Ramen Bar at Eastwood Mall

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a big Japan-o-phile, meaning I love almost all things Japanese from food, beauty products, video games, gadgets, etc. In fact Japan is my favorite vacation place, and I believe I've been there more times in the last 5 years compared to Hong Kong and Singapore which are both closer to where I am.

We were invited to the newly opened Ramen Bar at Eastwood Mall last August 25, 2010. It's located right beside O'Sonho Portuguese Fusion Restobar. All their recipes were developed by Chef Masa Ishikawa, who himself owns and runs several ramen places in Japan and is one of the partners at Ramen Bar.

One of the owners, Charles Paw, recommended the R.B.S. (Ramen Bar Special) #1 for my hubby. It's soy infused with Tonkotsu (pork bone soup boiled for 20 hours) Ramen, topped with tamago (egg), naruto (fish sticks), nori (dried seaweed), negi (spring onion), chasyu (sliced pork), and kakuni (braised pork belly). I had a little taste and it had a nice natural and clean flavor which was perfect for my hubby who has an aversion to richer stuff.

Meanwhile, I had the Sapporo Miso Ramen (P320, pictured above). It's miso infused with Tonkotsu Ramen topped with tamago, naruto, negi, chasyu, butter, and corn. It had a very rich flavor (probably because of the butter) and the soup was supremely delicious, yet it all goes down very smoothly. Like the R.B.S. #1 it had a very clean and natural taste which I attribute to using all natural ingredients and then boiling them together for a whopping 20 hours. I so love this dish! :D

Ramen Bar makes its own noodles from scratch. They're very chewy and firm, incredibly al dente! Now this is what I call ramen! :D

We also had an order of Yakiniku Beef (P195, pictured above), which is thinly sliced beef marinated and served in Chef Masa's special sauce topped with green onions. Kind of reminiscent of Yoshinoya's beef, only more savory.

We also tried Karaage (P155, pictured above), which is fried boneless chicken served with a siding of salt and pepper. Crunchy outside, juicy inside... delicious!

Another offering which I really enjoyed were the Kakuni Buns (P180 for 2 buns, pictured above). It's kind of like the Chinese cuapao as it's steamed mantou filled with pork, but that's where the similarity ends. Tender braised pork belly, lettuce, Japanese mayo, and special sauce are sandwiched in between the soft white buns. Sooo good! :D

For dessert, we had Tempura Ice Cream (P120, pictured above). It's like a cream puff that's deep fried until a crunchy batter coats the outer part. It's filled with vanilla ice cream in the middle. Chocolate sauce for dipping is also served on the side. A fitting end to a delicious and filling ramen experience!

All the sauces and seasonings Ramen Bar uses are imported from Japan, and the broth used as the soup base for all the ramen dishes are boiled for 20 hours every single day. You can really taste the difference. According to Charles, the dishes you see on the menu now are just the start. He's continuously collaborating with Chef Masa to bring us more authentic Japanese food to enjoy, so don't be surprised if the menu expands in a few months time.

If you're hankering for some authentic Japanese ramen, I highly recommend paying Ramen Bar a visit. :D

Ramen Bar

Unit 1880-4A, 1880 Building
G/F Eastwood Mall
Bagumbayan, Quezon City
570-9457

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