Life is Good...
…with
the the ramen craze in Manila, metro-Filipinos would now be able to enjoy the
authenticity of this delectable Japanese soup dish bursting of flavors and
comfort especially on abnormally cold days. Ramen maximizes the flavor of vegetables,
pork or seafood into its delectable clear soup meshed with authentic blends of
spices and artful way of cooking. If they say that Ramen is clearly a technique
and an art at the same time, I truly believe it. Only masters and authentic
Ramen houses can bring out the powerful flavors without any hint of commercial
and sub-standard preparation. You’ll think that sipping that broth or biting
into that firm and equally gummy noodles, everything to the last temperature
and taste is deliberate. That’s why authentic ramen houses led by Japenese-bred
and trained ramen masters are a bit snooty. They don’t bend at mainstream
demands and attempt at modern fusion. And you kind of respect that.
Eating
ramen is definitely perfect on a cold and rainy night. Once you’ve tasted it,
it’s even something you’d crave for even in the hottest days. It makes you
full and it makes your taste buds provide a joyful ride to memory lane. It’s
perfect for family gathering or an impressive move on a date night. It’s a
perfect food to eat for celebration and reconciliation. Ramen gives you that feeling
of satisfaction once you finish that bowl that can warm even the grumpiest person
on earth.
Thank
you God that we have accessible and good ramen houses in Manila, a taste of
Japan really. It’s a collective food trip that ALL my friends and family love
and I’m not exaggerating. Ramen reminds us that life is definitely good.
Here
is my list of PERSONAL Favorite Ramen Houses
Ikkoryu Fukuoka
 |
| That's Chashu Ramen right there. And my sister got the Black Pepper Ramen |
What
I love about this - They may not
have Tantanmen or any other extreme variants of ramen, but their Chashu (Fatty,
tasty pork slice) ramen hits home for me. Generally I find their soup most
flavorful of all ramen houses even if you order the safest and mildest ramen
soup that they have. It’s like the soup slept with the flavors of pork and
spices for ages! And yes there were moments I wanted to order rice.
Branches
I Go to:
Alabang ATC (in the new wing, along JCo Donuts, John and Yoko)
Rockwell Powerplant mall (Ground floor)
SM Aura
Yushoken
What
I love about this - Their thicker
and gummy noodles and equally flavorful Chashu soup and Tantanmen. You think
Ikkoryu has minimal ramen selections, Yushoken has even less, but being
authentic, this doesn’t scrimp on the flavor. Their Shoyu or Chashu ramen are
really almost close comparisons to Ikkoryu. Noodles in Yushoken are thicker!
Their tantanmen is one of their best sellers and to-die for. Compared to
Ukkokei Ramen Ron, their tantanmen is a bit on a milky and thick side. I’m
really not a fan of Tantanmen or any spicy ramen in general, but overall they
have good Shoyu, Shio and Tantanment ramen, which makes it to my #2 list.
 |
| Tantanmen is their spicy ground pork ramen (na mapapa-kanin ka!) |
 |
| Their own milky version of Tantanmen. Their best seller. But I also love their Chashu Ramen! |
Only
Branch: Alabang – Molito
(Beside Omakase)
Ukkokei Ramen Ron
What
I love about this - Tantanmen. Thanks to my dear friend JP (tantanmen addict) for introducing me to this!! Contrary to my sister’s taste (she rules Yushoken as having the best Tantanmen)
my brother and I prefer Ukkokei Ramen Ron’s. Ukkokei’s Tantanmen is just
to-die-for, you’d want to order rice and drink from the bowl (which my brother
really does). Unlike Yushoken, the thinner egg noodles suits best for me and their
Tantanmen has the right spice. I remember drinking too much water eating
tantanmen in Yushoken that I wasn’t able to fully enjoy the entire bowl, but
Ukkokei’s spice is just right. According to my brother he likes the more tangy
kick of Ukkokei’s Tantanmen than the milky version of Yushoken’s. Actually I
would’ve put Ukkokei at the 2nd spot on my list only that I wouldn’t
go there for their Chashu and Shoyu ramen. Though it’s good and still
authentic, my brother and I find these variants very bland compared to Yushoken’s,
Ikkoryu’s and Hokkaido Ramen Santouka’s. So the next time you go to Ukkokei,
just try their tantanmen best seller. That makes the trip all worth it.
 |
| Thanks JP for introducing me to this. I know why now you crave for this every single bad day. |
 |
| Yes, this is my brother. Only Ukkokei's Tantanmen makes him drink from the bowl. |
**their
Tantanmen is only served at 6 pm! They don’t serve this during lunch. Also, best
to go to the restaurant early (like 5:30 PM!). They only serve so much bowls
per day. Yes...you read it right, they
have a limit for serving Tantanmen. They only serve a certain amount (around
30-50) of bowls per day. That’s why for first timers, they wonder why by 6 pm the
restaurant is already packed and you’re left there to wait and pray that
there’s a bowl left. The regulars know that Ukkokei has if not the best, one of
the best, tantanmens served in Manila and people flock here for that. Once I went
there to eat after work at 7:30 pm, the waiters have announced they only have
10 tantanmen bowls left. Yes, it is that crazy.
Branches - I
frequent McKinley Hill in Taguig than their Arnaiz Avenue Branch in Makati
Hokkaido Ramen Santouka
What
I love about this - Their lunch set
meals of cute servings of good rice toppings, their flavorful ramen and salad.
You get the best of both worlds. You can enjoy flavorful ramen with actual rice
without feeling guilty! I especially like their Grilled Salmon rice with Shoyu
Ramen, what a perfect combination! Their soup is flavorful too, in the leagues
of Ikkoryu and Yushoken, but veering on a more fatty side. Also, they could
improve their pork slices cause it’s not as melt-in-your-mouth compared to
Ikkoryu’s
 |
| Equally good ramen, best enjoyed on a lunch set portion |
Branch: Glorietta (Near Outback. The
restaurant is fronting SM Makati’s foodcourt entrance)
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| Mitsuyado Sei Men's Tsukemen and a version of their Tantanmen. |
I’m
sure there are other Ramen houses in the metro I’ve yet to taste. By the way,
I’ve also tasted Mitsuyado-Seimen in
Jupiter, but I’m really not a fan of their best seller (Tsukemen) the dipping
type of ramen with cheese on top. The dipping soup really turned out to be a
thick sauce. Probably I’ll just have to stick to the traditional ramen to see
if it’s worth it. But I loved their interiors, one of the best ramen restaurant
interiors I’ve been to so far. I'll go back here for re-appreciation.
These
authentic ramen houses offer a taste of what real ramen is all about. Ramen is their specialty and that’s what you’ll get, pure satisfaction. All ramen bowls
at these restaurants are priced at 350 – 450 pesos per bowl, a bit pricey, but
it’s worth the expense. Even my mom who is the ultimate “kuripot” when it comes
to spending for food did not object once she tasted a bowl at Yushoken and Ikkoryu.
She now even recommends it to her “kuripot” friends!
Try
out these ramen houses for what they have to offer. If you’re a first timer,
ask for their best seller. And please go there early, these restaurants always have
lines during lunch and dinner. Worst time to wait was at Yushoken for 45
minutes (lunch time). And try to notice, they all serve perfectly made gyozas!
Try them. Once you’ve tasted their ramen, you’ll definitely recognize authentic
from substandard ones!
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