicy foods, so it’s definitely a hit for me.
We decided to have a light dinner so we did not order anything with rice. Instead, we had Soba which is cold noodles which you dip in a sauce with raw egg and wasabi. Most of us are fond of eating hot noodles but Soba is served chilled so that the texture of the noodles is retained.
Soba is very healthy since it’s made from buckwheat noodles which have low caloric and glycemic values compared to wheat noodles. Buckwheat is also gluten free, which makes it an ideal food for those with allergy or sensitive to the gluten found in wheat. I love the texture and the balance of flavors when you dip the noodles in its sauce.
Fake or Authentic?
I’m not sure if it’s because it’s near the so called “fake Bob’s” why some people refer to Rinjin as the “fake Inaka”, a famous Japanese restaurant in Bacolod. For me, to call it fake Inaka would be unfair to both Inaka and Rinjin.
A fake is something that is not authentic and Rinjin does not try to be a copycat of Inaka. When I asked Bang of her opinion when people call them the “fake Inaka” she says it’s ok but then they want to make a name of their own. They do not compromise their quality and use authentic Japanese ingredients since using local substitutes just don’t make the taste the same. That’s probably why you can’t even consider their price as cheap, more like reasonable but definitely more affordable than the other Japanese restaurants in Bacolod.
How to get to Rinjin Japanese Restaurant
Eroreco may be a little out of the way for most people but getting there is very easy. Rinjin is along Margarita St., Eroreco’s main road. Take the Eroreco jeep from downtown Bacolod and once you’re inside Eroreco Subdivision, watch out for the wall painted with dolphins on the right side of the road. Next to it is Rinjin Japanese Restaurant
Rinjin opens from 11:30am – 2pm and 5:30 – 9pm. For those in the neighborhood, they serve Filipino breakfast upon request. Call them at 708-8188
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