At Watami, lunch or dinner doesn’t come in pieces. It arrives whole, laid out with the precision of a tea ceremony and the comfort of home cooking. With the launch of its new teishoku sets, the popular Japanese dining chain brings in more flavor, more value, and a bit of culinary rhythm to the dining table.

The teishoku, a traditional Japanese set meal, is built for balance. Watami’s version starts at just P395 and includes rice, miso soup, salad, side dishes, and a main entrée. Seven different mains are on offer, each one pulling its own weight.

The chicken teriyaki is glazed just right, with sweet-salty notes clinging to the char of the grill. Karaage, Japan’s answer to fried chicken, comes out golden and crisp, juicy inside. For something softer and more delicate, there’s katsu toji, pork cutlet simmered gently in egg, the edges soaking in soy and broth.

Hungry diners can add a bowl of udon for P55, or level up with nanban fried chicken in tangy tartar for P85. Tempura fans will find theirs too, light and crunchy with prawns that snap back. The most premium of the lot is the gyu zara, a thin-sliced beef dish that delivers richness without heaviness for an added P95.

Each set is served as a well-orchestrated plate: warm soup, crisp greens, sticky Japanese rice, and a rotating side or two to keep things interesting. It’s the kind of meal that satisfies without shouting. Nothing wasted. Nothing lacking.

Though the teishoku sets are dine-in only and not valid with promos, there’s more on Watami’s menu for those willing to stay a little longer. The salmon in stone pot arrives sizzling, its skin crackling against hot rice. Skewers grilled over open flame come stacked with savory possibilities. The salmon taco aburi brings the heat, while the matcha cheesecake closes the meal with a whisper of sweet and bitter.

Watami, a leading Japanese restaurant group with roots across Asia-Pacific, knows its strengths. It leans into tradition, but never gets stuck there.

For diners chasing comfort, flavor, and value without compromise, Watami’s teishoku is a meal made to measure.