shio ramen – Jellybeans in the City

Ever since I started going through my #RamenPhase three years ago, Mendokoro Ramenba has been the gold standard that longtime ramen connoisseurs have been encouraging me to try.

One foodie, in fact, advised me to withhold my judgement on where to find the best ramen until I have tasted what Mendokoro has to offer. What kept me from checking this resto out were news of the long waiting lines and the relative inaccessibility of its original branch in Makati to me.

Soon, I heard news that it opened a new branch in Bonifacio Global City and I eagerly waited for my chance to join the club of ramen aficionados whose tastebuds have experienced the sheer joy of Mendokoro’s ramen bowls.

Well, just the other day, I finally got the chance to taste two of its ramen offerings.

And I must say: I can totally understand the hype.

Mendokoro translates to “shared table” in Nihongo. In keeping with this concept, and consistent with its earlier branch in Makati, this resto features a bar-style seating arrangement. Patrons first order and pay for their food at the cashier, then they are ushered to their seats along the bar which can seat up to forty-five people. The ramen bowls and other food items are assembled in the open kitchen right smack in the middle of the bar and are served as soon as they are done.

After a meeting in a nearby building, my officemates and I, all newbies to Mendokoro Ramenba, decided to head on over to Icon Plaza and get a taste of the resto’s much-vaunted ramen bowls.

We split among ourselves the Shio Tonkotsu (Php370) and Tantanmen (Php420) bowls of the resto’s ramen offerings, two orders of Aji Tamago (Php80/order) and five pieces of Gyoza (Php200) which served as our appetizer.

Tonkotsu ramen are notable for the sheer amount of effort and time needed to properly prepare these dishes. The broth is made by boiling pork bones (“tonkotsu” in Nihongo) and other ingredients in water for up to eight hours, until it takes on a rich, cloudy appearance. Tonkotsu ramen are normally served with noodles that are still slightly firm, then topped with chashu, a slice or marinated pork belly. I prefer the salt-flavored shio ramen over the other options of miso and soy sauces-flavored shoyu ramen; fortunately, my companions agreed with my choice. We added the tamagos – marinated soft-boiled eggs – to our bowls for added richness.

Tantanmen, on the other hand, is the Japanese take on the Sichuan dish Dan Dan Noodles. In this delectable bowl of ramen, the noodles are engulfed with a rich, mildly spicy (we requested that the spiciness level be dialed down) broth, flavored with the nutty sweetness of from the sesame paste.

Each mouthful was a delight and we soon found ourselves slurping our bowls clean. Now I can hardly wait until I can come back to sample the other ramen options available here.

This Mendokoro Ramenba branch is located at Icon Plaza, 26th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, open daily from 11am to midnight. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 8514844.

Its other branch is located at V. Corporate Center, Soliman Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City. It is open daily from 11am to 12 midnight and assists inquiries and reservations via +63 2 4789625.

Hidden in a nondescript building along Scout Madrinan in Quezon City is a small noodle house called Wabi Sabi.

Named after the Japanese worldview of finding beauty in impermanence and imperfection, this cozy restaurant embodies “wisdom in natural simplicity.”

A friend and I chanced upon this eatery during one of our more adventurous lunchtime forays. Wanting a change of scenery (as well as food choices), we veered away from our usual haunts and found ourselves at this unusual joint.

My friend and I didn’t realize that it was a vegetarian restaurant at first and by the time we did, I didn’t want to walk back out in the heat of the sun wearing my impractical wedge shoes looking for another place to eat in.

Well, I’m glad we stayed. 🙂

The dining space occupies a small area; it can accommodate around fifteen people. The menu is written in the big chalkboard above the counter. The menu items may seem familiar but they’re all vegetarian and contain no meat.

As this was out first visit, my friend and I decided to try dishes that are a bit more familar to us. She ordered the Tantanmen (Php220) while I got the Shio Ramen (Php200).

Inspired by the Dan dan Noodles of Sichuan cuisine, Tantanmen is characterized by its rich slightly spicy peanut-flavored broth, made richer and thicker by miso paste. Here, the traditionally used ground pork and chicken stock are substituted with veggie meat and vegetable stock, and sesame seeds are used to flavor the slightly sweetish sauce instead of peanuts.

The Shio Ramen, on the other hand, also features a meat substitute for the traditional chashu pork slice and the broth is clearer than what I’m used to.

From a taste of Japan, I went for a taste of Vietnam with my post-lunch drink: Kaphe Suada (Php75). Boiling water is poured over Vietnam-grown ground coffee beans into a bed of condensed milk, stirred then poured into a tall glass with ice, resulting into a sweet and invigorating beverage.

Wabi Sabi is a welcome and lucky discovery for me and I don’t mind returning to sample its other healthy offerings.

Wabi Sabi is located at Ground Floor, POS Building, Scout Mandriñan Street Corner Tomas Morato, South Triangle, Quezon City. For inquiries, call +63 918 9622935.