Kichitora Tokyo ramen

Located at the 2nd floor Atrium between building A and B, and right in front of Pork Katsu restaurant Yabu is Kichitora Tokyo ramen.

I read from menu that Kichitora is franchise from a Shibuya restaurant that is highly regarded. I'm not familiar with their main store so I'll just take it by face value.




I tried their Paitan Ramen Zabu no Se, said to be their specialty. I also tried their Chicken based ramen since Chicken must be their ramen theme judging from their name.


The ramen is topped by slightly hard boiled egg and lots of chopped spring onions. Fine Menma bamboo shoots  and Nori leaf for decor.
The soup is good. Light in flavour but full bodied with the Pork and Chicken stock. There's powdered sesame seed and dark sesame oil on it  as extra pep to the stock.

I like the excellent thin and shiny noodles. It has a good bite and goes well with the soup.
The 2 Chasu slices on top are good. It's been nicely grilled to let out it's taste better. 

I like their ramen. I find it really satisfying despite it's high price, It's all worth it. I've a mind to go back there again.





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Mitsuyado sei-men - Tsukemen Ramen

Mitsuyado sei-men in Makati city have been open for quite while, this Japanese style theme restaurant have been a mainstay favorite in a lot culinary article in magazines and newspapers.

They specialize in thick tsukemen style Ramen, or dipping style noodles.

 Check out some the these theme decor, trying to replicate some semblance of an era long since gone in Japan

It's like a very small section of Ramen museum in  Yokohama.

Love that thick chewy noodles that they serve, whether it's hot or cold. The hearty but mildly flavoured dipping sauce goes well with it.

The Beni-shoga that they use tend to be too sour and lacks the right balance of salty/sweetness to it. Taste like those one get's cheaply at your local Yoshinoya. Wish that they get a better supplier or better yet the serving should come a slice of a good lemon. That might give better fresh astringent taste to the dish.

If your gonna dine here I would suggest that you should stick to the Tsuke-men dipping noodles. Their bowl of ramen noodle soup are quite disappointing. Not that they're bad per se, it's just when taken in it's entirety is rather bland and quite lacking in punch from other Ramen. I notice quite more than a few costumers only eating it half-way.

The noodles are excellent of course, as I numerously tried it as a Tsuki-men, but mixed in with the pork soup that taste suspiciously like the diluted version of the dipping sauce, the marriage is disappointing. I would prefer just taking the noodles plainly without the starchy tasteless broth.The pork slices are nothing to write about either.

Again just stick to the Tsuki-men dipping noodles. You'll love it.

They have a very conventional but tasty Gyoza. They should try what's fashionable nowadays, lessen the filling but make the skirt and underside of the wrapper a lot crispier while the other side is moist and chewy.

Make sure you come in very very early, 'cause it always get very crowded during peak hours. I suggest dining in during lean hours like late lunch or a very late supper time, and remember always try it with a nice Aji-tama or half-boiled eggs.



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Ikkoryu Fukuoka ramen

A new ramen shop has opened just a few weeks ago at the new wing of Shangri-la shopping center at Edsa/Shaw crossing.

I happened upon it's initial opening day as I was checking out the new wing. I've eaten already on that day, but I surely made a point on checking their ramen.

They have a very decent ramen bowl. Like most new ramen shops that open these days they go for the rich pork broth kind. Such creamy rich pork soup that are derived from constantly boiling loads of pork bones have been the style found in Fukuoka. From other ramen blogs, it seems to be the preferred taste in Japan these days.

As I stated this shops ramen is sure very decent. It definitely satisfy  any one's ramen crave. The soup is milky and sweet with a clean taste. The toasted garlic and oil blends really well with it without giving any strong garlicky taste as most other soup tends to have.

The noodle are straight and thin. Picks the soup with it to every slurp. Very delicious and filling.

It's topped with some simple Chasu pork that are tender but nothing to write about, and hard-boiled eggs, the yolk is slightly over cooked than it should be but it's still ok.

Now the bad side. The pickled bamboo shots they used gives a rather unpleasant smell, that most costumers will notice. I pointed this out to the floor Manager, he said to me that it is problem and that they're still looking for a new supplier of pickled bamboo shoots. It's such a pity if they remove it from the bowl since I like Menma with my Tonkotsu bowl.

