Random question, " What comes when you think about comfort food? " This is arguably one of the most difficult questions to ask or deal with whenever I go to a random Shopping Mall in 2024.
It could be any Asian restaurant that is quite abundant in the Philippines, or a traditional burger for some, but ramen is my favorite for me. Particularly when it comes from Ippudo, that steaming dish of noodles with thick broth, and that thinly cut meat that just melts in your mouth.
So for today's blog post, we'll be talking about one of my all-time favorite Japanese restaurants in the Philippines known as " Ippudo ".
First Impressions - Ippudo PH
Like many foodies, initial impressions are key as this can pretty much tell you if that moment of walking into a restaurant will be a pleasurable one or if this is gonna be a nightmare. My impressions of Ippudo are a bit strange, strange in the sense that it is never the same experience for each branch.
The branch in Eastwood was quiet yet busy as you're greeted with a kitchen with chefs on the left and tables and chairs on the right. The branch in Robinsons Magnolia (as seen in the photo) is more quiet and cozy.
However, another factor to consider here is, depending on which branch you go to, will pretty much determine the crowd who would be dining in. Same comparison, with the Eastwood branch, the crowd was more appreciative of eating in silence and enjoying the food, whereas the Cozy Robinsons Magnolia branch was a bit more chaotic due to the kids running around and the parents who preferred to continue chit-chatting like it was their own living room as opposed to controlling their kids.
Always something to look forward to I guess, but essentially the Robinsons Magnolia branch, during opening hours, has a very welcoming and cozy ambiance in contrast to all the Ippudo branches I've tried, one the best.
The Menu
- Signature Style Tempura
- Karaage
- Yokohama Shoyu
Just like a dining experience, we'll kick this off with the appetizers.
The Karaage from Ippudo actually is different, at least what you're seeing in this photo, the original recipe that I first encountered about a year ago looked and tasted different. I'm not really sure what happened, probably a change of supplier, or a sudden rush of excitement of re-imagining what it could be like but yes, the Karaage that is being served at present time is different.
The original Karaage actually was cooked similarly but came with more seasoning, and some veggies on the side to help give some accent to the actual dish. This looked a lot more generic, it does still taste good and is worth the price but I wish they just brought back the old style than this new look with less appeal.
Something For Everyone
Personally, I'm not a fan of Tempura, aside from the fact that I am allergic. This was just recently added to their menu and for good reason the original menu was a little bit short on what is being catered to leaving customers with just a handful of options to go around with.
The Signature Tempura from Ippudo had actually exceeded my expectations by a mile. Unlike other food establishments, regardless of how expensive the restaurant is or if it is some fast food chain, the probability of the tempura being served is 90% generic. However, with Ippudo, although it is subtle, you can really enjoy this dish without worry, the ingredients are fresh, and the oil used to cook wasn't re-used nor was it excessive, which means there isn't any aftertaste of oil from the crunchy later of the tempura itself.
This is actually a plus because even fast-food chains tend to just dunk everything in a hot pan of oil and just serve it on a plate while it is smothered in cooking oil.
The Star of the Show - Yokohama Shoyu
The Yokohama Shoyu from Ippudo, in my honest opinion, is the best ramen served, not just with Ippudo, but also in contrast to other Japanese restaurants in Metro Manila.
Given that I'm a huge fan of ramen, this, or different variations of this dish is my default when dining in a Japanese restaurant, and so far, Ippudo has only been the only restaurant that has nailed this dish perfectly. Interestingly apart from being the best dish in my opinion, it also comes with 3 different kinds of styles which are Classic, Special, and Torched.
Basically, the Classic and the Special are just a matter of which gets additional toppings to amplify the flavor, but if you want to experience something different, go for the torched as this, in a way, elevates the dining experience wherein the staff would torch an added topping right in front of you which is something you don't normally see in any restaurant.
The broth of the Yokohama Shoyu is rich and flavorful which is honestly my favorite, sadly refills would come at an additional charge which is understandable but the price of which is a little high just for a refill, but hey, if you're like me who literally enjoys a good tasting broth then by all means.
The slices of chasu are in my opinion sad, sad in the sense that there's just not enough, it is cooked to perfection and literally just melts in your mouth on every bite! It would've been great if they could add in 3-4 slices or the most 5, that would've made it perfect in my opinion.
In a nutshell, and to close this article, if you're like me who works hard day in and day out, working long hours from 9-15 hours a day, five days a week, having to treat yourself with some good tasting comfort food despite the cost, is more than welcome.
Reward yourself every once in a while, as this would re-energize you and get you in full throttle for the upcoming week for your daily grind.
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