ECQ Favorite: Mitsuyado Sei-Men's Yuzu Tsukemen

It is undeniable that the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) has made life tougher for many. But there are a few things to be thankful for. We got to spend more time with our families and had a break that we could only get back when we still had summer breaks. And ramen or noodle shops finally allowed take out orders! One of my current favorites is Mitsuyado Sei-Men's Yuzu Tsukemen. 

Hello, Mitsuyado Sei-Men.

I usually go for ramen over tsukemen as I enjoy slurping hot broth. But I occasionally order tsukemen to change things a bit. 

Estancia's New Bites: Sigekiya Ramen + Tsukemen

Estancia finally opened its newest wing and it looked really promising! I was so excited to check it out after seeing a few teasers from its Instagram page showcasing new dining concepts. And my first stop: Sigekiya Ramen + Tsukemen.

Hello, Sigekiya.

I usually do a bit of research before visiting a restaurant I'm not familiar. And Sigekiya's 'the ramen loved by Filipinos in Yokohama, Japan' description on its Instagram page sure made me curious. But it was its high 4.3 Zomato rating which convinced me to dine here.

Tsuke-Men: Dipping Ramen at The Grid

The Grid is one of the best food markets in Manila right now with its lovely selection of concessionaires. We have the likes of Bun Appetit, Risa's Chocolates and La Chinesca to satisfy our growling tummies. But there are also stalls that may have been unheard of before and made its debut at The Grid and one of which is Tsuke-Men.

Hello, Tsuke-Men.

Tsuke-Men is managed by the people behind The Grid and I managed to get first dibs (or should I say dips?) on its tsukemen or dipping ramen concept when The Grid opened last year.

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.