Eating and shopping Japanese at Choto Stop!

Well before Saizen in Robinsons Galleria opened, there was already this quaint little Japanese grocery called Manila Seikyo Co-op right at the Mile Long Bldg. Everything was sold for P50 at the start... which then escalated to P65 with inflation and forex changes. Manila Seikyo Co-op closed some time ago, only to re-open under a new name at a new location along Pasong Tamo (now known as Chino Roces Ave.). Manila Seikyo Co-op is now Choto Stop, a Japanese grocery and eatery (there wasn't a dining area before) right outside Little Tokyo.

The menu is simple and straightforward. You have a choice between rice sets and bentos. Rice sets typically cost around P180 per order, while bentos cost P220. My hubby usually orders the Katsu-Curry Rice Set (P180, pictured above left), which is sliced breaded porkchop topped with Japanese curry on rice. It is served with a small bowl of side salad and miso soup. When I'm hungry I'd order the Hamburg Steak Bento (P220, pictured above right). You get a complete meal with a generous serving of Japanese rice, pickled vegetables, a thick juicy all-beef burger patty, a fried dumpling, a small frankfurter, and some macaroni salad. It's really delicious and filling, well worth every cent of your P220.

Since the Japanese establishments in the Little Tokyo area are all in good terms, you can even order Takoyaki, Cream Anmitsu, and other Japanese treats which are not offered at Choto Stop from the neighboring restaurant Hana. Choto Stop has Hana menus on hand so all you have to do is tell them what food item you want and their staff will take care of getting it from Hana. We ordered some Takoyaki (P100 for 6 pieces, pictured above) from Hana, since Hana is just about the only local place I know which serves up authentic Takoyaki much like the ones we love eating in Osaka.

Our kids love Choto Stop's Curry Rice (P180, pictured above right) so much that they can each finish one whole order by themselves. They'd also walk over to the grocery area and pretty much just grab some drinks and desserts for P75 each. My son Ken loves muscat-flavored Fanta. Choto Stop's grocery section offers Japanese food and beverage items for P75 each. Everything is P75 (except for some bigger and bulkier items like sacks of Japanese rice) at Choto Stop. Unlike Saizen, most of the items on sale are edible -- chips, candies, noodles, sauces, drinks, spices, chocolates, ice cream etc. There are even meat, vegetables, and fruit at the frozen section.

We love having Japanese ice cream for dessert after a sumptuous meal at Choto Stop. The last time we were there, we tried Lotte's vanilla-Ramune flavored ice cream. Rich, milky, and creamy vanilla ice cream with swirls of Ramune sherbet. For the uninitiated, Ramune is a classic Japanese sweet lemon-lime softdrink. It was very cool and refreshing, perfect for that hot Sunday noon.

*Choto is the Japanese word for "wait".

Choto Stop
2277 Chino Roces Ave., San Lorenzo Village, Makati City
759-5560

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