Tag: chashu

4 reasons to enjoy a Japanese feast at Uma Uma, S Maison

Ah, Metro Manila in the summer!

With the rising temperatures and the ever-present traffic jams, what could possibly make this homebody venture out to Pasay City?

A delicious foodie adventure, of course!

The hassles of travel and traffic jams are worth it when gastronomic delights await you at your destination.

Such was my experience when Hubby and I braved the city’s streets – our first outing sans the little ones – to sample the delights of Uma Uma.

Uma Uma PH
Uma Uma PH
Uma Uma PH
Uma Uma PH

Formerly known as Wu Maru, this Japanese restaurant originated from Fukuoka as a ramen joint-izikaya back in 1953. In 1994, its owner changed its name to Uma Uma and brought its delicious offerings to Singapore, Bangkok and more, recently, the Philippines, being among the first establishments to open at the S Maison in Pasay.

If you’ve never heard of Uma Uma before, let me give you four reasons why you should get more acquainted with it.

1. Ramen eatery leads to a cocktail bar

Don’t be fooled by the fuss-free, open kitchen with a ramen bar and simple seating near the store’s opening; we just took a few more steps to the back and entered a luxurious yet cozy cocktail bar. Here. we ordered some drinks to relax and unwind with as we enjoyed the view of Manila Bay from its floor-to-ceiling windows.

Uma Uma PH
Uma Uma PH
Uma Uma PH
Uma Uma PH

It’s like being in two places at once: stay out front for quick eats or head on to the back for a more leisurely meal.

2.You can take comfort in hot umami-rich ramen

Sure, summer’s bringing in the heat but we definitely won’t say no to Uma Uma’s much lauded Hakata-style MSG-free ramen. Each bowl of goodness is assembled upon order using fresh ingredients, deliciously chewy noodles based on a family recipe and a flavorful pork bone broth that’s been boiled for at least ten hours.

Uma Uma Ramen (Php390). I opted for the classic combination of chasiu, spring onions, black fungus, tamago and just a bit of kick with some spicy miso that made for an umami-filled bowl.

Uma Uma PH
Uma Uma PH

Spicy Chasiu (Php390). Ever so adventurous, Hubby opted for a bowl of spice-marinated chasiu, spring onions, black fungus, leeks, tamago and quite a bit of spicy kick from chili oil.

Uma Uma PH
Uma Uma PH

3. You can mix up your Japanese feast with some delicious bites

Hubby and I were sure glad to see that our options are not limited to Uma Uma’s celebrated ramen bowls. We were able to indulge our craving for other Japanese food faves to complement our ramen bowls. (They can also be enjoyed on their own!)

Uma Uma PH
Yakisoba with Karaage (Php410). Golden noodles coated in yaki sauce and served with mouthwatering chunks of crispy Japanese-style chicken.
Uma Uma PH
Chasiu Don (Php350). A bowl of freshly steamed Japanese sticky rice topped with thinly sliced Japanese style roasted pork belly, onions and spring onions with a bit of yaki sauce on the side.
Uma Uma PH
Spicy Salmon Roll (Php315). An exciting combination heat and crunchy texture with flavorful salmon rolled in sticky Japanese rice.
Uma Uma PH
One-Bite Gyoza (Php190). Bite-sized pieces of Japanese potstickers that you can just pop into your mouth after dipping in the aromatic gyoza sauce.

4. It livens up the city’s food scene

Pasay City is known for its amazing nightlife and vibrant food scene. Uma Uma’s fresh and affordable options surely adds to the myriad of gastronomic possibilities in the area.

Uma Uma PH
Uma Uma PH
Uma Uma PH
Uma Uma PH

After this foodie adventure, I can confidently claim that Uma Uma has made the trek to Pasay worth it!

As you look for ways to make summer in the city more bearable, do check out the outstanding food possibilities that Uma Uma has to offer!

Uma Uma is located at Level 2, S Maison, Marina Way, Mall of Asia Complex, Barangay 76, Zone 10, CBP-IA, Pasay City, open daily for dine-in, take-out and delivery from 10am to 10pm.

For more details, visit its website or follow it on Facebook and Instagram.

Disclosure: Menu items were served at no charge in exchange for honest feedback and to facilitate this feature story.

My favorite Japanese food at Menya Noodle & Bento Bar, Greenhills

Japanese cuisine has two main draws for me: ramen and katsu bento. Whenever I’m dining at a Japanese restaurant, I order either of those two staples.

Imagine my delight when I discovered a new Japanese place that specializes in my two favorite dishes.

Menya Noodle & Bento Bar is a newly opened Japanese eatery in the Promenade Foodcourt in Greenhills Shopping Center.

While the resto’s name which translates to “noodle house” (men for “noodle” and ya for “house”) proclaims its specialty in noodles, the owners also recognize the Pinoy preference for rice meals, hence the development of the noodle and bento bar concept.

Its bar area has a direct view to the open kitchen so that diners can watch the resto’s ramen and bento masters at work. Its interiors have an Asian minimalist aesthetic with both light and dark wood serving as design and architectural elements. While its actual seating area is limited, diners can just order their preferred dishes and have them served at the food court area.

Menya, Greenhills

Menya, Greenhills

Menya, Greenhills

Menya, Greenhills

Menya, Greenhills

During a Zomato Foodie Meet-up recently held here, my fellow foodies and I were able to sample the appetizing dishes that Menya has to offer. These include:

Ramen

Menya Tonkotsu Ramen (Php290)

Menya, Greenhills

My favorite among all ramen variants, it has a very flavorful 10-hour pork bone broth (developed with the help of a team of Japanese chefs), Menya’s signature noodles and thick yet tender slices of pork chashu.

Black Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen (Php290)

Menya, Greenhills

The Menya Tonkotsu Ramen made even more flavorful and garlicky with the addition of black garlic oil and garlic chips.

Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen (Php290)

Menya, Greenhills

The Menya Tonkotsu Ramen modified to appeal to the more gastronomically adventurous having a red spicy broth and red chili paste.

Abura Soba (Php320)

Menya, Greenhills

The name translates to “oil noodles.”  Since this noodle dish is soupless, much of the flavor resides in Menya’s signature noodles, accompanied by chashu pork belly slices in a premium sesame oil sauce.

Tsukumen (Php310)

Menya, Greenhills

Menya, Greenhills

A new experience in ramen wherein Menya’s signature noodles are not served within the10-hour pork bone broth but are to be dipped into it.  It comes with a tender chashu pork belly slice on the side.

Bento Meals (Php290 each)

All of Menya’s bento meals include fresh salad and Japanese rice which is stickier and more suited in taste and texture to Japanese dishes.

Pork Tonkatsu Bento

Menya, Greenhills

Chicken Teriyaki Bento

Chicken Karaage Bento

Menya, Greenhills

Sides

It’s hard to fathom how you can still be unsated with your ramen or bento meal but, just in case, you can also order side dishes. They add a change in flavor or texture to the meal or serve as an addtional viand.

Gyoza (Php130)

Menya, Greenhills

Chicken Nan Ban (Php170)

Chicken Karaage (Php150)

Chashu Bun (Php130)

The dishes served were all flavorful and the portions were sizeable, well worth their price tags.

I can see myself dropping by this Menya store to treat myself to a bowl or Tonkotsu Ramen or a Tonkatsu Bento after a bout of shopping or right before a movie date.

Menya Noodle and Bento Bar is located at the Food Court, Ground Floor, Promenade, Greenhills Shopping Center, Greenhills, San Juan.  For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 55 1288.  It is open daily from 10am to 9pm.

Disclosure: Together with other Zomato foodies, I was invited to attend a foodie meet-up held in this restaurant.  All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.