Of all the ramen places I’ve tried in Manila, I have to say my favourite ramen house is Ramen Nagi. Don’t get me wrong, I do have other favourites, but every time I think of eating ramen, this restaurant is the number one place that pops into mind. I guess what makes it appeal to me the most (aside from the fact that it’s delicious) is one, it sort of reminds me of Ichiran from Japan; two, I like that we are given the option to sort of customize our ramen (from noodle hardness, strength of flavour, choice of greens, part of the meat, spice level and others)—they give you a sheet for this with options; three, the waiters in the two branches I’ve eaten in (SM Aura and Mall of Asia) are extra nice and are willing to help you with your dish; and four, you are given extra garlic to add to your ramen in case you want more. Aside from the food, the add ons make the whole dining experience from me, and with Ramen Nagi I am always pleased with the meal as a whole.

When ordering, I always pick the Butao King and have them prepare everything normal/medium/the chef’s recommendation. I probably make the spice level a bit higher then just add more chili powder to the bowl after giving it a taste and gauging the spice of the ramen. I also like adding the garlic myself because sometimes they overdo it in the kitchen and I end up getting tired of the taste easily, so with this setup at least I can add just enough.

I haven’t tried their Black King or Red King which I heard are also best sellers of the restaurant, but I plan on doing so on my next visit. If only they had a branch closer to the south!

On other ramen notes:

I haven’t tried Mendokoro and Santouka, two of the famous favourites I often hear. Mendokoro I hear is the best for a lot of people, and once I do get to try it you can count on a post for that.

Also, I heard UCC has delicious ramen not known to a lot of people. Is it true that they no longer have it in their menu?

Others that I do enjoy are Ippudo and Ukokkei. And when I’m just desperate for any kind of ramen, Ramen Kuroda!

Until next time #danielaeats!

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