Go-En Japanese Ramen, Quezon City: Ramen, Kendama, and Manga

Go-En Japanese Ramen Shoppe Plus is a little ramen shop in Sgt. Esguerra Ave. Quezon City that offers its diner more than just traditionally made ramen. Go-En also offers the fun of playing Kendama toys and the pleasure of reading Japanese comics, Manga.

Tucked within Jardin de Zenaida compound, Go-En Ramen shouldn't be hard to locate, all you have to remember is that they are located in the same area as the famous Livestock Restaurant.

Owned by lovely couple John and Marilyn who are both staying in Japanese for 20 years now, Go-En was named after Japanese five yen coin which is known to bring good luck. There is also another phonetically similar word Goen which means good luck in relationship often exchange by friends. With this, Go-En Ramen aims to establish a lucky relationship between them and their diners.

The ambiance inside Go-En Japenese Ramen is pretty much a dead giveaway as to what kind of restaurant it is. Peppered with knick-knacks and decorations very suggestive of Japanese culture, Go-En can easily transport you to such place where Japanese Ramen rules.

Kendama Game at GoEn Ramen in Quezon City

Kendama toys and Japanese comics (Manga) are displayed on the shelves affixed to the wall that diners may check out and purchased. Kendama may not yet be that popular here in our country but I am telling you, it was an interesting game. Food attendants at Go-En Ramen are all knowledgeable about Kendama and they are willing to teach diners who show interest to it.

John and Marilyn are also distributor of Kendama toys here in our country so if you want to know more about it, you may check out their website here.

Aside from display of Kendama and Manga, the center of attraction at Go-En Ramen is the open kitchen where diners can freely watch the ramen chefs creating delicious magics in the kitchen.

The chefs which Marilyn herself trained to create real Japanese ramen using fresh local and imported ingredients may look a tad too shy at first. I guess that is because they mean serious business when it comes to making their ramen creations. But fear not, since these guys are also very accommodating when asked some questions.

Our luncheon started with servings of Gyoza (Php250). These pan-fried Japanese dumplings are filled with ground pork and vegetables. I am pretty picky with gyoza and Go-En's version of it did not disappoint. Perfectly cooked with the right amount of crunch on its foil and juicy filling inside.

The Okonomiyaki (Php350) was equally impressive and my fellow diners would agree with me since it was one of those which was garnered good raves. Go-En's version of it is said to be Osaka Style made of chopped cabbage, egg, squid, sakura ebi, pork, katsuboshi, aonori, and special sauce.

Go-En's Kara-age (Php250) is one of the best karaage I have tried by far. This Japanese style fried chicken are made with boneless chicken thigh hence very juicy and flavorful. I cannot count how many times I have fought to resist ordering for some rice to go with my karaage because I figured it is best eaten with some hefty serving of steamed rice. But then again we still have ramen to feast on.

Go-En's Tantanmen Ramen (Php380) may not be as spicy as I hope it to be but it is satisfying nonetheless. This sesame broth based ramen comprised of hosomen, ajitsuke tamago, ground pork, naganegi, and chingensai. Diners who want some spicy kick on their Tantanmen should worry not because there are condiments readily available at the table they may use to adjust the spice level of their ramen.

Any food with cheese is always a winner in my book and Go-En's Cheese Ramen (Php350) is not an exception. I may be biased since it has cheese but it is not everyday that you get to chanced upn a ramen with mountain on cheese on it that may remind you of Mt. Fuji, right?

This miso based ramen comprised of moyashi, corn, ajitsuke tamago, and topped with minced pork and loads of cheese. It is advised to work your way from top to the bottom for some cheesy experience but mixing this up altogether is not a bad rout to take either.

The Kogashi Shoyu (Php380) may look just like your usual shoyu ramen but trust me when I say that this one got a depth of flavor to it. The smoky flavor is very apparent but it does not overshadow all the other ingredients. Instead, it just give a distinct character to it. This shoyu based ramen comprised of hosomen, ajitsuke tamago, menma, thin kakuni, shiraganegi, and naruto.

Leaving Go-En Ramen without having a taste of their Mochi Ice Cream (Php80) could be such as waste so be sure to have it. The mochi as well as the ice cream are both homemade hence, the taste is not commercialized at all. No matter how cold this ice cream mochi is, really, its goodness warms the heart.

Go-En Japanese Ramen Shoppe has been in the business for approximately three years now and although it has stayed under the radar, it is something well worth checking out. They make their ramen in a traditional way to ensure that it is close enough to the real thing you can get in Japan. The price point is competitive enough to other ramen places in Manila.

There are plenty of other things to try at Go-En Ramen's menu so I can see myself going back there often for some ramen fix and perhaps enjoy Kendama and some Manga as well.