Christmas rush can be a bit tiring, admittingly. When traffic, long lines, and crowded malls get too overbearing, I can’t think of a better way to de-stress than indulging in my favorite food – Ramen! Nothing beats a good bowl of hot, rich, flavorful Ramen this cold weather, and Ramen Nagi is definitely the answer to those cravings.
On a typically busy day at the mall, we got the chance to score bowls of creamy goodness at Ramen Nagi Robinsons Ermita. The same open space dominated by red tones and Japanese characters would make you feel as if you’re eating in one of the restaurants in Japan. Tagged as one of the best Ramen houses today, Ramen Nagi is poised to bring to the table only the premium quality of authentic Ramen.
I sometimes hesitate to dine at Ramen Nagi due to lack of budget. Surprisingly, they offer lunch sets for only Php 380. The sampler consists of junior-sized Ramen of your choice and sides. I chose the Butao- Gyoza set. The sides are potato salad (oh yes, my potato!), bean sprouts and Nagi chips. The bean sprouts had this sweet-tangy flavor that I loved to dip into the gyoza sauce. The potato salad had this hints of wasabi if I am not mistaken. I also loved the Nagi chips that I even bought one bag for take-home.
The pork chashu was flavored well and tender. The tonkotsu broth was good, although for me it wasn’t as rich and bold as Yushoken. The noodles were cooked aldente.
Chris had his favorite Red King (Akao), savory blend of chili oil, garlic, cayenne pepper in spicy tonkotsu broth, topped with miso-infused minced pork and chashu. He set the spice level to 5 and chose the pork shoulder as the main topping. I didn’t bother tasting even a small portion of the noodles since I have a low tolerance for spicy food. But boy, I tried out the pork, it was so tender!! I’ll choose pork shoulder the next time around. The minced pork looked intriguing too but it was powdered with chili so never mind. 😀
The gyoza that comes with the lunch set was a bit disappointing. It was slightly burnt and as not as good as the ones served on a sizzling plate.
What could be Ramen Nagi’s winning charm? I guess they flavor their tonkotsu broth well, cook their chashu to perfection, and display an array of ramen variations that prove their versatility and creativity. Customers can play up with the customizable ingredients and level of spiciness, allowing them to go for their personal preferences.
Ramen Nagi will always be one of my top Ramen joints, unquestionably.
Ramen Nagi
Ground Floor, Robinsons Place Manila, Ermita, Manila
Contact:+6323535067
Opening hours: 10 AM to 10 PM
Facebook: Ramen Nagi Manila
Instagram: ramennagimanila
Diamond in the Rough 