saan sa ph – Jellybeans in the City

The rainy season is upon us. With those rain clouds come a bit of cooler weather, giving us Metro Manila denizens a much-welcome break from the heat.

But with those rainshowers and cool breezes come the craving for something hot and hearty that will warm the stomach and soothe the soul.

What better way to enjoy the rainy season than to sit down and slurp on some tasty ramen?

How about taking on Yummy Tokyo’s Unli Ramen offer?

But first, let’s get to know Yummy Tokyo and its ramen offerings.

After meticulously developed his ramen recipes, self-taught ramen master Jin Chiba left his corporate research job, found a partner who helped him launch his own brand of ramen in the Philippines, and thus, Yummy Tokyo came to be.

My friends from #SaanSaPH recently visited its store along Maginhawa Street and sampled some of its dishes, which include:

Tantanmen (Php189). Did you know that this ramen dish originated from China where it was known as “Dandanmen?” It became popular in Japan’s northern prefectures where its miso, peanut and sesame base was perfected. I like the peanutty taste, its flavorful ground pork topping and its slightly spicy kick.

Miso Ramen (Php149). Initially having gained foothold in the Sapporo and Hokkaido prefectures, it is made by incorporating lots of miso (soybean paste) with meat stock, resulting to a hearty and slightly sweet soup. Topped with a slice of tender chashu, it is quite a filling meal.

Seafood Ramen (Php149). Originating from Nagasaki, this ramen dish with a scallop base and topped with shredded cabbage, kani sticks and narutomaki, it is lighter than the other ramen dishes.

Tonkotsu (Php129). One of my all-time favorites, the soup for this ramen dish originating from the Fukuoka and Kyushu prefectures is made by boiling pork bones, fat and collagen for hours, resulting in a creamy and flavor-filled broth.

Cold Ramen (Php149). The idea behind this ramen dish originating from the Tokyo and Honshu prefectures is to top cold ramen noodles with assorted vegetables and meat then toss them in a vinegary dressing which makes for a refreshing meal.

Now, about that Unli Ramen. For only Php399, you can stuff yourself with all the broth, noodles and toppings your heart and tummy can hold.

Rainy days don’t seem so sad now, do they?

Want to take your ramen experience home with you? Why not bring home some of Yummy Tokyo’s Ramen Kits (prices range from Php149 to Php169) to enjoy the store’s tasty and authentic ramen dishes at home.

Many thanks to the folks of Yummy Tokyo for having us!

This Yummy Tokyo branch is located at 103 Maginhawa Street, Teacher’s Village East, Quezon City (inside Moonleaf Tea Shop Compound), open daily from 4pm to 12 midnight.

Another branch is located at the Fourth Floor, East Tower, Philippine Stock Exchange, Ortigas Center (inside Moonleaf Tea Shop), open weekdays from 11am to 6pm.

Disclosure: Together with other food bloggers of #SaanSaPH, I was invited to attend a foodie meetup held here wherein in food items were served to allow us to sample the fare. These were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Check out reviews of other Japanese restaurants on this blog:

Tucked away in a quiet corner along Scout Rallos Street in Quezon City is a newly opened restaurant with something new up its sleeve.

Always change.

That’s the mantra of BOA Kitchen + Socials, which aims to be the destination of choice for the titas. Enter its doors and you will enjoy the same ambiance, food quality and hospitality as any top-of-the-line stylish Makati restaurant. The difference is, especially for people up North, you get to avoid the stressful Makati traffic to get there.

Plus, you get to enjoy an ever-changing environment as envisioned by owner Joey Marcelo and menu conceptualized by Chef Julius Necor, which makes your every visit a fresh and exciting experience.

Here’s how:

From 9am to 6pm, enjoy a Bali-inspired Australian brunch service in the light and airy surroundings of BOA Kitchen.

Here, you can sate your mid-day appetite with dishes such as:

Torched Salmon and Avocado Toast (Php245). A large piece of torched smoked salmon placed and mashed avocado on multi-grain bread.

Grilled Cheese with Creamy Marinara (Php245). Cheddar and mozarella in a grilled brioche loaf best enjoyed dipped in a creamy marinara sauce.

Tinapa Aglio E Olio (Php285). Pasta tossed in a mixture of tinapa flakes, olive oil and garlic.

Pasta Vongole (Php285). Spaghetti noodles tossed in a light sauce of clams and lemons.

Alfredo Pesto Pasta (Php285). Pesto farfalle coated with Alfredo sauce, served with ricotta and sun-dried tomato.

Kimchi Fried Rice (Php285). Bibimbap kimchi fried rice topped with carrots, bean sprouts, shiitake mushrooms, ground beef, spinach, zucchini and an egg cooked sous vide.

Pulled Pork Adobo (Php245). Strips of pork adobo, pickled vegetables and a fried egg topping garlic rice.

Tapsilog (Php245). The classic lunch staple of tender beef tapa and crispy fried egg on garlic rice.

Steak and Egg (Php495). A 200g grilled hanger steak served with fried eggs, house-made potato chips and mushroom gravy.

Full English Breakfast (Php325). Toast, links of breakfast sausage, bacon, roast herb tomato and potato hash served with fried egg.

Banana Pie (Php175). Caramelized banana served with buttery streusel crumbs and a dollop of vanilla ice cream.

Bibingka Microwave Cake (Php245). A deconstructed dessert of made-to-order-via-microwave bibingka cake on a bed of salted egg dulce de leche, sugar syrup, melted butter and desiccated coconut.

From 6pm to 12 midnight, when the neon lights are lit up, the place transforms to BOA Socials which serves Asian cuisine.

While you relax and unwind with your amigas, you can feast on:

Sisig Croquettes (Php225). Creamy mashed potato balls filled with sisig and served with toyo-mansi aioli.

Wonton Nachos (Php245). Crispy fried wontons topped with pulled teriyaki sauce, shredded cabbage, onions and parsley drizzled in Sriracha mayo.

Salmon Tartare (Php378). Salmon served with pork rind, wasabi mayo, urchin roe and Oriental dressing.

Pulpo (Php345). Succulent grilled octopus on smoked potato puree served with chorizo crumbs and paprika-thyme oil.

Tinapa Cream Cheese Toast (Php175). Open-faced sandwich of tinapa flavored cream cheese over toast topped with sliced cucumber, onion and halved cherry tomatoes.

Chori Burger (Php295). Chorizo patty topped with a fried egg, coleslaw and pepper sauce in a black brioche bun.

Char Kwaey Teow (Php365). Stir-fried Southeast Asian rice noodle dish with a smokey flavor.

Chicken Pad Thai (Php345). Stir-fried glass noodles with tamarind sauce, eggs, tofu, chicken pieces and bean sprouts.

Thai Fried Chicken (Php345). Crispy fried chicken served on top of curried mashed potato, garnished with grilled corn kernels and pickled vegetables and served with sweet chili sauce.

Beef Rendang with Coconut Lime Rice (Php425). A spicy Indonesian meat dish served on coco lime rice served with pickled vegetable and crispy shallots.

Crispy Pork Sambal (Php445). Crispy pork belly served with Asian slaw.

Deconstructed Anise Cheesecake (Php245). Anise cheesecake served apart from its ginger graham cracker crust.

House Blend Iced Tea (Php80). With choices among classic, mango and lychee.

Purple Potion (Pho320). One of the ever-changing drinks served at BOA, this blue gin changes to a purple hue when tonic water is added.

With these always changing elements, every trip to BOA Kitchen and Socials is something new to look forward to.

Many thanks to Joey, Chef Julius and the wonderful staff of BOA Kitchen + Socials for the amazing time and the great meal in each of my visits.

BOA Kitchen + Socials is located at the Mezzanine Floor, 45 ABDC Building, Scout Rallos corner Scout Tuazon, Laging Handa, Quezon City, open daily from 9am to 12 midnight. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 2903103 or +63 977 7078472.

Did you know you can get dishes for free when you dine with a friend at BOA Kitchen + Socials through Zomato Gold? Zomato Gold provides members with 1+1 deals on food or 2+2 deals on drinks. All you have to do is sign up for a Zomato Gold membership here. Use my code JELLYB to get 20% off the membership fee.

You can also book your table at BOA Kitchen + Socials using Eatigo to get up to 50% off your food bill. Sign up using my referral link to get additional perks.

Disclosure: Together with my fellow foodies, I was invited to join a foodie meetup held at this restaurant. Food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Check out my reviews of other bars and watering holes in the Metro: