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We ventured into the elegant new (slight reek of cement dust) Greenbelt 5 to try the Japanese fusion restaurant, John and Yoko. All connection to Lennon and Ono ends with the east-meets-west concept; no Imagine or Oh Yoko in the air, all electronica to go with the red and purple neon circles. We had the California rolls and a ham-and-mango appetizer, both quite good, though the former tasted like dessert. Then we ordered soup, rice, fish, and the Mount Fuji Steak. The dishes arrived in reverse order, main course first: the steak sat alone on our table for a good ten minutes before the soup and rice appeared. The steak was alright, though it resembled neither Mt Fuji nor the picture in the impressively varied menu. It was served with a kitchen knife with a blue plastic handle—did someone forget to order knives to match the dinnerware?

We complained to the waitresses, who wear black mini dresses with jackets and boots, like a splinter group from a fascist army. They were gracious, and apologized profusely. It’s a new restaurant so maybe the systems are not yet in place, but the serving sequence requires only common sense. The Wagyu Rice—a bowl of rice with chunks of beef—was supposed to be good for two. Not. The Wasabi Cream Salmon was a snooze, but the Champion’s Bowl—a spicy soup with tofu, veggies, and meat—is very good. But why does it sound like something you can order in a bowling alley with nachos and beer?

John and Yoko’s concept needs tweaking, but the food is interesting enough to merit a return visit. Our meal cost P1,800, which wasn’t bad for six dishes, and we were stuffed.