Just a few days ago, my friends and I talked about our favorite ramen restaurant, and all of us…read moreagree that Ippudo is the best among those we've tried. Although that's the case, I still enjoy exploring cheaper ramen places, and I am so annoyed right now because apparently, Hikojyu has been around for a year and a half already, yet I learned about it only 2 weeks ago! Bummer! Anyway, my boyfriend and I are so glad of this discovery! Unlike other ramen restaurants, Hikojyu's ramen choices are limited to just 2 kinds: shoyu and tonkotsu. Naturally, we ordered both! When they were served, I was a bit apprehensive because they didn't look hefty. However, on my first sip of both broths, I knew we have found the best affordable ramen shop in Marikina! They are rich in flavor, minus the umay factor that others have! Of course, given the price, the toppings were understandably limited to a few pieces of pechay, egg halves, and a chashu slice, which could still be made more tender, IMO. If you want your ramen to be spicy, use any of their authentic Japanese condiments. For our sides we tried their gyoza and potato salad. I was never a fan of gyoza save for Ippudo's deep-fried gyoza, and now, I have a second favorite! This one doesn't have the yucky mashed old veggie taste that most gyozas have! But if I had to pick just one side, I'd order their potato salad more often! It's perfectly seasoned! Wish it came in a bigger serving, though! On one corner of the restaurant is a table with magazines, both English and Japanese, plus an album filled with the owners' pictures in Japan. We met one of them, the wife, Tita Tess, and she's really nice and accommodating! Never a dull moment! Her husband is Japanese, so we know that Hikojyu's dishes are authentic! I can't wait to go back and try their rice meals!!!

Newly opened at Blue Wave, and incidentally (perhaps poetically) in front of the Japan Home Center,…read moreis a new Japanese restaurant called Fukurou, which styles itself with "authentic Japanese cuisine". Lucky enough to witness its opening ceremony, I was one of the first in line after the cutting of the red ribbon, and had the ability to choose from various ramen, bento, soba and donburi, as well as desserts and side-dishes. After choosing the Chicken Teriyaki Donburi with a side set of Kani Salad, I patiently and eagerly awaited my turn to be served, as the brand new shop and its staff scurried to fulfill the orders of all their new customers (certainly not going to be their last). While waiting, I read the various transliterated greetings and sayings on the wall, which consisted of common Japanese phrases and their English equivalent, written in various Kanji, Hiragana and Katakana characters, and thankfully readable Romanji: for example, "Good morning!" is "Ohayou gozaimasu!" and "Excuse me!" is "Sumimasen!". I also gazed upon the wall with a picture of what I believe is to be Tokyo's famous square, which I may have seen in movies or read in books, but have regrettably never been to. Regardless, when the food was served (which understandably took a long time, as they just opened), I was delighted by the fact that they also served complimentary iced tea to those who were waiting for so long. When the Chicken Donburi and the Kani Salad arrived, I dug in, and the choices complimented each other nicely, I think, as the dressing of the salad neutralized the tangy taste of the terikayi. It was quite an experience, and one I would likely try again for a special occasion, as the prices are a bit more than what I would spend for a daily lunch meal. But, the food and ambiance were undoubtedly unforgettable. I shall surely come here again!

I always felt that Omakase was a little too expensive for the quality of its Japanese food (at…read moreprices upwards of P300 on average), but they do have some pretty standout dishes and they are more expansive with their sushi & maki menu (although their specialty Sushi Boat is still really kulang huhu- they should put eeeverything in it!). I particularly love their Chicken & Beef Teppan! It doesn't come with rice, but you can order some on the side. I usually go without though 'cause it has a pretty hefty siding of sauteed beansprouts so it's a pretty complete dish. It's SO tasty! I'm not sure it tastes very Japanese, but I'm not complaining! They put in a lot of garlic and the marinade seeps into the meat really well, mmmm. They also have a pretty good Aspara-Beef Roll and Tofu Steak!

Ever wonder why there's always a line/wait for this place? It's because their food is great and…read moretheir service is fast! Upon arriving we were told there was 3 groups ahead of us however they gave us a menu and allowed us to preorder our food that way when we were seated we did not need to order and could receive our food much quicker. This was a great move on their part and I wish more restaurants would do this. Defiantly helps with getting customers in and out. Their roasted garlic ramen was amazing! I wanted to try the spicy ramen however we were informed that it contains shrimp paste which I am not a fan of. I also had an order of teriyaki chicken rolls and they were fantastic! I will be back just for another order of them (although a little pricy at 240php for maybe 8 pc's) the last item on my order was a mango shake which was perfectly blended and the flavor was also amazing again I will surely be coming back and recommend you give this place a try as well

This is my 3rd Ramen place in Philippines. The others were higher end places but my sister…read morerecommended this one. I had the spicy seafood, my daughter had the no spice seafood, and my sister had the Miso. We also shared the gyoza. Everything was so delicious and flavorful. By far, I really liked this place. It has an intimate yet authentic vibe and the service was pretty good. I just think that we came at the right time and the rain probably increased traffic. Just like any place here, there is limited parking. Definitely a must see place!!

