Ramen has been taking over the food scene both in Manila and Cebu since 2014 and it hasn’t seemed to slow down at all. More ramen restaurants keep popping up and people are learning that this isn’t your ordinary noodle soup.
We know that Japanese cuisine is among the superior cuisines in Asia and that’s because they take their food very seriously. Every dish is an art—ramen being no less, such that ramen chefs have their own distinct titles. They have made ramen a spectacle to behold, a dish worth anticipating. Every step of the preparation and service is done with utmost accuracy, every detail given full attention.
Honestly, I initially had a premature disinterest in ramen because I thought the broth was too complex and rich. And, my first taste of ramen in one of the first ramen houses in Cebu did not help at all because that supposed highly recommended ramen house had just changed management then so the quality wasn’t the same. But, of course, I’ve tasted better ramen since and found myself onboard the ramen rave bandwagon—none other than ramen itself turned me into a convert. I like to call myself a… ramen ranger! Whenever I head to a ramen house, I can’t help chanting, “Go, go, ramen rangers!” Lol. Sorry for the millenials who can’t relate.
Anyway, so now I’m based in Manila (I just moved here two weeks ago) and this ramen ranger has yet to explore the best ramen around. Fortunately, I was invited by Ippudo—a ramen restaurant under the Standard Hospitality Group, the same company that introduced the epic Yabu House of Katsu (just my only favorite breaded porkchop, ever!)—to taste their newly launched ramen and I just couldn’t resist. I was invited to their newest branch, at Uptown Mall in BGC. Perfect, because my office is at BGC, too.
As if having ramen for dinner after a busy day at work wasn’t perfect enough, the weather seemed almost orchestrated to set the mood even more. And best of all, it was a holiday the next day! Ha!
Everything about Ippudo was a set-up for a great ramen night. Like most ramen restaurants, I was greeted in Japanese as I entered and the servers barking Japanese greetings throughout the night transformed the atmosphere into a serious ramen realm. But, something distinct about Ippudo is the impeccable service that ensures your meal is always served promptly and precisely—a trademark of The Standard Hospitality Group. The entire meal was seamless. In fact, it seemed to go by so fast that I barely noticed I was able to devour my bowl... and a Wagyu Maki Onigiri! Oops! Superpower unleashed.
