Ramen X Marks the Spot

I can’t say that Ramen bars are common spectacles in Manila, and neither are they hailed as hunger busters, as my hometown doesn’t exactly harbor a magnanimous noodle crowd. Sad to say, the people I share the same air (and pollution) with are more of the rice variety. The absence of rice in any meal may signal a threat to future generations, so it is always best to maintain rice meals in the menu, no matter how unsophisticated, unphotographic and messy they may seem.

Newly opened Ramen X at Trinoma should signal the emergence of my people, the noodle crowd and ramen lovers. This definitely signaled our weekend dining. That giant X embossed on the door offers its leviathan welcome to those who worship ramen, above rice and other lowly carbs.

The location may be a bit tricky; considering Trinoma as a second home, my best direction would be, “Near the C places: Cibo, Chapel and Cabalen.” That should at least get you to the right floor.

The place is sprightly, urban, Oriental, with mirrors covering all angles, and the line-up-and-order approach you can expect from Ramen bars. If you think the mirrors are the best part, then go ahead and gloat, but the McArthur in me (“I shall return.”) was summoned by the satisfaction of my frugal self.

At P99 or P129 per bowl, the ramen is eXpress, ineXpensive and eXciting (to eat). The bowls are huge and the toppings satisfactory, so for this weekend dining spree, it's definitely “Itadakimasu!”

[caption id="attachment_1395" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Karaage Ramen"][/caption]

Karaage Ramen

The soy-based ramen provides that Japanese-y flavor that other local noodle shops deprive us of, and instead feed us that awful beef stock. Topped with Naruto, cabbage, onions, egg and wee bits of chicken karaage, the ramen is light but highly satisfying for its price. While the noodles are not exactly premium soba level (that’s asking too much), at least they’re not the salty, plump I’ve-seen-better-days-overcooked leftovers that would make Naruto beckon the Nine-Tails inside his belly in fury. Lightly chewy but satiating nevertheless, I don’t see any X’s here, only checks from my abysmal belly.

[caption id="attachment_1388" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Chikuwa Ramen"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1390" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Oishi Ramen"][/caption]

Chikuwa and Oishi Ramen

Bigger bowls for the carnivorous boys. The Chikuwa (Japanese fish tubes) rouses Oriental noodle fantasies, with its deep-sea flavor, while the Oishi Ramen is the supremo bowl and the premium offering of Ramen X. I watched Onichan and Ossan slurp down their bowls in a matter of minutes, interspersed with drinking and catching their breath (They had to; we asked for chili). While Ossan questioned the authenticity of the ramen, I believe that my frugality has created a bubble of protection around Ramen X’s standards, and so I found myself telling him that we are in Manila, not Okinawa.

The Gyoza and Karaage sidings at P39 each are appealingly cheap and can instantly lure that impulsive nature. The soft opening though included only the main deals, so the gyoza still has not made its way to their kitchen. As for the karaage, I feared that the poultry redundancy in my meal might not be met with much glee by my belly.

There are toppings that can be bought at P15  or P30 each: boiled egg, kimchi and green onions among others—to those who feel like garnishing their bowls further. Taste-wise though, there is nothing to add and if any, a cup of house tea would be much appreciated.

[caption id="attachment_1393" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Ramen get it!"][/caption]

In the midst of untangling my ramen noodles, pouring chili oil and just savoring the emptiness of the place, the theme from One Piece (“We Are”) blasted from the speakers. Ah yes, Luffy and his Mugiwara Kaizoku (“Strawhat Pirates”) crew and Ramen. Not even the mirrors could give me that kind of noodle high.

How about you play the Bleach OST next time? Or give out One Piece-inspired Strawhats to lucky diners?

Uh-oh, I suppose I did get that weekend-noodle high.

(By the way, this weekend post was inspired by Tara Let's Eat's weekend eating meme.)

Thai Will Be Done (@Oody's)

Thai food is best described as vibrant, diversely flavored and patron-choosy—which is why I’ve never been too fond of it, being one of the patrons forced to face its spite. The spicy part, I can endure, but the liberal flavor of fish sauce and peanuts has not been too friendly to my salt-averse sense of taste. The Legaspi Market’s Pad Thai though, drastically improved my assessment on this dish and presented an opportunity of, possibly, craving Thai food in the future.

And crave I did.

 Oody’s Greenbelt was a mindless choice, logistically advantageous and appealing to the Makati walkers. That, and for some odd reason, my peers did not consider Banana Leaf an option. Pity—and so Oody’s it was!

 

My quest for Pad Thai was thwarted though, by the flaunting photo of the Pad Siew. Less pallid, fortified with greens and devoid of peanuts—it seemed to reach out to me, and so I ditched the Pad Thai fancy. It was a choice not to regret. Pad Siew literally means “fried with soy sauce” and its rice noodles were chewy yet tender, just the way I imagined them for weeks. The chunks of chicken and scrambled egg were generously incorporated in the dish and not placed as a measly siding. While a bit on the oily side—what can you expect from stir fried noodles?—I suspect a cup of tea would assuage the risk of a shortened lifespan. Nonetheless, the tea never emerged, but rather, a hefty crepe with ice cream. I suppose there’s always room for dessert.

The Pad Thai and Noodle Soup with Chicken were not mine to begin with, but let me provide snippets of the comments from my equally hungry and opinionated mates:

Soup:

“I suppose it’s okay.”

“I’m only eating soup because I have gastro-something. I sure hope it’s not spicy!”

“I’m paying this much for this soup? Hmmm.”

When asked for comparisons, “Of course Pho Hoa serves much better soup. This doesn’t even come close.”

Pad Thai:

“Wow, that’s a lot! But your Pad Siew looks way better!”

“You can have some of my Pad Thai, you know.” To which I nearly screamed, “No, thank you!”

I rest my case.

 ON THE SIDE

House appetizers – The spicy peanuts and fried wanton made lovely centerpieces and to our delight, were rather tasty. “Refillable” was another key to securing our economical enjoyment. As for hygiene, well that’s another story.

Service – Undertaking the challenge to serve us water in small, decorative glasses, Oody’s waiters nearly regret their insensible decision. While tall glasses graced other tables (I wonder why), they opted to serve us, human camels and giant gulpers, the beakers amongst their dishes. Concession was made by leaving a pitcher instead, but that was after about 3 rounds of “Water, please. Your free peanuts are choking us!”