Go ahead, slurp
Don’t be shy. Make that sound. Why not? It’s unlike other soups in the world—it’s the brainchild of Japan’s Ramen King!
Eeny, meeny, miny, moe. There’s pasta, there’s Korea’s japchae glass noodles, there’s our own pancit from among the varieties of our fave carbo-rich comfort food. Ah, and there’s also ramen. The ramen craze hasn’t died down just yet ever since ramen houses invaded our gustatory trips about a year or two ago. Search #ramen on Instagram and you’ll get a collection of it—in black (with squid ink) and as a burger.
Did you know that the ramen milestone happened in 1958 when Nissin Food introduced chicken ramen, the world’s first ramen cup noodle? But still, nothing beats the real deal—and by original we mean no preservatives, no artificial flavors, and from the careful concoction of the crowned 2005 Ramen King and third time Ramen Hall of Fame champion himself Shigemi Kawahamura, founder of Ippudo Ramen House that originated in his hometown Fukuoka, Kyushu in 1985.
Ippudo was the first to refer to broth by color red (aka) and white (shiro), which soon became a standard industry practice. This highly acclaimed ramen emporium opened last week at the SM Megamall Mega Fashion Hall, adding to its over 40 stores in 10 countries, including Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore, China, Australia, and the United States.
But ramen, its success today notwithstanding, comes from a rough past. “Ramen as food was not popular among yuppies and females back then. It’s not the hippest, most fashionable thing to do because it’s really for older people. It’s intentionally for the workers to fill their stomach, out of necessity. Kawahamura wanted to change that and so Ippudo was created, which literally means ‘one wind hall,’ so he could blow the entire old concept away from ramen,” explains international business development director Tomo Yamane.
Yes, yes, but Ippudo isn’t the only ramen house with the same goal. In Manila alone, there are hundreds of Japan-original ramen places, who all wish to blow us away with their own serving of hot noodle soup. But then there are different styles and types. “Ramen Santouka, for instance, comes from the north, in Hokkaido. We came from the south, in Fukuoka. The founder of Ramen Nagi Ikuta Satoshi used to work with us. So we have a lot of connection with other ramen players,” says Yamane. “But we try to emphasize that not only is our ramen good, but also our service. Our spirit of omotenashi hospitality, ambiance, and interiors. We pay attention to details.”
Ippudo Manila’s menu is short and sweet. It only has (so far) three core ramen flavors: shiromaru motoaji, which is the classic, original tonkatsu broth served with ultra thin noodles, pork loin, bean sprouts, kikurage (mushroom), and spring onions; the akamaru shinaji’s 25-year-old recipe, enhanced with a special blend of miso paste and garlic oil, served with thick noodles, pork belly, kikurage, and topped with spring onions; and for the daredevils, (the ber months bring in the chill), the bowl of hot and spicy karaka-men served with thin wavy noodles, pork belly, and spring onions, and infused with special spicy minced meat, miso paste, and garlic oil. Each serving is good for sharing (and of course, Instagramming). Ippudo will eventually add new flavors once Pinoys get the hang of its ramen offerings.
You can also order their side dishes like the New York signature dish: the pork buns (with a hefty serving of pork fat), an early favorite among Pinoy foodies who have visited the restaurant. There’s also goma q (Japanese cucumber), curry cheese harumaki, Hakata-style gyoza, and tamago.
Operations manager Yota Shiiba says 80 percent of the ingredients like flour and soy sauce come from Japan; the rest, like the veggies, are locally sourced. Thanks to its open kitchen, which is present in every store, you can take a picture or a whiff of the fresh flour ready to be cut into thin noodles or its simmering bones, which are cooked for 15 to 16 hours to extract the juice and oil.
“Filipinos love Japanese food and there will always be space—from tonkatsu to ramen to maki—on our plate. I think it will be a mainstay,” says John Concepcion, who brought Ippudo and Yabu in the Philippines.
And oh, while waiting for your bowl of ramen, you can read its cutesy mini infographic leaflet on how to enjoy ramen: sip, slurp, and top (eat the toppings). The key to enjoying ramen, after all, is its sound. Inhale the noodles to create zuzutto noise, which signifies maximum pleasure. It’s #foodgasm right there.
“There’s a scientific evidence that the ramen is better with slurping because you’re also inhaling the scent and aroma of the noodles, which make it taste better,” explains Yamane.
So forget our don’t-make-a-sound-when-eating-it’s-rude food rule, because in Ippudo, it’s okay. Go on. Slurp it. Sip it. Suit yourself.
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