Ramen Nagi

We finally got to try Ramen Nagi which is hailed as the best tasting ramen in Manila. Popularly known as Butao in Hong Kong, this award winning establishment finally opened in Manila early this year and now has two branches in SM Aura and SM Mall of Asia. We visited their branch in SM Aura with Kim's friends.

The restaurant's interior is best described as an updated ramen bar with the usual wood furnishing and colorful and quirky displays on the walls and above each table. As with most ramen bars, you can't rearrange the tables and chairs to your preference. So that means you might have to dine and rub elbows (figuratively and literally) with someone you don't know which might be an issue to some. But with ramen this good, you probably won't mind.

They only serve ramen here. There are no rice meals, no gyozas, no dumplings. To order, they give you this sheet of paper called the Omotenashi Sheet where you can specify your ramen to your liking. There are 5 kinds of ramen that they serve: Butao, Black King, Red King, Green King and the Limited King which varies from time to time. During our visit, the Limited King was Ebi King. First, you need to select your ramen. Then, you tick off the following items on how you'd want your ramen to be.


You can see how we ordered ours:

Kim ordered the Limited King, which is the Ebi King. 410php.

Kim selected the pork belly to go with her rich soup base along with green onions. She had her noodles Extra Hard (some people might get the wrong idea of having "hard noodles," but this was just really firm in texture). She also had an extra order of Tamago or boiled egg (50php). Since this was our first time in Ramen Nagi, she just got the level 1 Spicy of the firesauce as suggested. Kim loved this since she loves shrimps, and this had a real, nice shrimpy flavor and aroma. The serving was a little much more than she could handle though.


I ordered the Black King. 410php.

Black King ramen gets it flavor from garlic and squid ink, which explains the black soup. This might not look like the prettiest thing to eat but it was really good. I liked how the subtle garlic flavor provided a nice kick to every spoonful. But since I had my soup base just Normal, it might vary for those who'd want a rich garlic flavor to their Black King. And just like Kim, I also ordered Tamago for my ramen.

We're not really ramen experts, and we haven't eaten a wide range of ramen in different ramen bars to say that this was the best we've had. But both bowls we ordered were really good! Although it's a little pricey, most ramen places are pricey anyway. We were a little surprised that's there no other menu item aside from the ramen, because we usually order gyoza or some chicken karaage to go with our bowls.

We suggest that for those who plan on visiting Ramen Nagi to arrive earlier than normal dining hours (lunch and dinner), as lines can get crazy. And no, they don't take any reservations. Also, make sure to mix your soup before eating to completely mix the firesauce with the soup base. I found this out the hard way as I took a spoonful of firesauce.

Ramen Nagi
5th Floor SM Aura Premier
McKinley Parkway, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
https://www.facebook.com/RamenNagiManila

IHOP

October 20. Sunday.

When IHOP opened in the country earlier this year, it was all the rage! Everyone was buzzing about it and long lines seemed to be the norm. Kim and I have actually planned on trying it before but with patience not being a strong suit of mine, we have always put it off until just recently. We ran in the recent Rexona Run with friends and since it started really early (3:30AM!), it also finished early. So it meant that we'd grab breakfast afterwards, which was the perfect opportunity to try out IHOP. The hype may have died down but since we haven't been here yet, we were a little excited.

 

 

Our group ordered the following:

JT had the Breakfast Sampler. 395php.

This order was packed! Well, actually almost everything in IHOP is. If you can't decide on what to have for breakfast, this is definitely the way to go (actually, there are other similar orders but this is the no brainer one). This has two eggs, two bacon strips, two pork sausage links, 2 hams and they also come with a couple of your basic buttermilk pancakes. Not for those on a diet, but if you're not counting calories and carbs, this is well worth the price.

Francis and Alex shared the Big Steak Omelette. 325php.

