Ramen & Katsu

a bowl of ramen at Wrong Ramen

Rainy weather always call for something hot (preferably a soup) to slurp. A broth teeming with flavor that would satiate your palate and your growling tummy. At the same time would bring warmth to ward off the almost frosty climate.

Something So Wrong Could Actually Be So Right

table setting

This visit to Wrong Ramen stemmed from an invitation that I posted on my personal Facebook account inviting anyone who would like to join me in visiting this trendy (and revolutionary, I might add) ramen place in BGC. I haven't been to Wrong Ramen and been reading quite a lot of positive reviews and accolades about the restau, notwithstanding it's very catchy name. I also intimated on my post that I would pay for the meal as long as the person is willing to traverse BGC to reach the ramen place. It's an invitation that even surprised me. And when my friend and colleague Kuya Regi responded to my post, we immediately exchanged contact info and set up a date for this meet up.

salt & pepper on an Energizer-like battery containers

chashu rice rolls

sweet potato iced tea

A proof of how popular Wrong Ramen is  that we we're asked to wait for at least fifteen minutes before we got our seats. The seating capacity of the restaurant is just about thirty diners and the placed were packed to the rafters when we came here. I didn't mind the wait time since this turned out to be one of my most enjoyable meals. To think I'm not that much into ramen.

We started off with the Chashu Rice Rolls. It has shredded pork, onions and cilantro in a translucent rice wrapper which I find very much similar to Vietnamese spring rolls. The roll itself was already flavorful that I could do away with it without dipping it on the provided ponzu sauce.

Curiosity got into me when I saw the Sweet Potato Iced Tea listed on the beverage section of the menu and ordered for it right away. Kuya Regi quickly followed suit. Who would have thought that a sweet potato can be turned into an iced tea? But aside from it's purplish red color, the taste was very much similar to a regular iced tea.

tonkatsu rich ramen

The Communist

Now, I thought long and hard before choosing which ramen to order. I was actually joggling between the Tantanmen and The Communist's Ramen and ended up choosing the latter instead. The fiery red broth actually scared me. From the looks of it, this bowl of ramen already promises scalded tongue and perspiration to appear in every orifice of my body. But it wasn't as spicy as I expected it to be. Yes, I still did perspired a tad bit too much but I find the zippiness of the ramen broth totally manageable. And among the few ramen places I've been, this bowl has been the most flavorful so far.

I coaxed Kuya Regi if he's inclined to try the F.U. Ramen, a ramen bowl with a milky broth that seems want to pack one's favorite breakfast food in it's fold. The mere description of the said ramen on the menu made Kuya Regi wrinkled his nose and opted for the more traditional Tonkatsu Rich Ramen. As for me, I wouldn't mind trying out the F.U. Ramen next time I'm here. A ramen bowl which I believe really signifies the namesake of the restaurant.

chubby me and Kuya Regi

I was hankering for some dessert and asked if we could be served of the Poop For The Gods, a Belgian chocolate concoction with sea salt and drizzled with olive oil. But alas! I was told the said dessert was not available. *sniff!*

I've passed by a couple of times at Wrong Ramen since this visit but oddly they're closed. This was around three or four in the afternoon. When I inquired about it on their Facebook page, I was told by the page moderator that their operating hours are from 11AM to midnight with a break between four to five thirty. Here's hoping that they could manage to have no breaks in between their operating hours since I usually pass by BGC/Taguig late in the afternoon and wouldn't want to stay that late to avoid traffic. I would really want to be back here to try out their other ramen creations.

To Kuya Regi: Thank you for sharing this wonderful ramen meal with me. That day was sullen because of the unceasing rain but our candid chat made it seem inconsequential.

Forbestown Center
Forbestown Rd, Burgos Circle
Taguig

823-8429

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The Most Sinful Katsu Of 'Em All

rosu katsu curry at Yabu

Yabu will always be on my top list that serves the best katsu. I've tried katsu dishes on other restaurants and nothing comes close. The crunchy breaded exterior that covers the most succulent of meat always captivates. In their katsu curry line up, I asked for the Rosu Katsu Curry (with US Pork ostensibly appended on the menu). When asked what level of spiciness I prefer, I said "make it as spicy as you could get." Never mind if it resulted to a sore tongue afterwards. 

