Tokyo Eats: Menya Musashi

One late evening in Shibuya, Hubby and I were on a lookout for something to eat.  He wanted to find someplace random, I didn't.  I wanted to eat in one of the restaurants on my restaurants list, but I didn't have anything in Shibuya.  Grudgingly, I followed him to this restaurant that we chanced upon in some unknown alley.

Menya Musashi

Curiosity got the best of Hubby, because he saw quite a number of people going in and out of this restaurant.  If a lot of people were lining up, then it must be good right?

Inside Menya Musashi

After going in, we found out that this was a ramen/tsukemen shop.  Again?!  I thought to myself.  I almost backed out.  But the stomach was growling, so this had to make do.  If you've read about my past post about Fuunji, I didn't quite enjoy my first tsukemen experience in Japan.  But Fuunji is Fuunji.  This was an entirely different restaurant.  No harm in trying right?

Menya Musashi's ticket dispenser

As with Fuunji, the ordering process is the same.  You press your selection at the ticket dispenser, pay, get your ticket and wait for your seat.  We had a bit of help from one of the English speaking staff in Menya Musashi, since they didn't have an English menu.  We asked for their bestsellers, and chose two from the top (the ones with the photos).

Shoyu Ramen

This is my bowl of Shoyu Ramen.  The pork was OMG-drop-dead-now soft and the Aji Tamago was perfect.  The only thing not so perfect?  Didn't like the soup.  It wasn't bad, it just wasn't spectacular.  Just your normal soy-sauce based soup.

Tsukemen

Tsukemen dipping broth

As for the Tsukemen... $%&#@*!!!  OH MY.  This was one of the best noodles I've ever tasted!  The pork was the same one as my ramen, only this time, the tsukemen broth was fantastic as heck, and totally not normal at all.  It was all kinds of flavorful, without the added saltiness.  As a matter of fact, it erased all my memories of Fuunji and replaced it with an absolute love for tsukemen.

Gotta give it to Hubby, I wouldn't have discovered Menya Musashi had he not insisted on trying it out.  I will 100% be back for the Tsukemen.  What the heck, it's haunting me right now as I type this!  5 out of 5 stars! 

Menya Musashi is at 2-8-5, Dogenzaka, Sibuya-ku, Shibuya Tokyo

Tokyo Eats: Ichiran

Another day, another ramen place.  You'd think we're carbo-loading for something, but it's just that the original versions are hard to pass up.  If you've read about my disappointment over not being able to try out Ichiran in Osaka last year, then finally being able to try it out in Hong Kong early this year, then you can bet that I'm itching to include this in my "been there, done that" list.   Ichiran was not actually on our list of restaurants to try.  It's just that we passed by it during our trip and saw this familiar sign.  We couldn't resist.  So we went in.  LOL.

And contrary to Ippudo where you just sit and the server will come take your order, Ichiran's order taking system is far more high tech.  All you have to do is press your orders and pay the total.

After payment, the machine will print out stubs for you.  I don't read Japanese but for sure these are your orders.  Take your seats and someone will attend to you shortly.

We were given these sheets.  Encircle how you want your ramen to be and wait for it to be served.

As with the Hong Kong branch, Ichiran Tokyo's seating arrangement is exactly the same.  We were joking among ourselves that this is the "no-cheating policy" strongly enforced for ramen-goers.  LOL.

Egg

Seaweed

Egg fail.  Well, it wasn't bad, just a tad overcooked.

And finally, my ramen.  The broth is as rich and flavorful as the one we tried in Hong Kong.  Noodles are really soft too.  I love it!

The verdict?  Looooove Ichiran!  Ramen-wise, it's definitely better than the one in Ippudo.  They have fantastic seaweed too.  It's not the typical seaweed that remains whole when you put it in soup.  Got a nice surprise because the seaweed actually sort of breaks apart and becomes really soft and melts in your mouth.  4 out of 5 stars!

Ichiran is at Koyasuwan Building B1F, 13-7 Udagawacho Shibuya-ku, Tokyo-to, 150-0042
150-0

Hong Kong Eats: Ichiran

On our trip to Japan last year, one of the restaurants on our list was Ichiran.  Sadly, they were under renovation when we got there.  Boo!  And from the moment I found out that Ichiran has already opened an outlet in Hong Kong, I made sure we had time to try them out on our most recent trip there.  So on our second day, using the ever trusty Google Map, we were able to navigate our way to the famed ramen joint.  We got there fairly early at 11am, but there was already a short line forming.  Good thing the people there eat fast; we were seated in no time.

Guide

My order list

My cubicle

Each cubicle has its own water dispenser!