They had some plans after breakfast and didn't want a heavy meal, so they shared on an omelette. This had steak strips on top of the omelette. The omelette itself had hash browns, green peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, and cheese in it. Each omelette comes with buttermilk pancakes or mixed fruit. They chose to have it with pancakes.

Kim had the Bacon Temptation Omelette. 285php.

Bacon strips on top, together with diced tomatoes, cheese sauce, and Jack and cheddar in the omelette. Kim said this was really very filling compared to all omelette she has had before. She chose the mixed fruit to go with it.

I had the Rooty Tooty Fresh N' Fruity. 345php.

This sort of resembles JT's sampler, only it didn't have ham with it and my buttermilk pancakes were topped off with cinnamon apple compote but you can choose strawberry or blueberry to go with it if you like. The cinnamon apple on top of my pancakes were good enough on its own, but I liked it better when I added some maple syrup to it.

We weren't able to take down what Hannah's order was, but here's a picture of it.

It had a big piece of hash brown, a couple of scrambled eggs and bacon strips. And it came with a cheesecake pancake.

I get it why people go to IHOP, the food is well prepared and served.  I wouldn't say the food tastes special or better than most breakfast joints (well, the pancakes are really fluffier here), but the quality of the food and the service really make the difference. And the menu isn't really priced higher than other places considering the quantity you get, so if you haven't tried IHOP out yet, it's well worth a visit (or the waiting line).

IHOP
W Global Center
30th St. cor. 9th Ave., BGC, Taguig
https://www.facebook.com/IHOPPhilippines

Jollibee Cheesy Bacon Mushroom Champ

October 19, 2013. Saturday.

Jollibee recently launched the Cheesy Bacon Mushroom Champ. This is in line with the soon to release in cinemas Thor 2: Dark World movie. Now, I don't think we've made a post featuring a fast food chain before. But this was just too good not to blog about.

*Again, we apologize for forgetting to take a picture of the signage. But hey, you know Jollibee's logo by heart! :D

I love the regular Champ. It has maintained its quality throughout the years and several price increases, which I can't say about its direct competitors from the other food chains. So how can you improve an already great burger to being with? Put it in a Thor themed packaging? Well that makes for novelty. But it's really simple. Just put melted cheese, bacon and mushroom in it!

Non-veggies would certainly love this incarnation of the Champ, as it maintains the same juicy 1/3 pound patty and replaces the lettuce and tomato with cheese sauce, bacon and mushroom! It's certainly not cheap for a burger from a local joint, as it's priced at 129php ala carte and 165php for a value meal, but who cares! It's a 1/3 pound patty, melted cheese, bacon and mushroom in one awesome package!

And keeping up with the Thor theme, every purchase of the Cheesy Bacon Mushroom Champ (ala carte or value meal) entitles you to buy Thor's Mjolnir for 95php! Mjo- what you say? It's Thor's hammer! It's not the real article, but instead a miniature that houses a 1G USB inside. A 1G USB is kind of obsolete today but for just 95php it's a good deal. And it does work, as my brother already used it to copy files.

I'm not sure if this will be a regular menu item or just a special burger for their Thor promotion. Better not wait and see! Get to the nearest Jollibee and try out the Cheesy Bacon Mushroom Champ for yourself!

Shawarma Guys

September 21. Saturday.

Kim and I love our shawarma and kebabs, so when an opportunity comes up to try a new shawarma spot we don't pass on it. We were in The Fort Strip with our good friend JT to watch a late show and it just so happened that Shawarma Guys was located there. Since we haven't had dinner yet, we decided to dine there.

We've read good reviews about it online and have always kept a mental note to try it out. But I'll warn you now, this has got to be one of the worst dining experiences we've had. From the food to the service, everything was just bad. First the wait staff was really slow and inattentive. Considering there was only our group and another group dining, then they should really be efficient and attentive but that just wasn't the case. The waiter took his sweet time to get to us to take our orders, but was such in a hurry to clean up that I haven't even finished my food yet and he was already going to take my plate out. Yes, he asked if I was done already, but only AFTER he has lifted my plate off the table. Disgusting behavior. On any other occasion, I would've smacked the living hell out of him but I tried to keep my cool since we still had a long night ahead.