Might be my tolerance for spicy food has increased a bit since I wasn't put off by the spiciness of the curry. I was in fact eating it by the spoonful, along with the diced carrots and potatoes that goes with the curry. The Rosu itself was deliriously delicious. I can't help but close my eyes on each bite. I alternately dipped it in the curry sauce it came with or my own mixture of tonkatsu sauce and grounded sesame seeds. I also apportioned my tonkatsu sauce with even amounts of goma (sesame dressing), soju and wasabe. 

sauces, dip and seasoning to help you make that ultimate tonkatsu sauce

green mango shake

lava cake strawberry a la mode

If I want to get a reprieve from the gloriousness of the katsu and the curry, I'll take a sip of the Green Mango Shake. The tanginess and slight sourness of the shake cuts the cloy and make me all prepped up for another glorious bite of the katsu.

While I'm not expecting too much with the dessert, the Lava Cake Strawberry A La Mode fitted me just fine, since a spectacular katsu meal will never be complete without a sweet ending.

2/F, Mega Atrium
SM Megamall

631-1192
www.yabu.ph

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I Like It Loud & Crowded

ramen at Ikkoryu

I'm easily put off by long queues. The imminent danger of not getting the best seat in the cinema bothers me. I get a little impatient just waiting in line to pay for my ticket for the Metro Rail Transit (MRT). I couldn't even begin to imagine the 'hell' I've been to when I have to stay up overnight just to get my new NBI clearance. Whenever I saw a long line forming at the entrance of Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen (either at the EDSA Shang-rila or the SM Aura branch), I cringed and move on someplace else to eat. Why would I have to endure the line and stand there for so long just to have a bowl of ramen? But I came around with my way of thinking. People wouldn't line up if the product (in this case, 'the ramen') is not worth lining up for. 

table setting

One weekend, it seemed the stars in the constellation aligned to allow me to finally try Ikkoryu. I did some errand in Quezon City and when I arrived back in Ortigas, my shirt, my jeans and my shoes were soaking wet from the heavy downpour. Chill slowly creeping in and I need something hot to combat the cold. Then I thought of Ikkoryu. Never mind if there's a long queue. I badly need a piping hot bowl of ramen right now.

Thankfully, the line wasn't that long but it's very obvious the place was packed inside as I stole a glance right through the entrance: the steady murmur of conversation, the clatter of chopsticks and utensils, the servers shouting "kangei" and "arigato gozaimasu" to each guests walking in and out of the restaurant. 

I was asked by the server if I would like to be seated at the bar area. I told her that's okay. I'm not picky on where I'm asked to seat, as long as I'm still within the fold of the restaurant's enclosure and with proper lighting to fully enjoy my food (and for me take clear pictures, too). 

Once inside though and the door was held shut, the noise level of the restaurant intensifies. One whose auditory senses were delicate might label it as 'total chaos'. I was a little daunted by it. How could I eat properly if it's going to be noisy this way? But as I perched my buns on a high stool facing the bar and got my groove on things, I started liking the noise; the clickety-clack rhythm around me, the buzz of conversation, the shouting of orders that need to be fulfilled and the occasional snickers and jokes that passed between the ramen master chefs while concocting those flavorful broths.

dalandan juice

gyoza

ajitama tonkatsu ramen

What transfixed me as I leafed through the menu was the scintillating liquid yolk from the soft boiled egg on the Ajitama Tonkatsu Ramen. But when the said ramen was set before me, the yolk from the egg was not near as the quivering liquid yolk pictured on the menu. Looking pass this slight letdown, the broth itself was teeming with flavor. I appreciate it's scalding hotness (the quirks of being seated in the bar area) that quickly alleviate the chill that I started to felt earlier. The noodles were rightly springy and the chashu slices were uberly soft and tender. 

I never failed to order Gyoza whenever I see it on the menu. I'm quite addicted with these dumplings. At Ikkoryu, it's slightly crisp, burned bottom gave the gyoza that fine texture when bitten into before it gives way to a generous and packed meat filling. In between slurp of the ramen and bite of the gyoza, I sip the Dalandan Juice with the right sourness to make my face wrinkle.

shiratama zenzai

I initially asked for the Ice Cream Shiratama Zenzai, it's a glutinous rice ball dessert with a red bean paste filling topped with a scoop of your ice cream of choice (may it be green tea, vanilla or black sesame). But when it was served to me, it's only the regular shiratama zenzai. Devoid of the coolness of the ice cream, I still enjoyed the glutinous ball immensely. The sweetness of the red bean paste was what made this dessert so irresistible. Next time I swing by Ikkoryu, I'll make sure the server will serve me this dessert with the ice cream melting sexily over it. *wink*

5/F, Shang-rila Plaza Mall

East Wing

Shaw Blvd cor EDSA

Mandaluyong City

477-8333