Restaurant Love: Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen

I just can’t get enough of Japanese food. Given a chance, I’ll live in Japan and eat all the salmon sashimi I could get my hands on. But of course, that would be too much. So let’s throw in some ramen. There you go. That is the life. Okay, I kid. But I really am too attached to Japanese cuisine. I was so thrilled when I got an email from them before giving me a heads up on their new dishes. I was out of the country then but I promised Riza of Ikkoryu Fukuoka that I will drop by as soon as I’m back. Well, fine, it wasn’t as soon as I anticipated as there were just too many new restaurants to visit. But Black Day was the perfect day for some ramen love. 

For some reason, J and I meet on the 14^th of the month. It started with Valentine’s Day where we traded gifts. (Hey, single people can celebrate Valentine’s Day too you know.) It was followed by Pi/Pie/White Day where we had some beer can chicken and finally, Black Day. And yes, I forced J to wear black.

We actually had no idea where to eat when we met but since we were both famished, we had to think fast. We eliminated the cuisines we do not fancy that night and ended up with around four restaurants to choose from. J initially crossed out ramen but remembered his Monday ramen nights and finally gave in to have dinner at Ikkoryu Fukuoka. 

 

The place wasn’t as packed compared to when it first opened (where wait time was around 30 minutes to an hour). The servers were very attentive and gave us menus as soon as we sat down.

Ramen Girl Update: Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen New Dishes

I think I have already overly shared how much I love anything Japanese. From anime (I secretly want to cosplay... okay, it's no longer a secret), to the language (konnichiwa!), from the culture, to of course, FOOD.

I turn green with envy every time I see people post photos of themselves in Japan. It has been a dream of mine to go there. Authentic Japanese food!!! I heard that those hole-in-the-wall restaurants serve the best ramen! *Think Ramen Girl*

Luckily, there are some restaurants in Manila that offer really good ramen. One of which is my favorite Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen. I just fell in love with the Black Garlic Tonkotsu as it is different from the other ramen I have tried before. Plus, having the freedom to choose how hard you want your noodles? H-E-A-V-E-N!

A few days back, R of Ikkoryu Fukuoka emailed me that they have new dishes. I turned green again because I can't try it anytime soon. (Cue: TT_TT) 

Curious on what their new dishes are? 

Restaurant Love: Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen

I’m not really sure what made ramen so popular lately but I’m sensing that this is one trend that is just getting started. With ramen places popping out left and right, despite the prolonged summer heat, people can’t help but crave for a bowl or two of this Japanese dish.

I’m back Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen! This time, I went with N’s family and cute little (and hyper) B was with us. 

The wait was crazy this time. We were number 13 on the waitlist. So V, B and I went down to check out Maple if the waitlist is shorter but *tada* we were number 9. The East Wing sure is packed on weekends so better call to reserve; to avoid the long wait.

After an hour, we finally secured a table at Ikkoryu Fukuoka. Soon, we were all busy reading the menu. B ordered the Black Garlic Tonkotsu I tried before. V and I tried the same ramen, Ajitama Tonkotsu (PHP380). This time, I asked for hard noodles as I just hate overly soggy ones. *excited*

Service was quick given the full house. I guess the servers were now used to it given it was like that ever since it opened. (Ramen madness!)

Restaurant Discovery: Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen

I mentioned in my previous entry (The Strip Hollywood Steakhouse) that I was targeting to try this new ramen place beside it but they close from 3 p.m to 6 p.m. every day. But I was destined to try dine there soon as when I met up with Frannywanny and P, we all agreed to try that place out.

Hello, Ikkoryu Fukuoda Ramen!

The place has really cute interiors. Wood everywhere with Japanese writing with red chairs!

The menu is a bit more extensive compared to Kichitora. Ikkoryu Fukuoda Ramen also offers rice meals, salad, appetizers, and they also have more desserts (though the one I want wasn’t available).

After a while, I finally decided to go with the Black Garlic Tonkotsu (PHP380) and Chasu Maki salad (PHP230) as my appetizer. I simply chose those with the chef recommended stamp beside the names. :)

Service was quite quick as in less than 10 minutes, my salad is on the table. 

At first, I was hesitant to eat it as it looked dry and bland. I was looking for a dip for it. But since I couldn’t figure out if dipping it in soy sauce is a good idea, I opted to eat it as is. Cold… and savory! I was surprised that it was very flavorful. The chasu was well seasoned and despite the dry and bland look, it sure was juicy (to some extent). I just love the tenderness of the pork and the crunch of the vegetables. It sure was a great way to start my meal.