Then the food. It was burnt and overcooked. And for the price of the meals, really just a quarter of a teaspoon of butter? I was just really hungry to complain and the staff really didn't seem to pay attention as they just chattered about themselves.

Kim ordered the Lamb Kebab.

Lamb Kebab. 250php.

The lamb was tough and chewy. It was burnt, and the sweet taste of the sauce and lamb itself really made for an unappetizing meal.

JT and I got the Beef Kebab.

Beef Kebab. 190php.

Compare the picture from their menu and Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=220035614837860&set=a.125795090928580.24173.125513780956711&type=1&relevant_count=1
And take a look at what we had. Just disappointing. The kebabs were very dry and tasteless (except for the burnt taste).

I also ordered a Beef Shawarma.

Beef Shawarma. 150php.

Kanto shawarma stalls serve better shawarma than this! Bigger and meatier at half the price, too.

Considering Shawarma Guys is from the same group behind URBN and Relik, this was really disappointing. Maybe it was just a bad night for everyone in their staff, but after dining I saw three of their kitchen staff just lounging outside and smoking looking relaxed. So maybe they really don't care about the service. To anyone looking for their shawarma and kebab fix, I'll just tell you to consider other joints. You'll be better off spending your money on Mister Kebab, Uncle Moes, or even Tri Mo Shawarma Co.

*We forgot to ask for the waiter to get a photo of us, maybe because we were so hungry then or we were so dismayed.

Shawarma Guys
G/F The Fort Strip
BGC, Taguig City
https://www.facebook.com/ShawarmaGuys

Saboten + Cupcakes by Sonja

August 17, 2013. Saturday.

We have been looking forward to try Saboten since it opened its doors more than a couple of months back. We wanted to see how an authentic Japanese tonkatsu chain compared to Yabu, since we are unabashed fans of the local chain.

The interiors of Saboten has a very zen feel to it with Japanese artwork, stone paths and plants adorning the place. It looks very traditional compared to the hip vibe that Yabu exudes. I love that it is very will lit and very conducive for conversation.

Same with Yabu and other tonkatsu chains that have been opening up around the Metro, Saboten offers unlimited cabbage and rice with their meals and you get to mix in your own sauce! Wanting to sample a little bit of everything that they have, we opted to order their Special Sharing Set.

 

  

Special Sharing Set. 995php.

The Special Sharing Set is good for 2 persons and is filled with a nice combination of different items from their menu. It has 2 shrimps, a loin cutlet, 2 crab cream croquettes, and 2 rolled cutlets. For the rolled cutlets we chose cheese, but you can have asparagus or plum for it if you'd like.

Everything was prepared expertly. The shrimps were deep fried perfectly, with the outer a golden crisp while maintaining a nice moist inside. The loin which is the fattier cut of meat that they serve was a little chewy and tough. The crab cream croquette was a little too rich for Kim's liking since the cream was too overwhelming that it overpowered the crab. Our surprising favorite from the set was the rolled cheese cutlet! It was really flavorful. I really didn't expect it to go well with the tonkatsu sauce.

Overall, it was a very satisfying meal at Saboten. It's priced the same way Yabu is and you get expertly prepared food and efficient service with it. For those who want to try an authentic Japanese tonkatsu brand, you can't go wrong with Saboten. It didn't win us over from Yabu, but we also weren't disappointed with it. Some people might love one brand more than the other, but at the end of the day you can't go wrong with either.

 

Saboten
G/F Serendra,
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
https://www.facebook.com/raintreesaboten
http://www.saboten.ph/

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After dinner, we had dessert at Cupcakes by Sonja. We got the Death by Chocolate and Strawberry Cheesecake.

