Ippudo - Manila

I was there since day one and have seen their ups and downs. No restaurant is perfect but what makes them different is how they make up for their mistakes and learn from it. As a ramen addict, I have tried most, if not all, ramen places in the country and this is the only ramen house that I keep on coming back. I am very particular with the taste, texture, aroma, presentation and service. As i love anything spicy, I always order their Karakamen Special. Whenever I order something new, I usually ask for the ingredients, proportions and how it is being prepared so at least I know what i'm getting at and to set my standard on the dish that i have ordered. Presentation Nori shouldn't be falling, the chili beef, leeks/spring onions should be evident as it adds color to the bowl, the chasu should be in a perfect circle though torched, it shouldn't be dry). Texture very hard thin noodles my preference), chasu is still soft though its torched and due to this it adds depth to the broth but still not overly rich. Aroma you really cant resist the smell of a perfectly prepared bowl as it tickles your appetite as it goes to your table. Taste though they use the same broth as their base, with the added ingredients mixed up in the bowl, it has created a perfect balance of spiceness and richness of pork. Service i always feel welcome whenever i dine in this restaurant i always frequent the Robinson Ermita branch where they take good care of me always by rachel, mel and the whole team. Rockwell and SM Megamall did the same thing with me also. Most of all, they always listen to what you have to say to improve their work or at most exceed their best). Let me end by saying, this is THE BEST RAMEN HOUSE IN THE COUNTRY.

These are the only dishes I order in Ippudo because I am not into spicy food. It's worth the price!

Whenever I go to Ippudo Philippines, I'd often choose their Akamaru Ramen— a Pork tonkotsu ramen with black garlic, as well as the usual trimmings of noodles, char siu and spring onions. But this time, I switched things up by ordering their Karaka Ramen. This spicy variant comes with thin wavy noodles (which looked just like instant noodles), slices of pork belly, and a special mix of spicy ground pork in miso plus spring onions— all swimming in a pork tonkotsu pork. The spiciness was mild, nearly negligible for me, but that's on a subjective basis. I did though add more garlic cause I wanted to fill the void with some tangy garlicky flavors. And call me strange, but did you know that it actually tasted even better when you add some vinegar in it? That sour acidity really brought out the flavors of the ramen (though it could still use a touch of heat— easily remedied by the chili oil they serve on the side). And the Gyoza? Let me tell you— it may look small, but these potstickers come with tons of meaty flavor. Plus, I just can't get enough of their sour-spicy sauce. Yum yum yum!

Had ordered their shiromaru special with medium as the firmness of the noodles and it comes with pork loin and tamago. I must say I was pleased and surprised with my order as it exceeded my expectation. It wad good and immediately finished my bowl of ramen. The noodles were great, so is the broth. The tamago egg melts in your mouth and so is the pork. I loved it! Service was also pleasant, they trained their staffs well to be courteous and hands on to the needs of their customers. Overall satisfied and kudos to their team!

This is our go to resto in rob manila. We absolutely love their ramen—the shiro, akamaru and the karaka. They all taste excellent. Their soup base is just right, not too creamy, not too salty. The meat is perfect. We always have this “just right busog” feeling after having our lunch or dinner here, not the “nakakaumay” feeling. Another favorite is the beef ishiyaki rice. The mixture of sweetness of the sauce and the sourness of tomato complement each other. The service is excellent too. Will always come back here, definitely. Just an update, we dine here yesterday, unfortunately the tables on the center were placed by small individual tables. The tables are too narrow that ordering more than 2 dishes will make the table too crowded that you cannot eat comfortably. But the food still tasted awesome.