Tempura’s Best opens tomorrow

Tempura’s Best management and staff: From left, chef Jammer Kasama, chef Robert Evangelista, chef and owner Jimmy Castro, restaurant manager and owner Pola Castro, and wait staff Eileen Nahrum, and Mary-Ann Baltazar. (Bea Cabrera)

Tempura’s Best across Mobil Station on Middle Road is not just all about tempura.

Pola Castro, who owns the business with her husband, Jimmy, said their brainchild is a Japanese fusion restaurant that features the community’s favorite dishes—Japanese, Chamorro, Filipino food—with a twist.

One prime example of this is their signature shrimp almond tempura, which is peeled, deveined, buttery tiger prawns covered in a distinctive batter and with almond shaving. Just squeeze lime juice on top and sprinkle with a dash of salt and you’re good to go! It is one of the dishes that Pola and Jimmy are excited about as it is hard to find on island.

But, of course, as the name of the restaurant suggests, Tempura’s Best also boast a wide variety of Japanese dishes that highlight this island favorite shrimp dish. For those not in the know, tempura is simply peeled shrimp, clothed with batter and soaked in hot oil to fry. Tempura’s Best has the classic shrimp tempura but they also shrimp spicy tempura and other creative twists to this Japanese classic.

Chef Jimmy Castro and his specialty dish, Shrimp Almond Tempura, which is available daily. (Bea Cabrera)

Rice dishes include katsudon, chorizo fried rice and unagidon. Aside from being delicious, the eel in unagidon is with replete with vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids that makes this dish a favorite. Jimmy finishes it off with a tasty sauce and pieces of tamago and spring onions on top.

Local favorites include rib eye steak with finanedi sauce, hamachi, salmon, chicken bite karage, yasai itame and spaghetti for the children. Soup entrees include Japanese-Filipino fusion of fish sinigang with miso, tempura udon and soy ramen. They also have Japanese rolls, sashimi salad and tuna poke.

For the soft opening tomorrow, a semi-lunch buffet will be served from 11 am to 2pm for only $15 adult and $8 (children age 5 to 10 years old). This includes unlimited garden green salad, soup of the day, sushi rolls, and a choice of one entrée” either shrimp classic tempura, pork katsudon, or chicken teriyaki. The meal is served with rice, dessert and iced tea.

Local favorite steak paired with garlic chips and finanedi sauce. (Bea Cabrera)

They are open again from 6pm to 10pm for ala carte dinner.

If you are looking for a new place to celebrate Father’s Day, Tempura’s Best is open on Sunday with a full buffet from 11am to 2pm for only $26.99. This includes unlimited garden green salad, soup, sushi rolls, sashimi, dessert and five main courses. Beer bucket for all the fathers is available for only $15 and include five cans of beer.

“We are a family restaurant where every member of the family can enjoy their favorite dishes. Dads will enjoy our sashimi, moms can enjoy our rice bowls and the children, our homestyle spaghetti with hotdogs,” Pola said.

Aside from the main area, Tempura’s Best has private rooms to accommodate celebrations, occasions, and meetings.

Hot and fresh Unagidon, both delicious and nutritious. (Bea Cabrera)

“Jimmy and I understand the people have preferences when it comes to food—for pizza, you go to [a specific] place, for kare kare you go to another place. We want to be known as the ‘tempura’ place so when people crave for delicious and authentic tempura, they will think of Tempura’s Best,” Pola said. “We would like to invite the community—many of them have become our friends over the years—to come and see what we have. The quality of the food and service is what motivates us and we know that they will love it.”

Tempura’s Best is open Tuesday to Sunday, semi lunch buffet from 11am to 2pm and ala carte dinner from 6pm to 10pm. Sunday has ala carte lunch from 11am to 2pm and ala carte dinner from 6pm to 10pm. For more information, call (670) 233-8367 or look them up on Facebook and Instagram: @TempurasBest.