The Ramen Variants of Ramen Nagi

The first time I ate at Ramen Nagi was truly unforgettable. I've never been back to the place but fortunately, after a few months a branch nearer my place of work opened. I set out to choose a favorite from the menu, but up to this point where all the variants are excellent choosing is difficult.

Red King
This variant (pictured below, right) has a tasty, complex broth: both sweet and spicy, and the fresh leeks add another layer of heat. The broth alone was enough reason for the visit. The thin noodles were perfect for absorbing the flavors. I was drenched in sweat after the meal--always a good sign.

Bonito King
This is a seasonal variant (pictured above, right), and I was glad I ordered it. Bonitos are medium-sized relatives of tuna. The bowl arrived with the strong aroma of  fish and spicy powder. I love the option of choosing the heat level--my bowl had just the right amount of spiciness. The raw leeks cut through the rich, gamy broth. This is one excellent variant.

Green King 
I had low expectations with this variant, but it works--the broth was dense with flavor. I love the instant hit of umami from the cheese and herbs. Dialing the heat up prevented this from being too cloying. Sarap!

Ebi Ramen
Another very flavorful, seasonal variant. I requested that they make the sauce and broth light and dialed the heat level to seven. I was perspiring after the meal and quite happy.

Black King
After a prior attempt that had too much garlic it overpowered the dish, I was able to get the combo right: I requested that they make the garlic, sauce, and broth light and I had the spice level dialed to eight. The result was a flavorful, balanced ramen.

Ramen Nagi
Padre Faura Wing
Robinsons Place Manila
Pedro Gil St,, Ermita Manila
(+63) 02 353 5063

Banana Leaf's Penang Char Kway Teow and Chicken Pandan

This is my third post on Banana Leaf. You can read my earlier post here and here. What I love about this chain is that it allows you to savor the best of Asia's varied cuisines without having to board a plane. For this visit I tried two of their bestsellers.  

First was the Penang Char Kway Teow

Char Kway Teow, meaning stir-fired ricecake strips, is popular in Malaysia and Singapore, and is made of flat rice noodles, soy sauce, prawns, cockles, bean sprouts, chives, egg, sausage, and fishcake. This was originally a cheap source of energy for laborers. Banana Leaf's version is smoky and spicy, with the distinct aroma of fish sauce. I love the crunch from the sprouts, the chewy flat noodles, and how the fried egg absorbed the strong flavors. Imagine how glorious this could be if they didn't dial down the heat (note to self: remind restaurants you don't mind dishes as spicy as they should be).

The second dish was the Pandan Chicken 

Banana Leaf's Pandan Chicken was - juicy and succulent, with a pronounced pandan aroma. This comes close to Azuthai's version (click here for my review), which is the best for me. They paired this with sweet spicy sauce. I noticed that they let the meat soak in the mixture a tad too long, but the dish was still good nonetheless

Banana Leaf Asian Cafe
188-189 Level 1 Robinson's Place
Midtown, Ermita, Manila
(+63) 02 567-1888

Ferdie's of Meycauyan, Bulacan for Special Palabok

This is one Special Pansit Palabok. My officemate served this as his birthday treat in the office, and he had it shipped all the way from Meycauayan, Bulacan to our office in Manila. 

Pansitabok Palabok is a noodle dish topped with shrimp sauce, shrimp, pork, crushed pork rinds, smoked fish flakes, fried tofu, scallions, and garlic. It is usually served on large woven trays (bilao) during gatherings and parties. 

What makes Ferdie's Pansit Palabok special is it is a touch spicy, garlicky, and rich, with generous toppings of chicharon bulaklak (artery-clogging fried pork intestines). You have to order it in advance and pick it up yourself, but I guarantee it's all worth the trouble. 

Ferdie's
Dinar Street, St. Micahel's Home
Meycauayan, Bulacan
(+63) 915-4995500

Azuthai Restaurant's Shrimp Cake, Pandan Chicken, and Phad Thai

As you already know by now, I love Thai cuisine and I always ask the servers at local Thai restaurants to make the dishes I ordered as authentic as possible. My gauge is all is good when I break into a glorious sweat while eating. But can I enjoy the same with the spice level dialed down? Up until now, I thought that was impossible. 

A recent lunch at Azuthai proved that I can enjoy Thai cuisine without that much heat. It helps that I've always wanted to eat at Azuthai, which always come out as one of the go-to places in the local foodie scene. Their shrimp cake and pandan chicken are hefty, juicy, and succulent. 

The pad thai was also excellent: nutty and sweetish, with crunchy pork bits. I love how they presented it: initially wrapped in egg,

and ready for digging in.

