gyudon – The Jellybeans Edit

Japanese comfort food for less at Hakata Ton-ichi

Looking for an affordable and delicious Japanese dining experience that won’t break the bank? Look no further than Hakata Ton-ichi, a cozy ramen shop dedicated to satisfying the taste buds of hardworking individuals craving comfort food after a long day.

The people behind Hakata Ton-ichi believe that great tasting ramen should be a necessary comfort, not a rare luxury. It’s no wonder then that its mouthwatering delights, wallet-friendly prices, and inviting atmosphere make Hakata Ton-ichi a go-to spot for Japanese food lovers on a budget.

Ambiance that Invites and Delights

Hakata Ton-ichi provides an inviting and visually captivating dining experience from its brightly lit space which showcases colorful murals of Japanese cartoons and vintage Japanese magazine collages, creating a perfect backdrop for your Instagram-worthy moments. The blend of modern industrial fixtures with vibrant decor adds to the lively ambiance. Whether you’re dining solo at the ramen bar or enjoying a meal with friends at the tables, Hakata Ton-Ichi’s cozy atmosphere will provide a happy setting for your comfort meal.

Deliciously Affordable Hakata-Style Ramen

At the heart of Hakata Ton-ichi’s menu is its essential ramen, crafted in the renowned Hakata-style from the Fukuoka Prefecture in Japan. This style of ramen is known for its luscious pork bone broth, or tonkotsu, which is simmered for hours until it transforms into a rich, creamy, and cloudy white soup. The flavorful broth, combined with thin noodles, creates a heavenly bowl of ramen that will warm your soul.

Super Buta Ramen: A Bowlful of Happiness

One standout dish at Hakata Ton-Ichi is its Super Buta Ramen (Php458). Picture fresh noodles submerged in their signature silky Ton-ichi broth, topped with a generous overload of smoked and grilled pork belly slices. The combination of flavors is simply irresistible. The addition of spring onions, menma (fermented bamboo shoots), and tamago (soft-boiled egg) adds a touch of freshness and contrast of textures to this bowlful of happiness. Surely, it’s an affordable treat that satisfies both your taste buds and your wallet.

Beyond Ramen: Exciting Culinary Offerings

While ramen takes center stage at Hakata Ton-ichi, the menu doesn’t stop there. Its selection of delectable dishes complements the ramen experience and allows you to indulge in a variety of flavors.

Crab Salad (Php248). Shredded kani combined with crisp vegetables and a tangy dressing.

Cheese Gyoza (Php168/3pcs | Php238/5pcs). A delightful twist on traditional gyoza wherein pan-fried dumplings are filled with a savory mixture of meat and vegetables, then served on a bed of melted cheese.

California Maki (Php318). Classic sushi roll made with a delectable combination of crab stick, mango, cucumber, and tobiko (flying fish roe) wrapped in nori (seaweed) and rice.

Gyudon (Php398). A comforting dish consisting of tender slices of beef simmered in a sweet and savory sauce, served over a bowl of steamed rice.

Pork Katsu Curry (Php398). Tender pork cutlets are breaded and deep-fried to perfection, then served with a luscious curry sauce and steamed rice.

Value-Packed Meal Sets:

To provide the ultimate value to its customers, Hakata Ton-ichi offers essential meal sets that combine its ramen variants with other mouthwatering dishes. The Essential Ramen Set (starts at Php458) allows you to choose your preferred ramen and pair it with delectable sides such as Gyoza, Cheesy Gyoza, Aburi Tuna, Chicken Karaage, Aburi Salmon, Spicy Tuna, and California Maki. Looking for a combination of ramen and donburi? The Ramen Don Set (starts at Php568) allows you to mix and match your ramen choice with half-size servings of Smoked Chicken Teriyaki, Smoked Pork Teriyaki, Gyudon, Ebi Katsudon, Oyakodon, or Chicken Katsudon.

Hakata Ton-ichi is a hidden gem for Japanese food lovers on a budget. Here, you can savor the flavors of their signature dishes like the Super Buta Ramen, while exploring a variety of culinary offerings that go beyond ramen. With value-packed meal sets and a vibrant atmosphere, Hakata Ton-ichi offers a dining experience that is not only satisfying to your taste buds but also friendly to your wallet. So, gather your friends or plan a cozy date night, and embark on a culinary journey that won’t leave you broke.

Visit Hakata Ton-ichi and treat yourself to a bowl-ful of comfort without breaking the bank.

This Hakata Ton-ichi branch is located at 4th Floor Japan Town, Top of the Glo, Glorietta 3 Roofdeck, Ayala Center, Makati City, open Mondays to Thursdays from 10am to 8pm and Fridays to Sundays from 10am to 9pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 82558150.

Other branches are located at:

North Towers, SM North EDSA (Tel: +63 2 82563635)
Ayala North Exchange (Tel: +63 2 79009129)

Know more about its menu and offers by following Hakata Ton-ichi on Facebook and Instagram.

Disclosure: Food items mentioned here were served at no cost to facilitate this feature.

#HandsDownGoodFood at Hanako, Estancia

Are you a fan of Japanese food too?

Thanks to its focus on fresh and seasonal ingredients, simple yet methodical preparation as well as its artful presentation, Japanese food continues to be among the most popular cuisines in the metro.

One of the premier destinations for Japanese cuisine is Hanako. With its “bang for the buck authentic Japanese food” proposition, it makes delicious Japanese dishes more accessible to foodies in the metro.

It recently opened a branch in Estancia Mall, Capitol Commons, adding a cozy space for Japanese food lovers to discover and enjoy their favorites.

Sushi

California Maki (Php219). Maki made with kani, mango, cucumber and ebiko.

Salmon Cream Cheese (Php269). Maki made with salmon, cream cheese, cucumber, sesame and tempura flakes.

Ultimate Dynamite Roll (Php269). Maki made with salmon, tuna, kani, togarashi and tempura flakes.

Torched Cheese & Salmon (Php304). Sushi rice topped with marinated salmon and torched cheese.

Salmon Sashimi (Php249/5pcs | Php319/8pcs).

Tuna Sashimi (Php209/5pcs | Php294/8pcs).

Snacks

Creamy Mushroom Udon (Php249). Thick udon noodles doused in a savory and creamy mushroom sauce.

Gyoza Sampler (Php179/6pcs | Php619/18pcs). Combination of classic pork, beef and chicken Japanese potstickers.

Starters

Beef Sukiyaki (Php249). A hearty nabemono (“hot pot dish”) made with sliced beef slowly simmered along with vegetables in a broth of soy sauce, sugar and mirin.

Tuna Tartare (Php249). Sushi-grade tuna chopped into tiny pieces and tossed in Japanese mayo with togarashi, tempura flakes and chopped scallion.

Mains

Ebi Tempura (Php209/3pcs | Php309/5pcs). Battered and deep-fried shrimp served with special sauce.

If you’re an avid fan of Ebi Tempura, I suggest you take advantage of its dine-in promo wherein you can enjoy unlimited tempura with a serving of gohan (steamed rice) for only Php499/person. This offer is available Mondays to Thursdays (2 hours maximum), thankfully extended until June 9, 2022.

Yasai Itame (Php154). Fresh and crisp vegetables stir-fried in a flavorful sauce.

Karaage (Php259). Marinated and lightly-floured chicken pieces and deep-fried then served with special sauce.

Chicken Teriyaki (Php294). Rice bowl topped with grilled chicken glazed with teriyaki sauce.

Gyudon (Php299). Rice bowl topped with finely sliced beef simmered in a sweet sauce with onions.

Tonkatsu (Php284). Breaded pork cutlet that’s been deep-fried then served rice and katsu sauce.

