editorial team
Ramen Nagi, the Fukuoka-born, Shunjuku-grown ramen shop that has taken Manila’s noodle lovers by storm, has opened its very first concept shop (the only one in the world) at the recently opened One Bonifacio High Street development adjacent to the Philippine Stock Exchange building in Bonifacio Global City.
The new store features décor that are decidedly different from the colorful, festive aesthetic that permeates all other Ramen Nagi’s shops worldwide — born out of sketches personally made by Chef Ikuta Satoshi, the man behind Ramen Nagi. This shop combines Japanese minimalist design with an open-concept design to create an unrestrained, unfussy zen-like feel. Intimate booths and blond wood chairs line stark white walls on one side, while a marble countertop seating offers front-row views of the kitchen activity on another. In the center of the room, white lamps cheekily decorated with images of ramen bowls hang over sleek communal tables.
“We designed the shop to cater to the employees in the Stock Exchange Building,” reveals managing partner Avi Siy-Chua. “We were going for a more upscale look. It’s more sophisticated than the usual festive look of Ramen Nagi.” But Chua is quick to point out that the difference ends there. Everything else, including the savory richness of the brand’s beloved pork tonkotsu broth—remains. “Same menu, same customer service. You still get to enjoy your favorite Ramen Nagi noodles but in a different vibe.”
As a launch offering, the Ramen Nagi at One Bonifacio High Street will be the only shop to offer the Truffle King Ramen, an aromatic treat filled with the flavors of the desirable mushroom delicacy, until December. Come the new year, fans can slurp their way to a truffle-licious bowl in all the other Ramen Nagi branches across the Philippines.
Originally a brainchild of Japanese chef Ikuta Satoshi, Ramen Nagi finds favor among ramen fans for its steaming bowls filled with rich broth, springy noodles and quality ingredients. The award-winning ramen chain offers four variants in its menu, namely Original King (creamy umami tonkotsu broth), Red King (spicy), Black King (with squid ink), and Green King (with basil pesto)—all served with a scrumptious slab of charred pork. Aside from these four regulars, Ramen Nagi also offers two limited-edition flavors every month.
Patrons can also customize their own bowls based on an omotenashi sheet that lists options for the richness of soup, spiciness level, firmness of noodles, heaviness of sauce, amount of garlic, and choice of pork shoulder char shu or belly.
According to Chef Ikuta, there are three steps to eating the ramen: taste the broth, season with a generous amount of spicy sauce, enjoy the noodles and slurp to show the chef your appreciation. And at this new, more upscale outpost, loud slurping is definitely still an option.
During the launch, Chef Ikuta — together with Chef Riyoichi Nishio — showed members of the media how to prepare two limited edition ramens: the Truffle King Ramen and the Szechuan Ramen, which will be available starting Nov 1, 2018. The two chefs also led the tradition of painting one eye of the Daruma, symbolizing the setting of goals for the store. As a custom, the second eye is painted once the goals of the store have been met.
The new Ramen Nagi concept shop is located on the 2nd floor of One Bonifacio High Street, 28th street corner 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City. Visit and like www.facebook.com/RamenNagiManila/ for more information. Follow @ramennagimanila on Facebook and Instagram for more updates.