Both cupcakes were a little expensive, but once you take a bite out of it then you'd understand why each cupcake was packed and filled, and were actually heavy for their size. It's unlike other cupcakes that are airy in the middle. Both were also very rich in flavor -- a sure hit for those with a sweet tooth!

Cupcakes by Sonja
G/F Serendra,
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
https://www.facebook.com/CupcakesBySonjaOfficial

Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen

August 10, 2013. Saturday.

Aside from the recent influx of Katsu places in the country, Ramen restaurants have also been popping up left and right. Kim and I have always made plans to try one but has never gotten to doing it (until this entry). It's ironic that it took us this long since we're practically around Eastwood all the time and there's a Ramen Bar there.

We only recently explored SM Aura, and we love how uncrowded it is! We've been there 2 weekends straight. The first time we ate at Yabu and the next time.. yup, you guessed it right, we ate at a Ramen place (the title is kinda a dead giveaway)! Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen to be exact.

Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen is a mouthful to say and a lot to type, so we'll just refer to it as IFR from this point on. IFR in SM Aura is the Japanese import's 2nd branch in the country; the first is in Shangri- la. We saw how long the lines were during dinner time the previous time we passed by it, so we made it a point to get early dinner. Well, we were early but no tables were vacant  and we ended up sitting at the bar instead. Not a big deal though, it adds to the experience I guess. We could say we ate ramen at a bar, but not at Ramen Bar. Haha.

We first ordered Gyoza.

Gyoza. 150php.

Gyoza is basically a dumpling. The fillings usually vary from restaurant to restaurant but its usually a combination of some ground meat and vegetables. We liked this one because it was lightly toasted and crisp on the outside. It came with some sort of soy- vinegar sauce which was slightly sweet.

Kim ordered the Ajitama Tonkotsu.

Ajitama Tonkotsu. 330php.

The Ajitama Tonkotsu is IFR's best selling ramen. It comes with chashu (pork), ajitama (slow boiled egg), green onion, bamboo shoots, wood ear, and dried seaweed. Tonkotsu is made from boiling pork over a long period of time. It is usually fatty and creamy. IFR's Ajitama Tonkotsu was creamy but not as creamy as we expected it to be. But aside from that, it was great and really filling!

I went for their Black Garlic Tonkotsu.

Black Garlic Tonkotsu. 380php.

This had a really strong garlic aroma and flavor.. which I really loved! It's almost the same as Kim's order except without the egg and it had that special garlic oil in it.

Most Filipinos would still prefer their rice meals for their dinner (Kim and I included). But if you're feeling a bit adventurous, a bowl of ramen is just as filling and just as good. It's not that cheap especially when you think that you're just getting a slice of pork, noodles and broth, but once you've considered the way it's been cooked (slow boiling, hand pulled noodles) then it's all worth it. We definitely enjoyed eating at Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen, and would consider trying out their other ramens as well.

On a sidenote, you get to choose how to get your noodles done. We had both our orders hard for that al dente firmness.

Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen
Level 2, SM Aura Premier
McKinley Parkway, Taguig

'Cue Modern Barbecue

July 20, 2013. Saturday.

It has been awhile since we've been at Cue. We always consider eating there whenever in BGC, but it's always too darn crowded. But this time, since we were a little early for dinner, we found the place almost all to ourselves!

We've loved this place ever since the first time we set foot in it! The interiors are what I would describe as quirky-elegant-geeky. How does that work, you say? Examples: Ice tea in a jar, plant in a can as table top design, leather couches, anatomy of a cow on the wall, etc. See? Quirky, elegant and geeky!

For starters, we ordered the Bone Marrow and Steak Tacos.

Bone Marrow and Steak Tacos. 485php.

We always shy away from this, because it looks a little too rich, even for me! But I'm glad we finally gave it a try. I'm NEVER eating ordinary tacos again. The bone marrow, as expected, gives the tacos a rich and slightly salty flavor which really goes well with the salsa verde and the tender steak. This is best eatean as soon as it is served on the table, as the bone marrow dries up quickly. I still ate it even after it was already cold, but it already felt like eating cholesterol ice cream.