Craving for great-tasting Japanese food? Well, now you know where to go to sate your craving without having to burn a hole through your wallet.

It may be time to hie yourself over to any of these Hanako branches in the metro:

4th Floor, East Wing, Estancia Mall, Capitol Commons, Pasig City
30 Doña Soledad Ave., Better Living Subd., Brgy. Don Bosco, Parañaque City
83 B Mindanao Avenue, Quezon City, Bagong Pag-asa,, Quezon City (beside Car Doctor)
131-C Armstrong Ave., Brgy. Moonwalk, Parañaque City
GF, SM Center Pasig, Ortigas East, Pasig City
2nd Floor, The Rock, Holy Spirit Drive, Brgy. Don Antonio, Quezon City
Robinsons Townville Regalado Ext Ciudad Verde, Quezon City

You may also order online at cravehanako.ph.

To stay updated on Hanako’s offers and promos, follow it on Facebook and Instagram.

Disclosure: I attended a food tasting held at this restaurant where food items were served at no cost to the attendees.

Check out my previous posts on Hanako:

Hanako, Katipunan — Sate your Japanese food cravings at Hanako, Regis Katipunan

Filling Japanese lunch at Yoshinoya, SM Megamall

Back when my office was located in the Ortigas area, a lunchtime sojourn to SM Megamall was a frequent occurrence.

For one thing, it’s just a short cab (or FX) ride away; my officemates and I can easily grab a quick meal, enjoy the change of scenery, and be back at our desk usually before our bosses came back from their own lunch outs.

Another reason is the sheer number of affordable and delicious dining options available, which, sadly, far outnumbers those housed in our office building’s cafeteria.

One of our favorite SM Megamall haunts is Yoshinoya, the second-largest chain of gyudon restaurants in the world. It makes Japanese rice bowls and more easily accessible to Pinoys through its affordable menu items that don’t scrimp on fresh ingredients.

Sadly, our office moved locations and a lunchtime trip to Yoshinoya is no longer as convenient.

Plus, with the quarantine restrictions still in place, I really haven’t been going out much.

That is, until my daughter #ExhibitA and I went shopping for supplies at SM Megamall.

Giving in to #ExhibitA’s request for us to eat somewhere which offers gyoza, I decided to treat her to lunch at Yoshinoya. There, we refueled after a round of shopping with these dishes:

Gyoza (Php79). Pork and vegetable-filled dumplings steamed then pan-grilled for a satisfying mix of chewy and crunchy textures and served with a dipping sauce.

California Maki (Php79). A sushi roll containing cucumber, kani and mango bits.

Pork Tonkatsu Bento (Php189). Deep fried breaded pork served in a bento box with macaroni salad, tiramisu and served with Tonkatsu sauce.

Regular Gyudon Beef (Php159 ala carte | Php189 solo meal with with red iced tea and coffee jelly). Tender beef slices are simmered in a special herb and spice broth together with sliced onions and then served on top of a bowl of steaming rice.

Green Tea Ice Cream (Php50).

Well, with these flavorful Japanese dishes that don’t burn a whole through my wallet, I am quite satisfied with my return to Yoshinoya!

This Yoshinoya branch is located at Upper Ground Floor, Building A, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City, open daily from 10am to 9pm. For delivery, call +63 2 2882888.

Other branches are located at:

Food Court, Level 1, Robinsons Galleria, Ortigas, Quezon City
Second Floor, Main Building, SM City North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City
Second Floor, Annex Building, SM City Fairview, Novaliches, Quezon City
Valero Carpark 2, Valero Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City
Second Floor, Glorietta 1, Ayala Center, Glorietta Complex, Makati City
Fourth Floor, SM City Manila, Ermita, Manila
Ground Floor, North Wing, SM Mall of Asia, Mall of Asia Complex (MOA), Pasay City

To know more about Yoshinoya, visit its website or follow it on Facebook or Instagram.