An Unexpected Love: Ramen Nagi's Crab King

I love ramen but most of my friends know that Ramen Nagi is not in my top 5 list. I didn’t exactly had a smooth start with the never-empty-ramen-shop’s Black King, hailed as the emperor of rich taste. It overwhelmed my taste buds which prefer delicate flavors. Hence, I avoided Ramen Nagi for years and only began to warm up again when I tasted its limited flavors, Veggie King and Cheesy Tomato King. But it was this store’s latest creation that convinced me why Ramen Nagi is definitely not just hype. 

Hello, Ramen Nagi. 

Fast food has always been our staple meal whenever we’re at the airport. With only 30 minutes to spare, we stick with the two redheads. But last Saturday, we tried something different and went with Ramen Nagi. 

Dynamic Duo: Ramen Nagi and Tendon Akimitsu

Ramen Nagi hit Manila like crazy back in 2014. You have to wait in line just to have some of this famous ramen shop's butao. And unlike other restaurants that started with a bang and slowly faded away, Ramen Nagi never lost its charm. With its limited edition ramen flavors and expansions, it holds a special place in the market's hearts (and tummies). Honestly, I'm not a big fan of Ramen Nagi as its ramen flavors are too bold for my liking. But when I was asked to try Veggie Ramen, I have to give it a try as I've never had any. Also, it was hard for me to comprehend how Ramen Nagi married healthy greens and sinful ramen. 

Hello, Ramen Nagi (and Tendon Akimitsu). 

R and I decided to swing by Ayala Malls the 30th, one of Ramen Nagi's newest branches, to try its limited edition ramen. We were warmly greeted by the staff who ushered us to the table near the window for good lighting. 

Ramen Girl in Manila: Ramen Nagi

Whenever there are long lines, my expectation for great food gets higher and higher. And a handful of restaurants disappointed me to the point of me sulking as I felt that I just wasted time and energy to line up and endure a grumpy tummy. But there are also those worth-the-wait restaurants (though of course, it would have been so much better if there’s no line) like Ramen Nagi.

Hello, Ramen Nagi a.k.a. popular-ramen-place-people-go-gaga-over!

We arrived a bit past 11:30 a.m. and the place was already full of hungry people. We had our names listed but we had to wait for an hour to get a table. No. We just cannot wait for an hour with really grumpy tummies. (Plus it was really hot and uncomfortable that day.) What we did though was go to the nearest restaurant, have a few bites and hurry our way back to Ramen Nagi for lunch #2 (click here for lunch #1). Yes, that is the life.

We were number 5 from the list when we came back and we had to wait for another 15 minutes to get a table. Luckily, we got one inside the store and not along the hallway which was very narrow and crowded with other people waiting for their tables.

T and I decided to share a bowl while M and A had their solo share. T and I decided to go for the Black King (PHP410) while M went for the Green King (PHP410) and A got the Ramen Nagi special, Truffle King (PHP700).

For a full ramen house, service was very quick. Our orders arrived in less than 10 minutes and I was still busy appreciating the interiors then. (They have ramen bowls as wall accents!)