Then we ordered 2 mains from The Chopping Board part of their menu to share, both of which came with a side dish and sauce. The first one we got was the Beef Belly

Beef Belly. 695php.

We already had this before, and liked it so we ordered it again. It's beef belly braised in dark ale, charred with mustard with a whole roasted onion. But unlike the first time, the taste of ale was really overpowering. The beef was still tender, but it was hard to get over the taste of the ale. We had this with whipped potatoes and their house made BBQ sauce.

We also got the Bacon Slabs 'Cue Style.

Bacon Slabs 'Cue Style. 455php.

The description from the menu reads: Slow-baked then fried, house cured, half-pounder. How could you go wrong with something that sounds so sinful? The answer is you just can't! The slabs were really tender from the slow cooking, but it had a nice subtle crispiness to it on the outside. We had this with chimichurri sauce, which is normally for grilled meats but we figured the slight vinegar taste of it would offset the richness of the slabs.

'Cue will probably never be a target restaurant for those who are always high on clean eating (they have their greens, but who goes here for that?!?). It's for those who don't really calorie count and enjoy slobbing over copious amounts of meat and fat! 'Cue Modern Barbecue is a great place to be! The place is cozy, the service is always quick, efficient and courteous, and the food is always great (would've been exceptional, but I can still taste that dark ale).

'Cue Modern Barbecue
Space NELG 105, Lower Ground Floor
Bonifacio High Street Centrale,
Global City, 1201 Fort Bonifacio, Taguig
621-4052
0917-8992283/ 0921-2801389
https://www.facebook.com/CueModernBBQ?ref=br_tf

Stella

May 22, 2013. Wednesday.

It was Kim's birthday and she wanted to eat out somewhere we haven't tried before. After researching and reading up on the net, Kim decided she wanted to try Stella. We've always seen Stella whenever we eat in Cue or Nolita, but have never ever considered going through their doors. From the outside, you can already see that Stella (and Rocket Room, its sibling) looks more posh compared to the other restaurants around it. That in itself would have been a deterrent if it was me who was deciding, but it was Kim's day so she gets to decide. It's not that I don't like spending money on food (if you've read this blog for the past year then you'd know that's totally the opposite), it's just that I have an aversion to going to most upscale looking places.

Stella is under the Raintree Restaurants group. Included in Raintree's umbrella are Chelsea Market Cafe and Momo Cafe among others. So while the food might be priced a little high, at least you are sure to get quality food based the reputation of their restaurants.

We ordered the following:

Lamb Cochifrito. 295php.

This was actually from Rocket Room's menu but since they're under the same group, you can actually order from the other and vice versa. We felt that the lamb was a little overcooked since it was a little tough on the outside, but its taste more than made up for it. It had that herb-y aromatic taste going on without it being too overpowering.

Salt Baked Gindara Fish Fillet. 395php.

This is exactly what it says. It's Gindara baked in salt but we were so surprised when it was served. It came in a clay pot and from the looks of it. A generous amount of salt was used to envelop the fish then it formed a crust upon baking. They did a good job of presenting this with half the salt crust/ cover cut open and placed on the side. The presentation is awesome, but the taste so-so. The outer layer of the fish was salty, but the inside was bland.

 

 

 

Yellow Basmati Rice.

This smelled great and tasted even better. Couldn't resist pairing this up with the Lamb Cochifrito.

Wood Fired Roasted Sweet Pumpkin. 75php.

The Pumpkin was roasted nicely, giving it a nice toasted outside with a soft inside. The Ricotta on top of it added a little more sweetness.

 

Stella

Bonifacio High Street Central
http://raintreerestaurants.com/stella.html
https://www.facebook.com/stella.rocketroom