The Gyoza they had are pathetic and really sorry looking. It sure needs some Atlas work-out to get some meat into it. For now I'll just call it the Mac of gyoza, it's almost paper thin and ready to be blown away.

I find the interior decor rather interesting. The wooden panelings they had as dividers with some brush Kanji written on them kinda invoke some Japanese temple images that one see in their horror/supernatural movies or like an old-fashion wooden jail cells. I guess they're trying to emulate giant strands of noodles all over the place and the Kanji are like some secret family recipe written on those bamboo scrolls in the olden time. maybe.

I'll come back to it sometime just to see if they improve on their dish, here's hoping that they get better on their main menu and on their side dish.



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Santouka Hokkaido Ramen

I was fortunate enough to be able go to Glorietta's new ramen shop Hokkaido ramen Santouka on it's opening day, last Thursday. The first 300 costumer gets a free ramen voucher, and I can assure you having tasted their bowl, I'll sure be back to cash it in for more ramen goodness.

I was told they're still in their "dry-mode", hence they haven't yet a full menu. Only their essential Ramen dishes are available for order.

From the shops name I gather that their specialty is those Miso ladden broth ramen with butter and corn, the usual image of a Hokkaido style ramen. The bowl I was serve is more Hakata style with it's distinctive rich and creamy pork broth.

Either way from their selection I ordered their Shio ramen instead. I wanted to judge their soup without the added element of soy sauce or miso  from the other types. I can say happily that my decision had been most rewarded.

The ramen is topped with two meaty slices of Chasu that seems to marinated in honey, giving that extra tangy and sweet taste like one finds at some Chinese asado barbecue. some chopped welsh onions, sesame seeds, naruto fish cake and slices of Kikurage mushrooms. It's a topped with a single fresh Umeboshi (pickled plum) giving it a nice color.

The noodles are the eggy  crinkly kind. The noodles are cooked just right and has a delightful chewy flavor. My complaint is that the texture of the noodles seems pretty rough to the lips, probably it was agitated to much in it's boiling. Still it is delicious.

The soup has a delightful rich and sweet creamy taste. Not salty or strong , very easy on the tongue but it's flavor still permeates fully with the noodles.

The place is quite cozy though a little tight for all the waiting costumers. note the use of large and heavy wooden furnishings. The service is prompt and  though a little chaotic, this I gather from being just starting run of the shop.

The price is a little steep for a bowl, but it's definitely worth it for every drop and waiting one goes through for a very filling and fulfilling dine. See you there.



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Ajisen Ramen

I've been one of the first to savor Ajisen ramen since during their soft opening. That was a long time now, since then It's been my favorite place to get my ramen fix.

I came upon it when North east square had just open and there seems to three Japanese themed restaurants there, besides Ajisen there is also another store that serves Udon and Soba which had closed since then, and there Aomori cafe, a quiet and pretty place with cake and tea's

Ajisen ramen's specialty is their creamy pork tonkotsu ramen. It's delicious flavorful soup, which are dripped with special oil and seasonings, is something to fully savor and ingest with sheer delight. The soup alone could cover the price one pays. It's pork flavour is fully present and spices used are there mainly to enhance it's creamy sweet taste.

The bit's floating on the soup are herbs and spices. I could guess that there are garlic and onions in it, but their taste are so subtle as not to mask the essence of the broth. I might even speculate that there might be orange peels  with herbs, to get slight zest.

In the menu its say that use some special salt from Okinawa in their soup. Anyway, whatever dope they may be putting in it, this bowl is my special poison.

Tasty slices of Chasu pork, thinly slices of black ear mushroom along with cabbage and seasoned egg tops the bowl. The ramen noodle is straight and smooth. Not starchy, they go well with soup and feels light to the stomach.

Their bowl of ramen is quite filling by themselves, but I also like to order their Chahan fried rice. Another tasty dish. One of the best Japanese style fried rice in the city. Cooked piping hot, pan seared with the right seasoning of ingredients, it has that right fluffy texture to each grain, not broken by careless ladling. Searing technique brings the flavor out, without being salty.

A lot of ramen eater, usually in the states find Ajisen to be too flavourful and salty, from my taste it doesn't seem so in this local franchise, I for one have a low tolerance to MSG. Think of this ramen as a bowl of noodles with a very light tasty sauce.