No cheating!  LOL!

Need anything?  Just push the button.

My classic tonkotsu ramen

Hubby's classic tonkotsu ramen with a hint of spicy

Half-boiled salted egg

Look at the line!

So how was it?  Unlike other ramen joints, Ichiran's ramen only has one kind of broth and one flavor.  The only thing you need to worry about is how strong or how mild you want the flavors to be, and the add-ons you want to include.  Though Ichiran's ramen is decidedly simple and no-frills, I'm happy to say that the broth is extra rich and extra delicious!  No wonder it's the number one ramen house in Japan.  Will definitely be back for more!  5 out of 5 stars!

Ichiran is at Shop H ＆ I, Ground Floor, Lockhart House, Block A, 440 Jaffe Road,Causeway Bay 

Ramen Daisho

Who's familiar with Ukkokei Ramen Ron?  Fans of the famous pre-ramen craze ramen joint will be happy to know that there's another Ukkokei ramen contender called Ramen Daisho.  Apparently, it is rumored that Ramen Daisho has bought the same broth recipe as Ukkokei Ramen Ron.  I know some of you will hate me for this, but I was never a fan of Ukkokei.  Hubby and I both find their ramen overhyped.  Ok, now you can hate both of us.  LOL.  

One random weeknight, Mom was craving for ramen,  Her friend told her that a new ramen place opened in Shaw Blvd. and it was better than Ramen Nagi!  Call me impressed with the fact that my mom now has foodie news!  BUT, BETTER than Ramen Nagi?  Now this I'll have to try for myself.  So off we went to Ramen Daisho to try out the latest ramen joint.

I've heard from friends on my Facebook/Instagram feeds that Ramen Daisho can get full early on, so Mom and I arrived early.  Hmm.. probably too early since there were only about two other tables when we got there.  Hey, better early than late!  Right? 

Here's what we had:

Gyoza

Pan-fried dumplings made from seasoned cabbage, chives and pork,  Wrapped w/ special dough made from sticky rice and flour

This one is a no-brainer.  Nice chewy outside with moist, fragrant filling.  I like it!

Shio Chashu-Men

Hakata style straight noodles in rich, milky, pork-bone broth soup

Mom and I happened to order the same thing!  They weren't kidding when they say that the broth was milky - it really is.  The thing is, I was hoping for a more tonkotsu flavor, which I found lacking in Ramen Daisho's Shio Chasu-Men.

Nitamago

As you can see, the egg failed the "eye test".  I was expecting it to look runny, and not borderline hard boiled.  How about the taste test?  Failed it too.  It tasted like one of those eggs that I can cook at home.  No marinated taste whatsoever.

So, the verdict?  Mom loved Ramen Daisho because she finds their ramen less oily that Ramen Nagi's.  I, on the other hand, although I find Ramen Daisho's ramen pretty good, I'm still a loyal fan of Ramen Nagi.  Somehow not one ramen restaurant is able to replicate their rich tonkotsu broth, and till that day comes, my vote is still for Ramen Nagi.  3.5 out of 5 stars!

Ramen Daisho is at Unit 2, Sunshine Square, Liberty Center, 312 Shaw Blvd. Mandaluyong

Ramen Nagi

Starting off my first food post of the year with something special:  Ramen Nagi.  Those who frequent Butao Ramen in Hong Kong will be familiar with Ramen Nagi.  Why?  Because it's one and the same!  The Ramen Nagi name is the original name of this ever-so-popular ramen place in Japan.  When Hong Kong franchised it, they named it as Butao.  I guess the Philippine franchisees just simple chose to go with the original name.  Judging from the post I made the last time I ate in Butao Hong Kong, it would be an understatement to say that I was excited for Ramen Nagi's opening.  I wasn't excited.  Nope.  I was ecstatic!!!  Yep, that one deserved a good three exclamation points!

Storefront

Early in the morning one Saturday, I dragged Hubby out of bed and to SM Aura for one main purpose:  to try out Ramen Nagi.  I wanted to see if this one is comparable to Hong Kong's version, which I absolutely loved. 

A view of the kitchen

See those empty chairs?  It's not because they lack customers, but rather, it was really early in the morning.  Can you say 10am?  Come 11am, the place is filled to the brim!  Early bird gets the worm!  Or rather... early glutton gets the ramen!  LOL!

Dining Area

Hmmm... seems like we're not the only early worms after all.  These customers are also pretty early risers!

The simple menu

And now on to the menu.  As you can see, Ramen Nagi's menu is as simple as it looks.  What you see is what you get.  One page, 5 kinds of ramen. (5th ramen, Limited King, not in menu)

Choices, choices, choices

Just like the one in Hong Kong, you're given a choice sheet.  All you have to do is encircle (or cross, or check) your choice!