Azuthai Restaurant
900 Arnaiz Ave. cor. Paseo de Roxas
San Lorenzo Village, Makati
(+63) 02 817 6252

Kokoro Ramenya's Tan Tan Men

I've been quite scarce, bear with me, since I'm buried under tons of writing projects. I apologize for the glut of ramen entries, but I have to post this. After going over my photo archives, I noticed that I forgot to write about this sooner. Forget Ukokkei. Kokoro Ramenya serves the better Tan Tan Men. (I prefer Ukokkei's Shio Tan Tan Men, though). Both establishments serve complex, milky-creamy, and nutty ramens, but Kokoro's is spicier. There's the usual visible layer of fat, which coats the noodles with the flavorful broth. This is one glorious ramen. 

I was happy to see more diners, Pinoys and Japanes, eating there during this particular visit earlier this year.

For an earlier post on the restaurant, go here. 

For my ramen house rankings in the Pasay and Manila area, go here. 

Kokoro Ramenya

2F S1-S2 1388 Roxas Boulevard cor. Sta. Monica & M Guerrro Sts.
Ermita, Manila
(+63) 02  254-9716

Mitsuyado Sei-men for Karashi Ramen and Black Pepper Chicken

Part of what I love about researching for this blog is the thrill of discovery. There's nothing like finally coming face-to-face with the resto you've only known previously online. The first time I ventured to Jupiter to look for Mitsuyado Sei-men I got lost. I was lucky the second time. The place was larger than I imagined, and was quite full with local and Japanese patrons. I love how the owners tired to replicate the traditional ramen houses in Japan. Another bonus are the well-trained staff, who know their way around the menu. I did not try the cheese noodles during my visit, but opted for the spiciest ramen in the menu.

The karashi ramen was complex and multi-layered, spicy and a tad smoky. There's a hint of fish sauce in the dark broth. Compared to a Greenbelt-based ramen house, whose name I will not mention, the onion stalks did not overwhelm the dish. This is the first time I tried the thick noodles, and I'm not too crazy about it. I like the slivers of funky bamboo shoots and the seasoned chashu. 

In my second visit I tried the Cheese Curry Tsukemen, opting for cold noodles. I was told to pour the cheese on the noodles, and then dip the noodles in the sauce. The combination of creamy savory sweet and sour was not to my liking. Well, at least my curiosity was satisfied. 

I prefer the Black Pepper Chicken more. It was lovely--smoky and moist with just the right amount of heat. Best eaten warm. I was fussing with my notes I forgot to eat it right away. 

Mitsuyado Sei-Men
#22 Jupiter Street cor Galaxy St
Brgy. Bel-Air Makati
(+63) 02 511 1390

Menya (Formerly Genya) Genki Tonkotsu Ramen House' s Pirikara Tonkotsu Special

Until recently, I didn't know there was a ramen house near my place. Thank goodness for the Internet, since it took some online research for me to discover Menya, formerly Genya, Genki Tonkotsu Ramen House (the change in name was because of change in ownership). Menya specializes in the tonkotsu ramen variant, regarded by many. This ramen involves boiling pork bones over an extended period of time, creating an opaque milky-white broth, very porky, and with a thin layer of fat on top.

I ordered the spiciest ramen in the menu--the pirikara (Japanese for spicy) tonkotsu special (menu price: P320.00). It was a  winner! Milky, clean, spicy, just apt for the cool weather. This is the clean spicy ramen that I love. They boil pork cutlets for 18 hours, and it shows in the flavorful, savory broth. My only quibble is the noodles, but the other elements: the char shiu (barbecued pork) and the mushrooms were spot-on. A few spoons into the dish, my sinuses were clearing. 

Menya Genki Ramen House completes my triumvirate of excellent ramen houses, along with Ukokkei and Santouka. After eating at Menya, I have now adjusted the rankings of what, to me, are the best ramen houses in the Manila/Pasay area:

1. Ukokkei Ramen Ron
2. Hokkaido Santouka Ramen
3. Menya Genki Tonkotsu Ramen House
4. Kokoro Ramenya
5. UCC

Be sure to order the green mango shake. The tart-sweet of the shake opened my palate for the ramen.

Happy eating!

Menya Genki Ramen House
Hobbies of Asia
Manila Ba Reclamation Area, Pasay

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka for Kara-Miso and Shio Ramen and Green Tea Marshmallow Mochi

When people ask me for ramen house recommendations, Ukokkei Ramen Ron is on top of my list, followed by Hokkaido Ramen Santouka. This is my second post on the latter. For the first, click here. Since discovering Santouka has a branch in MOA, I've dined there twice. This is my report on my twin visit. 

On my first visit, I ordered the Kara-Miso Ramen, described as having as "spicy soybean paste flavor." When the bowl arrived, it smelled so delicious. It was as good as Ukokkei's, but it was not spicy enough for me, until I realized the heat was building up to a slow burn. I love the fresh onion stalks (just enough) and the the firm strips of bamboo shoots. The  pork belly was very flavorful. 

On my second visit I ordered the  Shio Ramen. A taste of  the ramen confirms what I've long suspected--I lean towards the clean tasting ranen like the salt-based ones. It was creamy, and the goodness of the pork comes through. This bowl made my heart sing. It has a tendency to be gamy but nothing that a dash of pepper or spice powder could fix. 

For dessert I ordered two mochi variants--green tea marshmallow and blueberry cheesecake. I love the former--the strong green taste balanced by the creamy marshmallows. Santouka's mochi are premium mcohi. I love the texture--better than the usual mochi. It was as soft as palitao.

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka
SM Mall of Asia, Ocean Drive
Diokno Boulevard, Pasay City

Banana Leaf's Malaysian Seafood Laksa

I came for the Haianese chicken (which was just okay), but I left impressed with the Malaysian seafood laksa. Laksa is a popular spicy noodle soup in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It merges Chinese and Malay elements. It is made of rice vermicelli, coconut milk, and curry soup base. Banana Leaf's laksa is warm, creamy, sweetish, a tad nutty, and spicy--perfect for the rainy weather. I love the crunch of the togue. I wished there were more noodles, but nonetheless I love it. It was a complete meal in itself, what with the generous portions of the seafood.

Note: this is the first time I'm writing most of the text using my smartphone, and though a bit clunky, I can get used to this.

Banana Leaf
Robinson's Place Manila
Ermita, Manila
(+63) 02 567-8188

Batangas City's Tree House Restaurant for Lomi and Camaron Rebosado

In a trip to Batangas City, quite a few recommended we eat at the Tree House Restaurant. The place is straightforward and unpretentious. Of the meals we ordered, two stood out: the lomi and the camaron rebosado

Lomi, popular in Batangas, consists of thick egg noodles, meat and liver, and soup stock thickened with cassava flour and beaten eggs. The restaurant's lomi was flavorful and rich without being salty. I love innards in my noodles, and the calamansi and raw chopped onions cut through the rich soup. 

I also loved the camaron rebosado, deep-fried battered shrimp. Best eaten warm. It was flavorful--battered just right, and best served with sweet chili sauce.

The Tree House Restaurant
Diversion Road, Bolbok, Batangas City
(+63) 43 300-1110

UCC Vienna Cafe's Tan Tan Mien Pork Bone Soup and Halo Halo Cake

Until a few years ago I wasn't keen on Japanese food. I love my grub to pound my taste-buds with flavor, and thus I initially found Japanese cuisine to be a little bland. But I came around, and now I gravitate towards sashimi, teppanyaki, and the meal de jour--ramen! For my posts on ramen, you can go here and here.

I read Luzy Torres' column in the Philippine Star semi-regularly, and I know she appreciates good food. When she wrote that the ramen in UCC was so good she ate it regularly, I made a mental note to try it. Having been to Ukokkei, I tried to temper my expectations, but I was surprised nonetheless. I paired the Tan Tan Men with the Halo Halo Cake.

The ramen was spicy and nutty, a shade less tahn Ukokkei's but still good nonetheless. Plus points for the heat. Notice the red oil on top? That's the good stuff. The noodles could have been firmer. 

This cake had me at hello. When I espied this at the menu I knew I had to order it. Halo halo is the Philippine iced dessert, and I doff my hat off to the bright guys who decided to turn it into a cake. What I love--the center made of sweetened bananas, jackfruit, and macapuno. A layer of leche flan was woven in the ube chiffon cake. Rounding off this number are a double scoop of nangkasuy ice cram and cornflakes for crunch. Happy tummy!

UCC Viena Cafe has branches all over Metro Manila

Manila's Ukokkei Ramen Ron for Shio Tan Tan Men

A bowl of golden goodness. Shio Tan Tan Men plain...

...and with  orange-yolked eggs

I spent hours one Friday night looking for the Mabini Branch of Ukokkei Ramen Ron. I've read reams of praise online and in print extolling the offerings of the so-called Ramen Nazi, particularly the Tan Tan men, and I wanted to know first-hand if this was well-deserved. I've seen many a girly bar and the facade of Pan Pacific Hotel, but not the ramen house, and so I called it a night, making an oath not to trust GPS again.

Two days later the stars aligned. I had a couple of hours to kill before gym class, and out-of-the-blue I decided to give my search another go. From Faura I took the jeep going to Dakota and alighted at Quirino, where I walked a few blocks towards Roxas until I reached the corner of Mabini. Ukkokei is located at the building after Caltex and just before Sogo.

The restaurant starts serving the Tan Tan Men at 6 pm, and only in limited quantities. I arrived around 5:30 pm. Seeing how dejected I was, the waitress whispered to me to try the salt-based Shio Tan Tan Men, which was almost as good as the bestseller. Spicy, creamy, nutty--very flavorful. The balance of flavors made my gluttony heart sing. I was quite full that afternoon, but I finished the bowl clean. Next time I'm gunning for the Tan Tan Men.

By the way, you could do away with the egg if it's not to your liking. Other than the vivid hue, it's nothing special.

Ukokkei Ramen Ron
2126 A Mabini St., Malate, Manila
(+63) 02 516-5511