Ramen lovers should never miss Ajisen's franchise here in this country. Seeing from ones eyes is better than a thousand tale. Try it and you decide if it tops.

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Food truck by Broosey

I was taking a look around at some outdoor food vendors outside of a local mall when I spied upon a food truck that seems to specialize in ramen.

Now food stalls are abundant in my country buts it's rare to find these modern mobile food trucks that's more common in the States, and when this one serves primarily ramen it definitely piqued my interest. I bought me one of their special miso ramen.

A rather unflattering looking bowl the say the least. Can't believe I paid 180 Pesos for this (4.50 USD )
The bowl is made of laminated cardboard that one use as coffee cup, which may be good for the environment slightly than a Styrofoam bowl but not a good idea to use on a hot take-out noodle soup, fortunately the soup is mildly warm which in itself is not a good sign.

The serving is abysmal. The soup taste more like Batchoy than Japanese, even then I've tasted some side street vendors soup that tasted better than this. The pork slices is small and a little tough with bones to them. The Nori seems to be only thing Japanese in it, even that seem to contradict the pork  and Teri-miso soup. Perhaps they should've use crushed fresh garlic instead and maybe some bean-sprouts would definitely improve upon it's state.

One of the worst ramen bowl I'd tasted. Perhaps the chef is having a really bad bad day that it came out like that or maybe the trolls are messing with the recipe at night, who knows. I'll try it again and see if they'll improve... someday.

I tasted them at Metrowalk Ortigas center, I've seen them outside of Glorietta Makati recently.

Ukokkie ramen ron

Ukokkie Ramen ron at Pasay road Makati seems a like a very good place for some authentic ramen adventure. There is line of patrons lined up front and the atmosphere inside is like one can find at any ramen shops at Japan. Though I must stress that I said 'seems'...

The place is crowded but not too packed and yet the servers , attentive and pleasant they may be, are disorganized and lacks proper coordination. I've seen and heard costumers complaining about their late, missing order or getting the wrong one. Many a times they have gone back and forth with the wrong order to a costumer beside me in the counter. 

Anyway all can be forgiven just to a have a good bowl of ramen.

A rather unimpressive bowl I must say. Boring could easily describe it.

The soup is good, the noodles are fine and are cooked just right, the braised pork slices are passable. It has all the bells and whistles for a good Shoyu ramen, it's just that it's just too typical of a bowl for the price one has to pay and the hassle of driving into the place.

I also ordered a side of Gyoza.

I think the picture speaks for itself. Their much smaller in life than in the picture, if you're reading this in a I-pad, they're still much smaller. You wouldn't believe how much I paid for such a depressing plate. I was searching for the meat from the wrapper while eating it.

They have in their menu a side dish of grilled steak strips. It's delicious and I would recommend it over the gyoza.


Except for the gyoza, the shop do delivers with what it advertise. I just wish that there is a little excitement to their bowl or at the very least a much lower price for it's rather plain but decent one. 



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Menya Genki ramen

Menya Genki ramen is one of those places that you have to purposely go into try their menu.

Along Diosdado Macapagal Blvd., it's quite hidden by billboards and such, that you tend to not notice the shop if your cruising by the high-way

As you can see in the menu this is a Ramen specific kind of restaurant. You come here to order Ramen and just ramen, no sushi, thank you.

A rather Unimpressive looking bowl to say the least, but it a has the necessary requirements for a good bowl and a slight air of authenticity in it.

The soup is rather tepid but has indeed that substantial tonkatsu flavor that we're expecting. The Chasu pork is tender and juicy and has a delightful mild flavor.

The noodle is the thin and straight variety that is cooked just right. It absorbs the soup in it perfectly and is perfect to each other.

The toppings are boiled stewed eggs, slightly mushy raw, which is quite good. Some onion greens and black fungi and nori. Simple but direct in it's presentation.

There is a Bikkuri ramen challenge that they have. For 1000 pesos you can try one large order of their special ramen. Finish it in less than 20 mins and you get your picture up in their wall of fame. I think the record to beat is 14 minutes.

I might try it someday, if my tummy allows me to.

Genki ramen is in the same row of shops that has another Ramen shop that is more visible. but from the look of it, the other shop seems to be more into selling local sea food and beer than real ramen, I've yet to confirm my suspicions on it.

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Kenji Tei - ramen house

Kenji Tei ramen house is one of those new hip place that caters to the burgeoning interest for some real Japanese ramen. Located at the 3rd floor of Greenbelt 5 it is conveniently placed to sate the appetite of businessmen, shoppers and tourists that goes around at the country's premier shopping district and business center.

 I ordered their Miso w/ Chasu ramen since it's been recommended by the friendly staff . The soup is rich and very tasty. You can really taste the miso in. I've also tried their regular Shoyu style ramen to get a better feel for their plain broth and I must say it has the right clean flavour that is hallmark for a good ramen. Adding and cooking the broth with miso really enhance it even more, giving it hearty and fuller body. Really great for these wet season we're experiencing these days.

The topping consist of, besides the standard miso stewed ground pork with leeks and onions, are a hard boiled egg, green spinach and 2 slices of thin braised pork belly, very tasty, but to those who find it quite short, you can order an extra order of chasu, like I did. You may also order extra noodles for a small price.

My complaint is that they tend to overcook the noodles. Still firm and chewy it is, but I prefer my noodles with a little bite. It's a pity though their noodles tastes really good. Better tell your waiter to instruct the cook you want them hard if you're like me.

I also find the wooden spoon that come along with your bowl rather ridiculous and impractical in savoring the delicious soup. Go ask a ceramic or a metal spoon. Kids might find it fun though.

The place itself is pleasant and convenient. The arrangement of tables and seats plus their utilitarian but comfortable wood designs makes it an ideal setting to focus on one's ramen eating pleasure. Being in the prime location of Greenbelt one expect to be a little pricey, but compared to the other restaurants within the area, it is very reasonably priced and very filling and very good eats.

The next time you're on the area, I definitely recommend you try going for some joyful ramen  with your friends.




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Moshi Koshi Noodle Boss - ramen shop

Moshi Koshi Noodle Boss is one those new Ramen specialty shops that have been popping around the city. There had always been numerous Japanese food restaurants in the country for years. There are those catering to hi-end expensive ones and there those oh so dozens of Japanese fast-food chains with cheap good eats. Most of these had the standard menu with various popular Japanese food like Sushi, Tempura and Teriyaki meat dishes. Dishes that the Filipino palate found comforting that most have been taken in and absorbed to the Filipino cuisine, much like Chinese foods.

Ramen are available in these standard restaurants, but their quality tend to be much to be desired, some can't even hold against to instant ramen. Nowadays with these Ramen specialty stores coming out, Filipinos are slowly being reared to the rich ramen culture that is prevalent in Japan. Each of these store vying  for the Filipino market with each trying to present the real "authentic" Ramen taste.

I ordered a Shoyu ramen as sort of test case comparative menu, since Shoyu is the most common ramen type in Tokyo.

The soup is quite clear and clean, with a very respectable taste. Though the soy sauce base they use makes it quite pungent. The bamboo shoots they used isn't pickled right that it is soggy to bite and it's odor, though not unpleasant, conflicted with the broth.

The noodles are made in-house, that they are fresh and are cooked just right. Straight and smooth, they have that nice chewiness. I can't taste the wheat flavor that much but they go really well in soup that they get soaked on. Again there is a problem with the odor. The smell of kansui is slightly noticeable, especially to ramen connoisseur.  Perhaps letting the fresh noodles rest a lot longer before cooking will help remedy it.

Overall, they still have a very good bowl as a start. It is rather cheap than most specialty Ramen store. I sure would like to try their other menu.

I also ordered a plate of Gyoza. Again they're fresh with good filling. It's pan-fried with sesame oil like those done in Japan.


The shop is bright and had that nice modern minimalist design to give Japanese air, with that straight flat wooden benches and utilitarian setup. The Shop is partly self-service. that is you order in the counter that is right by the door, with the help of that large menu plastered besides it. The food will be served to your table by the staff.

 I should point out that this is specifically a Japanese Noodle shop, so it's not just ramen that they specialize but also Udon and Soba.

 The restaurant is quite close to the Studio that I'm connected to, so it is a must that I should try it.I ordered the Shoyu ramen as a trail order. It's not they're specialty ramen flavour so I must return to try their other dishes. I have high hopes for this store. I'll post on the other ramen, udon and soba when I got around to trying them.

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Moshi Koshi noodle boss
Shaw Blvd cor Ideal st, Mandaluyong City, Philippines