Ramen Nagi Robinsons Galleria

My recent visit to Ramen Nagi Manila Robinsons Galleria branch I deem was timely since it is officially ramen weather now. While there are several ramen restaurants that claim to be the most authentic and best ramen in Manila I only have few favorites I always go back to and one of them is Ramen Nagi. 

If the several branches that Ramen Nagi has already opened here in Manila is not a clear indication of success, then I don't know what is. It only goes to show that they are one of the most trusted in Manila restaurant scene when it comes to Japanese ramen. 

Robinsons Galleria is one of the malls I usually frequent to because of its proximity to where I reside. These days it is undergoing facelift on several spots and from what I heard, there are several new restaurants opening in the area. Now they already have Ramen Nagi.

Ramen Nagi Manila: Nagoya King, The Ultimate Spicy Ramen

Ramen Nagi Manila recently released their newest Limited King Ramen, Nagoya King. With its default spice level of 10 that cannot be altered, Ramen Nagi's Nagoya King is aptly tagged as The Ultimate Spicy Ramen.

And I couldn't agree more. Considering that I could handle spicy food well, the Nagoya King really blew me away. Daunting? I don't think so. Because it is the kind of spiciness that will make you crave for more.

Being part of Ramen Nagi's Limited King edition line of ramen, Nagoya King will only stay on the menu for well, a limited time frame. Making it one of the must order dishes at Ramen Nagi to date. Perfect for the cold weather we are now experiencing here in Manila.

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.

Ippudo Ramen Manila, Philippines

During my first visit at Ippudo located at SM Megamall’s Mega Fashion Hall to try what many said could be the Best Ramen in Manila by far, I knew that it will take me couple of more visits before I could write about it. Not because my first visit earned me an unpleasant experience, it was the opposite as a matter of fact. Save for the unavailability of the much talked about Ippudo Pork Buns, just like the other Manila Food Bloggers who wrote a review of Ippudo, my experience was nothing short of impressive.

You see, Ippudo is one of those restaurants which opening in Manila attracted numbers of curious food enthusiasts resulting to long lines of diners for several weeks.  In situation like that, it can be a bit of a challenge to strike gold when it comes to consistency. That thing, I wanted to check on hence, the wait before a blog post.

Just like what I did during the time when people were mad rushing to dine at IHOP when it also opened a franchise here in Manila, I braved the long line at Ippudo. I do not intend to write about the grueling  hours of waiting, I believe the internet provided us with several accounts of people who also did that. So I am going to spare you with the details.

Nomama at Capitol Commons

Weeks ago, together with some of my favorite Manila food bloggers, we visited Nomama Artisanal Ramen's branch at Capitol Commons in Pasig City to try new dishes on Nomama's Menu. I have always been a fan of chef Him Uy de Baron, so, regardless the fact that there are a lot of ramen places sprouting in Manila, Nomama is still on top of my list.

While the closing of their branch at Quezon City saddened a lot of ramen enthusiast from the North which shares the same affinity for Nomama Artisanal Ramen, the opening of their new branch at Capitol Commons brought joy nonetheless.

I may have mentioned before that I am not one of those who posses an extensive knowledge when it comes to ramen. But I know my palate, and having given a chance to be exposed in some of the ramen places here in Manila, I know what can makes me happy. Ramen with hearty broth that comforts, ingredients that are fresh, and noodles that are made with respect to the dish - this is my kind of ramen. Nomama never fall short in giving me that.

Hanamaruken Ramen in Trinoma: Serving Happiness in a Bowl

Hanamaruken Ramen located at Trinoma Mall in Quezon City is one of the new additions to the perpetually growing list of ramen places in Manila. With over 40 branches in Osaka Japan, Hanamaruken Ramen boasts of its Tonkotsu-Shoyu based soup ramen topped with a slab of slow-braised tender pork rib. This signature dish aptly called "Happiness Ramen" is said to be the reason of Hanamaruken Ramen's fame.

For the first time in 30 years, Arakawa Pork Company, the strong force behind Hanamaruken Ramen, decided to branch out this Osaka's favorite ramen place and land at the shore of Manila. Having their first branch outside of Japan, founder Takaku Arakawa aims to spread happiness in Manila by means of their carefully crafted ramen.

Most of the ramen enthusiasts I know got excited with the coming of Hanamaruken Ramen here in the Philippines, and I could not blame them. This has been claimed to be one of Osaka's favorites therefore it holds a certain honor to it. So, while I am not the one who can go crazy over ramen, I wouldn't pass up on having my fair share of a promise of happiness in a bowl.