First Bite: Kureji

The summer heat this year is insane! I don't recall Manila hitting 40 degrees Celsius before. But it would never be too hot for ramen. And there's a ramen shop that adds sizzle to ramen. 

Hello, Kureji.

Kureji is the newest concept of Baby Spice Group, the company behind Cucina Peruvia. This time around, they decided to put a little bit of twist to some all time Japanese favorites. 

First Bite: Hey Handsome

Hey Handsome has been receiving praises from notable influencers from the foodie community for a month now. Actually, just knowing that the minds behind this concept are the ones who brought Your Local already convinced me that I have to visit this place ASAP. I really respect these young talents as they are not afraid of the insanely crazy restaurant industry we have now. And to use unconventional raw ingredients such as keluak,a big poisonous fruit found in Indonesia, among others, proves how passionate they are in their craft and in bringing new flavors to Manila. The restaurant was scheduled to open last Friday but since the owners want to make sure that everything is perfect, they had to delay the opening and moved it to August 17 instead. (Thank you, Charlie Paw for the heads up!) And finally, Hey Handsome is open!!!

Hello, Hey Handsome!

I was greeted by lovely interiors that reminded me of Your Local, only brighter and more Instagram friendly (given the abundance of light). The modern mixed with industrial feel, high stools and white and green tiles turn every corner of this restaurant perfect for shoots. 

I guess Nicco Santos, one of the owners, head chef and a photographer himself, considered how foodies love to take snapshots of food and restaurant interiors. 

The restaurant aims to infuse more “real” Asian flavors such as Peranakan, Thai and Malaysian. Though some of the ingredients are sourced in other Asian countries for more authentic flavors, some are sourced locally. I honestly could not really tell which ones are authentic tasting or not. As long as the dish tastes good, I’m a-okay with it! 

I have read several positive reviews about the Beetroot Paneer (PHP480), Nam Tok (PHP580), Bebek Penyet (PHP680) and Nasi Lemak (PHP645). I decided to go with last one knowing that is considered as a complete meal in Malaysia and Singapore.

Quite unfamiliar with the dishes, I did a quick research and found out that Nasi Lemak is usually composed of meat, salted peanuts, coconut rice, hardboiled egg and dilis. But it is wrong to expect “usual” when dining at Chef Nicco’s restaurant. Instead of serving nasi lemak (coconut rice) with meat, Hey Handsome paired it with sea bass otah infused with spices that is wrapped and grilled in banana leaves served with sambal, pickled soft boiled egg and peanut brittle with dilis.

Ramen Love: Ippudo

Ever since we brought Uncle H to Ippudo, he has been craving for more. He messaged R that he wanted it for dinner last Saturday but he had an event to attend to. He couldn’t help think about it and messaged R again the next day and said that he wanted it for lunch. But since R and I already had plans for lunch, Uncle H just ate at home. The urge though was strong and he went to BGC and picked us up to join him have dinner at… you know it.

Hello again, Ippudo!

I had no idea that the operation hours of this branch is not the same as SM Megamall’s. It has a break in between and resumes its dinner operations at 6 p.m. (until 3 a.m. for those craving for ramen at odd hours). 

The place wasn’t packed then as we arrived at 5:50 p.m.. We were asked to wait for a bit outside as they prepare our table. In less than 2 minutes, we were ushered to our table. 

R’s parents went with the usual ramen bowls and Uncle H’s favorite gyoza. I spotted a new product offering and went with Hakata-Style Classic Tsukemen (PHP485) with cold noodles. 

It took my bowl a bit over 20 minutes before it was served. R’s and his parents’ ramen bowls were already half empty when my bowl arrived. I guess it was because it is prepared differently. I just wished that the staff informed me about it so that I could have prepared myself and ordered another appetizer while waiting instead of just staring at my companions eating. 

It was worth the wait though as it was really good. I loved the contrast of the cold noodles and the hot dipping sauce. I’m so glad I listened to the server’s recommendation. I also liked that I have full control on how flavorful each bite will be. I could dip and soak my noodles in the broth for a while to make my noodles warmer and for a more flavorful mouthful or I could just lightly dip it to take a break and avoid being too overwhelmed by the richness of the broth. 

Long Time No Taste: Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen

I was so proud of my self control last week as after yoga, I just had salad for lunch and a light dinner after. I couldn’t really say the same is true last weekend for I ate… a lot. Oh well.

Hello again, Ikkoryu Fukuoka.

It has been a long while. The last time I visited Ikkoryu Fukuoka was during Black Day (April 14) with my 14^th of the month date J (of T3). This time around, I visited the Rockwell branch with another J, the architect.

I was quite hesitant to order as I know that the salt content of ramen is pretty much… wild! So to compromise, I started to look at the salad options. I was about to order the cold noodles when the server recommended their limited edition Ebi Hanadango Tonkotsu (PHP400), I gave in. (Darn you, “limited edition”!) I also ordered Kurogoma Ice Cream (PHP100) to somehow cleanse the palate.