The Manila opening of Japanese brand Ippudo is testament to Manila's ramen-hungry market–no matter how many noodle soup restaurants pop up in the metro, we are always on the lookout for different versions to sip and slurp. Barely two weeks open at the Mega Fashion Hall in Megamall, Ippudo Philippines has been experiencing long, snaking lines akin to a blockbuster premiere.
The menu of Ippudo here is patterned mostly from the Ippudo Malaysia menu, and the Manila staff have been training rigorously in Malaysia since last year. Ippudo is known for their Hakata-style ramen, distinct in its rich and creamy tonkotsu broth achieved only by cooking it for over 15 hours. Ippudo's founder, Shigemi Kawahara, is fondly called the Ramen King, playing storyteller in the kichen of Ippudo to showcase that distinct balance of these elements in every bowl: tonkotsu (pork bone) broth, quality toppings, and springy and al dente Hakata-style noodles.
Ippudo's Operations Manager, Yota Shiiba, will be based in Manila for a few years to ensure your bowls of ramen are as authentic as they can be
Are you ready to brave the lines of the hottest ramen import in town? Here are tips and tricks to make the most out of your first Ippudo Manila experience.
1. Arrive for brunch/early lunch or a heavy mid-afternoon merienda.
If you want a shorter line and waiting period to scarf down a bowl of Ippudo, it's best to go during leaner or odd hours — in between lunch and dinner, and as soon as the mall opens. They do not accept reservations, so dining at the restaurant is on a first come, first served basis. Understandably, weekends get heavier foot traffic at the mall, hence more hungry people lining up for ramen. If you don't mind a 30 minute to one hour waiting period, though, you can try your luck with the lunch and dinner crowd.
2. Be punctual and complete.
If you are dining as a group, headcount must be complete once it is your turn to enter the restaurant when your table is available. The folks at Ippudo are strict with this rule, so be sure to arrive on time and have everybody present in line when you know you're soon to enter.
3. Arrive hungry and at least as a party of three to try all ramen variants.
Ramen is a very filling dish in itself, and a bowl is enough to feed one hungry individual. But to maximize your waiting time in line, it's best to come with two more companions, as Ippudo has three ramen varieties you can choose from. This way, you can order all three and try each other's ramen during your meal. There is the classic Shiromaru Motoaji (P375), the modern Akamaru Shinaji (P390), and spicy Karaka-Men (P390), all served with Ippudo's original tonkotsu broth, and your server will ask for your choice of hardness for the noodles (soft, medium, hard, or very hard). Each ramen variant has a preferred noodle hardness, which the server shares upon taking your order, but ultimately it is your choice on how you like your noodles.
Shiromaru comes with ultra-thin noodles, pork loin, bean sprouts, kikurage and spring onions, and is a bowl showcasing classic ramen flavors, which makes a good introduction to the Ippudo experience. Akamaru blends miso paste and garlic oil, and is served with thin noodles, pork belly, kikurage, and spring onions; it's heartier than the Shiromaru. The Karaka-men, a personal favorite, is Ippudo's offering to Tantanmen lovers, as the broth kicks and tickles your palate with a mix of spicy minced meat, miso paste, and garlic oil. It is served with thin wavy noodles, pork belly, and spring onions. Spicy lovers should order this one!
All variants can be ordered in several combinations: Tamago (salted soft-boiled egg), Chashu (simmered pork belly), and Special (with tamago, chashu, and seaweed), at an additional price. Aside from these suggested combinations, you can top your ramen with additional ingredients, like Negi (P40, spring onions), Ajikikurage (P50, black fungus), and Simmered Pork Loin (P100). An extra serving of noodles can be requested (Kae-dama, P70), as long as there's enough soup left in your bowl.
4. Have a budget of P500-P600 per head.
Ippudo's ramen comes in only one size, and an order is will cost you from P375 to P490. Additional toppings can cost you P40 to P100 each, or if you want all toppings (boy, you must be very hungry!), prepare to shell out an extra P200 for your extra Shio Tamago, Negi, Ajikikurage, Nori, Pork Loin, and Pork Belly. Have an allowance for drinks and some sides and appetizers to share, so that you can make the most out of your much-coveted seats and tables at the restaurant. Most of their bite-sized appetizers cost less than P200 each, so while you're there…
5. Order items that are not just ramen.
Ippudo offers other food aside from ramen that are worth your bite. In fact, there's a very popular non-ramen item at Ippudo that ran out of stock during our visit–the Ippudo Pork Bun (P100), boasting of juicy, melt-in-your mouth pork belly tucked inside a steamed bun. The menu also indicates food items that are best sellers from different Ippudo outlets, like Hong Kong (the Oroshi Ponzu Gyoza), New York (the Ippudo Pork Bun), and Singapore (the Ippudo Bakuretsu Tofu). My top pick is their Curry Cheese Harumaki (P190) which stuffs fried spring rolls with a mouthwatering combination of pork, curry, and cheese. And should you find yourself at Ippudo dining with a rice-loving companion, they currently have four rice dishes to choose from.
And if their ramen bowls plus non-ramen savory items still have not filled you up (wow, I may have to congratulate you and shake your hands!), there's dessert at Ippudo. I was already too stuffed and had to wave the white flag on their selection of sweets (and I'm a dessert person, what a shame), but they offer Panna Cotta with Soybean Flour (P160), Green Tea Ice Cream (P150), and Black Sesame Ice Cream (P150).
6. Zuzutto!
The Japanese say that the secret to the perfect ramen experience is in the sound that you make while eating it–and trust them on this, as they know their ramen like the back of their hand. So once you finally meet your very first bowl of Ippudo ramen right here in our own country, the most proper and polite Japanese way to greet your noodle soup is with a noisy zuzutto!
It is said that when you zuzutto your ramen, you allow the complexity of soup, noodles, and flavor to combine harmoniously for the ultimate appreciation of ramen. This experience is called 'nodogoshi' which means a delicious throat-feel when the food slips into your throat with a positive silky sensation.
Now that you're armed with some ramen tips and tricks, you can now round up your fellow hungry ramen ninjas to troop over to Ippudo and experience every sip, slurp, and bite to the fullest!
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Visit Ippudo at the 3rd floor of SM Mega Fashion Hall, Mandaluyong. Like Ippudo Philippines in Facebook (/ippudoPH), follow on Instagram and Twitter (@IppudoPH), and check out www.ippudoph.com for more information.