Original King (Butao)

The original broth.  It's the base broth for all the other ramen flavors.  I'd recommend this if you're a Ramen Nagi newbie.  Simple unadulterated soupy heaven.

Black King (Kuroo)

This one has squid ink and gives off a more garlicky flavor.  There's also quite a texture in the soup.  For the more adventurous ones!

Red King (Akao)

If you like it hot, then the Red King is for you.  I could only take in one spoonful of soup before I gave up.  Hubby, the spicy monster, love it. 

Green King (Midorio)

Now who wants pesto?  The Green King gives off a more Italian feel.  It really does taste like pesto ramen with the basil, olive oil and grated parmesan incorporated into the soup.

Limited King

There's only two things that I can think of when I tried the Limited King.  Prawn Bisque or Lobster Bisque.  Fans of the soup can be assured you'll get that exact same flavor.

Add-ons

Ramen wouldn't be complete without the Tamago and Seaweed.  I find the tamago a bit too salty for my taste, but it's perfect when eaten with the soup.

All lined up in a row.  My pretties.

Presenting:  my Instagram picture.  I had to make sure I immortalized my first visit to Ramen Nagi (and at the same time make all my IG followers drool.  LOL)

So the verdict?  I'm in love!!!  Confession:  in the two weeks since I've first eaten in Ramen Nagi, I've already been back 5 times.  Yes, it's THAT good.  Two people even claimed that it tastes better than Butao Ramen in Hong Kong!  Whoa!  I say I agree 100%.  Ramen is awesome, and the place is comfortable.  Service needs a bit of improvement, but other than that, I say GO TO RAMEN NAGI NOW!!!  5 out of 5 stars!

Ramen Nagi is at 5/F SM Aura Premier, McKinley Parkway, McKinley Hill, Taguig

Hong Kong Eats: Ippudo HK

Remember Butao Ramen and Ajisen Ramen?  Here's one more ramen place to add to the growing number of good ramen restaurants in Hong Kong.  For those in the know, Ippudo HK did not actually originate from Hong Kong, but rather in the land of ramen, Japan.  It was so successful that it now has branches all over the world in the US, Singapore, Korea, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Australia.  Wow!  

The first time I got to try Ippudo was in Singapore.  Before we went, I did a few searches about good restaurants in Singapore and Ippudo was one among others that popped up from the search.  Well, all I can say is, the recommendation was spot-on.  The moment we took that first sip of tonkotsu broth, we swore to go back to Ippudo every chance we get.

Fast forward to last month, indeed, we went back to Ippudo.   It wasn't actually our first time in Ippudo HK.  We already got to try it a little more than a year ago, but since the trip last month was with Hubby's family, we also wanted to share with them our yummy discovery.

Here's what we had:

Shiromaru Motoaji

"Ippudo's original tonkotsu broth served with thin noodles, rosu chasu (pork loin), kikurage and spring onions.  Classic Hakata-style ramen."

Akamaru Shinaji

"Ippudo's original tonkotsu broth enhanced with special blended miso paste and fragrant garlic oil.  Served with thin noodles, buta bara (pork belly), kikurage and spring onions.  A refined, modern-style ramen."

Both ramen we tried that day was still as yummy as the first time we had it.  And if given the option to choose one from these two, well... I can't.  They're both delicious in their own way!  And did I mention REALLY fragrant?

Codfish with Saikyo Miso Sauce

This one took us by surprise.  The codfish might look simple, but trust me when I say that one bite of this will send you straight to heaven, no detours.  It's THAT good.  If I could eat one fish for the rest of my life, then this is it.  This fish still haunts me to this day, and the moment I set foot in Hong Kong again, this will be on top of my list.

Aji Tamago

Another one that will send you to food heaven is their soft boiled egg.  As simple as eggs come, I don't know what they do but they manage to make the insides a bit sweet.  Research shows that the Ajitsuke Tamago is soaked in some sort of marinade to get the flavor.  Ippudo seems to have mastered the art of Ajitsuke Tamago because theirs is pretty good.  Would have stuffed my face with a dozen or so if only I didn't fear for my life.  Haha!

The verdict?  5 out of 5 stars!  If you could try one thing alone, go for the codfish.  It's 1000% good, great, fantastic, amazing... I don't think I can run out of nice adjectives to describe how superbly delicious that piece of fish is.  The ramen itself is pretty mouthwatering too.  Oh and don't forget the egg! 

Ippudo HK is at Shop 210, Silvercord Tower, 30 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong