What is Mizu? In Japanese, it literally means “water.” Why a restaurant offering delectable sushi and sashimi be named that? Well, I can only guess.

Here’s my theory: Mizu is a fish-focused restaurant (the restaurant serves creatures that come from water). I tried to search for the history of the restaurant’s name via their official website but there wasn’t any. 

What I know for sure is that Mizu is located at the lobby of Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino along with other well-known restaurants at Gourmet Walk. Ken Imamura is the chef behind Mizu’s appetizing,  savory, and fresh Japanese dishes.

Now, you might be wondering what brought us here. It’s not a sponsored dining – we were hosts that night so we footed the bill for dinner. Let me tell you more about it.

What are we doing in Mizu on a Saturday Night?

Neil and I don’t have a nightlife.

Wait, actually we do have a nightlife, if watching Netflix or reruns of “The Office” and “Friends” and reading til we fall asleep count as nightlife.

Anyway, yesterday was a deviation from our weekend evening routine: we decided to go to a lovely, cozy, and a tad pricey Japanese place. 

What are we celebrating? Glad you asked. Neil’s sister, Twinks, was visiting Cebu (after two years touring other cities and towns).

When Neil asked her what she’d like for dinner, “California Maki,” was her quick reply.

This brought back memories of a sushi and sashimi spot Neil and his co-founder used to frequent when cravings for fresh Japanese delicacies strike.

7-Variety Sashimi Mix: Tuna, salmon, ika (cuttlefish), uni (sea urchin), hamachi (yellowtail), shimesaba (cured mackerel), and kani (crab meat) for P1,574.

Neil has told me about this place several times but we just couldn’t find the perfect time to go. Either we forget about it or we’re too busy or lazy to explore other dining places as we  keep coming back to our go-to restaurants. Twinks’ visit was a timely reminder of Mizu. 

Our First Impressions of Mizu 

The ambiance was perfect when we arrived last night at Mizu. We were greeted by staff in their tasteful kimonos. They were expecting us because Neil made sure we had a reservation.

I noticed that only two tables were occupied and they were far from us, which tells you how spacious the place is. I didn’t think it was a bad sign that there were only a few diners on a Saturday night. I thought maybe we just popped by really late at 20 minutes past eight.

Ahead of our visit, Neil and I decided on a few dishes to order: a 7-variety sashimi, a platter of California Maki (6 pieces), plus bowls of rice. After seeing the menu, Neil added three bowls of rice topped with Ebi tempura (three pieces of battered and deep fried shrimps). Each of us got a huge bowl with a hefty serving of rice.

We just loved all of them. Twinks finished up the platter of California Maki while Neil and I had no trouble emptying the platter of sashimi. 

What’s on Mizu’s Menu

Before visiting Mizu, you might want to check out their menu first. You’re in luck! We snapped a few photos of their offers to help you plan your Japanese-inspired lunch or dinner. So, as promised, here’s the menu of Mizu. You can click each image to see it better. Itadakimasu!

Mizu Waterfront Cebu Hotel and Casino

Address: Waterfront Cebu Lobby, Gourmet Walk, Salinas Dr, Cebu City, 6000

Opening Hours: 11:00 AM – 2:30 PM and 6:00 PM – 10:30 PM

Phone: +6332 232-6888 local 8609