sushi roll – Jellybeans in the City

Ramen Who: Meet the new delicious name in ramen

One of the most welcome sensations that December brings to us Pinoys is the feel of brisk morning air and cool breezes throughout the day.

These cool climes also make for delicious ramen weather.

And if you happen to be near The Lipa Outlets in Batangas, you’re in luck because you can indulge your craving for delectable ramen to warm you up during these chill days.

Ramen Who boasts of flavorful and creamy broth, a product of sixteen hours of careful boiling and melding of ingredients to achieve that delicate balance deep flavor and umami, without making it too rich or thick to enjoy. Together with their firm perfectly cooked noodles and its various toppings and flavorings, Ramen Who’s ramen offerings sure make the trip to the restaurant worthwhile.

It recently launched new ramen variants that are sure to excite the taste buds of ramen lovers.

Let’s start this foodie journey with the Tita Tori Paitan (₱385). Its milky white broth is made from boiling chicken bones which results in a flavorful soup that is not too rich. Its topping of grilled chicken slices go very well with the broth.

Next up is the Boss Gyu Beef Ramen (₱405), definitely a boss-level combination of soup stock made from beef bones and topped with thinly sliced strips of grilled beef.

Last is the Pinoy Ramen which adds a decidedly Filipino twist to the ramen, thanks to its pares-style beef and grilled eggplant toppings.

Another exciting debut in the menu is the Who Burger, served deconstructed so you can enjoy the sheer fun of layering its components – grilled beef patty, brioche buns, housemade sesame soy sauce, minced nori chips, wasabi mayo, goat cheese and slaw – into an extraordinary burger.

Personally, no meal is complete without dessert, and Ramen Who serves up the sweets with its new confections: Mango Chizu (₱180) and Choco Toptop (₱150).

Got a hankering for sushi rolls to go with your ramen or to snack on with your companions? Opt for Sushi Mixes, then. These consist of twelve pieces of sushi rolls of three yummy variants: Aburi Dreams Mix (₱535 – California Sunrise, Ultimate Unagi Aburi and Wango Tamango Aburi) and Sushi Dreams Mix (₱565 – California Sunrise, Spicy Salmon Crunch and Ebi Tempura Crunch).

Also, you can never go wrong with a bit of crunchy Ebi Tempura (₱405); it’s always a hit with Japanese food lovers, after all!

If you want to go for your classic ramen faves, you can always opt for the Vice Tonkotsu-San (₱395) and Mr. Tantanmen (₱405).

So go ahead and cuddle up with your Significant Other and go on a Ramen Date, or huddle up with your gang for a Ramen outing at Ramen Who!

Whatever your food trip is, any weather is perfect weather to sip, slurp and savor a heartwarming bowl of ramen at Ramen Who!

Ramen Who is located at The Outlets at Lipa, Lipa City, Batangas. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 917 8078901.

Stay updated on its promos and offers by following it on Facebook and Instagram.

Disclosure: Together with fellow bloggers, I attended a food tasting held at this restaurant. Food items served were not paid for by the attendees.

Ripplin’ sushi at Sazanami, SM Megamall

Sazanami refers to “small waves” or “ripples.”

It may very well refer to the ripples of gastronomic pleasure you experience when you bite into the sushi rolls made at the new sushi place in SM Megamall named Sazanami.

If you haven’t been to Eatogether Food Hall, I suggest you visit it stat because here you can take part in a new wave of dining experiences like the one at Sazanami.

It offers, not your run-of-the-mill sushi rolls, but ones that use various (and even surprising!) ingredients and make them into tasty combinations that tickle your fancy, not to mention your tastebuds. This is in large part thanks to Sazanami’s in-house sushi chef who’s been servin’ up these sushi rolls since the 90s.

During a recent foodie meetup at Eatogether Food Hall, my fellow foodies and I were able to sample some of its delectable sushi creations. Each sushi roll order is served with pickled ginger, wasabi and Japanese soy sauce, as well as Sazanami’s signature creamy and savory sauce that go so well with its sushi variants.

Ready for a run-down of your delightful sushi options at Sazanami?

Take for example its Sazanami Maki (Php265/8pcs). This is the house specialty baked sushi with salmon, sesame seeds, scallions, spiced garlic mayo, unagi sauce, mango bits and kani.

The Yin Yang Roll (Php265/10pcs), on the other hand, is one of the store’s best sellers. It’s a deep-fried and crunchy shrimp tempura roll with cream cheese and umagi sauce.

The Special Roll (Php295/8pcs) is a treat: it’s ingredients vary every week, making it a real foodie adventure. So if you want to have a sushi surprise, go for this sushi roll!

With such a tasty sampler, I just knew I had to take some home to the fam who are all certified sushi lovers.

All I had to do was give my order at the stall where servers selected my choices from their menu screen, a bill was run up automatically and I just had to pay via GCash! What a safe and contactless way to get your food, huh? (By the way, other contactless payment options are available or you can just get a Vikings Card at the Eatogether Food Hall reception and load it up every time you visit.)

Curious on what I took home? Check these out:

First, I got an order of Ripple Roll (Php260), Sazanami’s own version of the classic California Maki, with crabstick, mango, tobikko and black sesami fried kani stick.

Then, I got a cute Caterpillar Maki (Php195), a sushi roll made with kani, cucumber, avocado, sesame seeds and unagi sauce.

And thanks to Sazanami’s ongoing promo which gives four Sazanami Maki pieces free for every sushi order, I was able bring home an additional eight Sazanami Maki pieces!

Well, the fam devoured the sushi as soon as I got home so I could pretty much say these were met with their approval.

If you’re on the lookout for your next sushi adventure, do give Sazanami a try!

Sazanami is located at Eatogether Food Hall, Second Floor, SM Megamall Building A, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City.

Disclosure: I attended a food-tasting here together with fellow foodies. All food items mentioned here were served for us to sample the fare and elicit our honest feedback.

Check out my reviews of other Japanese restaurants:

Raintree #ValentineFoodCrawl: Valentine Roll at Motto Motto, BGC

Certain types of food have been known to get you in the mood for love (wink! wink!).

Called aphrodisiacs, these food stuffs are believed to arouse passions for more than gustatory delights.

But did you know that sushi also falls under this category?

The omega-3 fatty acids in the fish incorporated in sushi are said to be quite helpful when it comes le amour.

When eaten together with a romantic partner, sushi becomes a sensual experience: the meticulous formation of precise shapes and colors using different ingredients, the interplay of flavors and the feel of the varying textures in one’s mouth.

(Plus, sushi tends to be quite light so there’s less risk of overeating, making it a perfect date food!)

To give lovers in the metro the perfect opportunity to bask in each other’s presence while enjoying good food, Motto Motto brings back its playful take on sushi: the Valentine Roll (Php395).

Made with spicy tuna, avocado and blue fin tuna marinated in sake and soy sauce, it is a perfect example of Motto Motto’s playful Japanese concept.

Consisting of eight rolls fashioned into four cute heart shapes garnished with pink salt, it is a feast for the senses and is perfect for sharing for two lovebirds.

Pair it with Motto Motto’s signature refreshments and you’ve got a date!

Book your Valentine outing now as this yummy sushi dish is available only within February.

Motto Motto is a collaboration between Raintree Hospitality Group and Tokyo Japan’s Piglet. It features all-day Japanese dishes that stimulates the senses and tickle the fancy, prepared and served in a fun and whimsical fashion.

If you’re looking for a fun gustatory adventure with your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day, Motto Motto is the place to be.

Motto Motto is located at Ground Floor, Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, open for takeout on weekdays and for dine-in on weekends. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 917 8362173 or send a message via Facebook or Instagram. Payments via cash, GCash, credit and debit cards are accepted.

Pak! Pak! Chicken also delivers via FoodPanda.

Check out my blog posts on other Raintree restaurants:

Affordable Japanese Meals To Go at Izakaya Flame, BGC

Personally, I consider my weekday lunch hour sacred. It cuts right at the half of my work day, giving me a few precious minutes of respite from daily grind, so I can escape into my next foodie adventure before I get back to work in the afternoon, refreshed and energized.

It also serves as time for bonding with work colleagues who also happen to be good friends. Our brief #HappyLunch outings give us an opportunity to catch up and relate with each other, not as coworkers, but as friends, fellow parents or just fellow nerds. 🙂

Central to our #HappyLunch experience is the discovery of good food – discoveries that become our new favorite places. Sometimes, during weekends, we find ourselves taking our families and friends to the places we discovered during our lunchtime jaunts.

Sometimes though, morning meetings spill over to lunch time, or a report needs to be submitted at precisely 1.30pm. During times like these, when we can’t go out, can #HappyLunch adventures still be possible?

Fortunately for corporate denizens of Bonifacio Global City (commonly referred to as BGC :-)), Izakaya Flame recently launched a line of affordable rice meals exclusively for takeout. Dubbed as Power Meals to Go, the line is comprised of five tasty yet fuss-free Japanese viands packed with premium Japanese rice. They are served in microwaveable (and reusable!) plastic containers for easy reheating.

These include:

Gyoza (Php109)

Dory (Php119)

Tori Karaage (Php129)

Pork (Php139)

Katsudon (Php149)

Izayaki Flames’ Power Meals to Go are an excellent option for those who are craving for their Japanese food favorites but are not able to dine at the restaurant. That’s such as shame as the restaurant’s swanky premises sure are easy on the eyes. For those who can, I do recommend to visit the resto to take in the novel experience that it has to offer.

Building on the concept of izakaya – a type of informal Japanese pub where people can enjoy small-sized meals together with a drink – it has a modern Asian-inspired decor and both table, bar, and outdoor seating to cater to the diners’ preference. The bar, in particular, is where the teppan is masterfully prepared right in front of dinners by a trained cook.

Among the tasty representatives of Japanese izakaya cuisine you can sink your teeth into are:

Spicy Beef Roll (Php245)

Takoyaki (Php95)

Beef Teppanyaki (Php305)

Ice Cream Tempura (Php125)

Plus, watch out for a fusion of Japanese and Pinoy flavors: the Dulong Maki.

Izakaya Flame innovates on classic Japanese flavors and brings them to lovers of Japanese food to be enjoyed whether inside or outside the restaurant. Well, I know what I’m going for the next time I’m in a meeting that spills over to lunch at BGC. I know I can still have a #HappyLunch with Izakaya’s Power Meals to Go. 🙂

Izakaya Flame is located at the Fourth Floor of the Uptown Place Mall, 36th Street corner 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. It is open daily from 10am to 10pm. For queries and reservations, call +63 916 2519922.

Disclosure: I attended the Bloggers’ Day held at Izakaya Flame. 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.

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The group who discovered new affordable boxed meals for takeout at @izakayaflame. #izakayaflame

A post shared by Jellybeans in the City (@beingjellybeans) on Sep 22, 2018 at 1:51am PDT