[ NIHON BUNKA KENKYUU ] BUNKEN 101: Reviews, comments, and insights on Japanese pop culture.
Good ramen is hard to find in Manila. I've been to several ramen places, and out of the lot about four of them stand out for completely different reasons. In an effort to jog away my blogger's block, and perhaps distract myself from the all-too powerful temptation of running my RAGNAROK test server (and at work too o.O;; ), I will be talking about one of my most favorite yet least appreciated joys in life: ramen.
Let's start off with SHINJUKU RAMEN TEI. This one -- I think, is part of a chain of restaurants run from Japan; unfortunately for the mother store however, the branches here reflect very little in the way of authentic taste. The soup is a little paler to the tonkotsu I've been used to, and there aren't enough toppings despite the hefty price tag. I've been to both the Katipunan Avenue and Pasay Road branches, but I think only the latter survives to this day -- if it survived at all. Unless your drinking buddies are willing to split the after-binge snack tab with you, I suggest you find a cheaper place.
That's what KOMORO SOBA is: a cheap place, and not at all in a disparaging way. Another chain imported from Japan, the menu items are dirt cheap, and the servings are just right for the locals. However, for someone exposed to the joys of a full-sized bowl in a forgotten corner of KABUKICHO, you'll need to get two bowls -- but not that it matters, because you'll still be paying peanuts for both. Since soba is the house specialty, try one of those alongside their equally satisfying ramen (although the miso ramen is better than the shoyu in my opinion). Props also go to their katsudon and boxed lunches, but that's another story altogether.
RAI RAI KEN is a massive disappointment. So what if the mother store is an ASAKUSA institution?! The Manila branches serve miniscule servings at astronomical prices, which leads me to ask what the hell were people thinking when they kept packing the place to the rafters. It's clearly a popular chain, with as many as half a dozen different branches sprinkled across the Metro, but hello people?! There are cheaper places with better food you know. Gahd -- I swear i will never pay PhP 280 (about US$6) for a bowl of ramen the size of a NISSIN CUP ever again. Avoid this chain at all costs.
Last but not least is a place close to my heart: ISSHIN. The kanji for the name reads "one heart", and damn does it hit that spot. The ramen is really good, really huge, and really cheap; the accompanying side orders of gyouza and yakitori are also excellent. Also try their sushi and maki rolls, or you can opt to saunter over to the teppan section and gorge on beef and other niceties. and zOMG the staff spoils us o.O;; We've been there so many times people recognize us by face and are extra nice to us; they go as far as offer us free ice cream for dessert, which is usually in heavenly vanilla or grean tea flavors.
There are other places that serve ramen, but I am a creature of habit so I decline ordering them in favor of house specialties or other recommendations. Maybe i'll try them next time I drop by SUSHIYA (which i go to for their sushi and oversized bento great for two -- even with big appetites like me and rael), or FUTOTTA SHOUNEN -- otherwise known as TERIYAKI BOY, whose yakinikudon I love. Mmmmmm, fooooo~ooood.