Tamagoya is definitely one of the cheapest but authentic ramen places in Manila! I keep coming back…read morebecause they keep their quality and affordability in balance :3 Must try: ramen (any flavor is gooood) and gyoza. I heard their rice bowls are great and filling too! My personal ramen picks are gomoku (vegetable + seafood) and miso ramen. Dining experience is direct to the point and not fancy, which is something that I like very much. The parking space is limited, so it's best to arrive at their opening times (11AM for lunch or 5PM for dinner). Commuting may not be as convenient, but there are several tricycles and jeeps that pass through Sumulong Highway. Staff service is also awesome - authentic Japanese style. Pay on the counter before leaving and DON'T GIVE TIPS! Even the guard that helped me back up the car did not accept my tip. Instead he said thank you and bowed to me like what the Japanese usually do huhuhu amazing! Highly recommend to try out if you're in the area. I will definitely come back for another bowl of ramen! :3

I recently dined in JapanFudo in Vertis North and I observed that the feel of the ambiance is very…read moresimilar. Upon checking the menu, the price points is almost the same and even the plating shares the same look. I confirmed that the two is part of i Foods Group including Ichiba Japanese Market in Resortsworld. The setting is really esteemed. There are salient points on food. The takoyaki is overcooked, ramen is ordinarily prepared, and the spicy salmon maki is not at all spicy. There is nothing special on the broth of the ramen soup. The price points can be reasonable though. The commendable ones are Tempura, fresh salmon sashimi and yakitori. Service is also efficient. As a mother's day treat, they serve a free dessert for customers that reaches Php1500 food orders.

Ambience and Experience Our good friend Diane invited us to…read moretry the Kamameshi Rice at this restaurant where her brother works as a chef. Of course, this got our entire group pretty excited and I'd go for treats anytime if I can! It was great that they already had a table ready for us when we arrived. :) Wide spaces, seat options, and bright lights made the place look really exciting. Their restroom had an amusing sink knob located at the extreme lower right, away from the sink. California Roll This is an easy default for any Japanese roll to try. Theirs was good, refreshing in the mouth, simple, and tasty! Salmon Sashimi This tasted slightly different from what we usually eat at other Japanese restaurants but it was as good as always. With just the right amount of soy sauce and wasabi, I was all set. Takoyaki This was nearly a tie-breaker for first place in my book. It was SUPER GOOD! Texture and filling were just amazing! Tori Teri Kamameshi It's basically teriyaki chicken on kettle rice. This restaurant taught me that there is actually a name for the burnt rice at the bottom, and it's called "Okoge." I've had lots of good burnt rice experiences elsewhere (not only Japanese) but I'm not sure if the reference would still be the same since they weren't kamameshi. Tori Teri was pretty good with tender chicken and flavorful sauce. It can get addicting! Yakitori Everything essentially came smothered with teriyaki sauce. We tried the Baby Octopus, which was slightly chewy and very similar to eating squid. Quail Eggs were, well, eggs! I can't say much about it. Eggs! Chicken Liver was my favorite for the texture and flavor. I'll always try Chicken Liver if the restaurant has yakitori. Service Overall experience was good since we arrived. Lester tried to convince Diane that the Baby Octopus, which she resisted to try, was "kyut kyut." :p Big thanks to her bro Chef Von and the restaurant's other staffers for good food and service! Prices are VAT-inclusive and expect service charge.

Heard a lot of good things about this ramen house; naturally, I was curious to try it, and my…read moreexpectations were a little high. I should have known better. My boyfriend ordered the Spicy Chicken Paitan Chashumen, while I tried the Chicken Paitan Miso Chashumen, and both looked good. Wish they tasted as good as they looked, though. They weren't horrible tasting, but they're also not the best tasting ramen. What I loved about both was the chasu slices, which were soft and tasty. The broth of each ramen, though flavorful, were a bit on the "umay" side. For our sides, we chose karaage and gyoza. My boyfriend and I agree that the former was really good, even without the mayo. The gyoza was okay, but we think it's best eaten hot. However, both were oily (same as my boyfriend's ramen). Overall, it was a filling meal, but not a satisfying one. Price-ratio serving is acceptable, so it's a good enough ramen house to satisfy one's cravings. If I were to go back, it would only be for the karaage, though.

HITS: Affordable Ramen…read moreGreat ambiance Good service MISS: Ang tamis ng sukiyaki. Papasa syang dessert. Hassle ng parking (just like every dining establishment at Maginhawa)

We ate at this place for lunch and we are hooked. The food is flavorful and the katsu is tender…read more This place can compete to an authentic Japanese restaurant. From the salad dressing to anything on the menu, wow!!!Even the rice was cooked to perfection. Service was quick, our server was good. Looks like she enjoyed her job. We keep coming back for more. Can't get enough of this place. Wish we have this in Las Vegas. C'mon Yabu, open up one in Las Vegas, guaranteed it'll be a cash cow!

Tried the Pork Tornado Curry and I loved it! It was very flavorful and I enjoyed my meal. You can…read morecustomize the spice level but I just opted for non spicy. The service was okay despite it being busy.