Ramen Nagi had been a favorite of the family since we first queued to get a taste of it at its pilot branch in SM aura way back 2014. And we keep returning, once the craving hits.
It was only today though that I was curious enough to read and learn about Ramen Nagi's fascinating journey from Japan to the Philippine shores and the creative genius behind it, Chef Ikuta Satoshi. Imagine formulating a new ramen every day for 365 days. Quite intense, this Chef Ikuta.
No wonder the local franchise tries to keep up by concocting new ramen concepts on a monthly basis. Of course each idea for a new ramen has to get the approval of Japan.
Starting 2017 however per Josh of Ramen Nagi marketing, Nagi ( literally translated means "calm" per Norlyn of the Greebelt branch) set a loftier goal of 2 new ramen every month. You heard it right. That is 24 new ramen for 2017. Relatively modest compared to Chef Ikuta's achievement of 365 ramen each year but still mind boggling, a testament to Ramen Nagi's quest for continuing innovation and excellence.
For the first half of November and until November 15 only , Ramen Nagi created its limited Halloween King Ramen aka Pumpkinstein Ramen.
Truth be told upon receiving the invite to try their new ramen, I felt a sense of trepidation mixed in with the excitement of trying out something new. I do love roasted pumpkin soups though so that calmed that smidgen of anxiety a bit.
My fears were laid to rest though when the bowl of Halloween King aka Pumpkinstein Ramen was served. First off, it smelled scrumptious. There were 3 thin slices of what looked like fried pumpkin on top . There were thin slices of crunchy carrots.. It gave the bowl a festive color. There was also a scoop of slivers of cabbage on top. I dipped my chopsticks in the soup and picked up a thick bunch of thin al dente noodles.
The broth was a surprise. I was expecting something akin to a pumpkin soup. Its milky color should have given me a clue but I was too fixated in taking a sip of it, its pale tint escaped my attention.
It was tonkotsu broth! But with a bit of secret pumpkin essence, per Josh of marketing.
That authentically yummy base brought in from Japan on a regular basis is also in Halloween King. Omg, it was so delicious. Per Josh , 99% of ingredients found in each bowl of ramen you enjoy, came from Japan.
That broth alone is gold. It was so rich and delicious. I ticked off the "Chef's Recommendation" in the "omotenashi" sheet which Chef Ikuta came up with in its first international branch in Hong Kong .
What does "omotenashi" mean in Japan ? Per Cato Academy, the word "omotenashi" is all about offering the best service without the expectation of a reward.
In Ramen Nagi , an omotenashi sheet guarantees that each customer gets the ramen he wants based on his own preference.
When you choose "chef's recommendation ", you leave it to the chef to choose how your noodles will be done, the level of intensity and richness of the broth etc.
Personalized. Customized.
These were the key words that made Ramen Nagi unique and much sought after.
In addition to my choice of "Chef's recommendation" for my Halloween King, I added an order of Aji Tamago or soft boiled eggs marinated for more than a month per Josh .
Nagi Chips P95
Special dough, fried to perfection then flavored in special Japanese seasoning.
Available in different flavors
Halloween King or Pumpkinstein Ramen ( such a cute name) was surprisingly not too off the mark as far as Ramen Nagi's formulation goes. Actually, I enjoyed slurping the tonkotsu broth which was a favorite. The thin slices of pork belly were there, I enjoyed the sweetness of the thinly sliced and fried pumpkin. Some people may not like the thinly sliced crunchy half cooked carrots but it was ok for me. The cabbage brought a bit of freshness to the whole ensemble cutting through the richness of the pork broth.
Shall I order it again? Most definitely. Do note that Halloween King or Pumpkinstein Ramen will be available from November 1 to 15 only.
Ramen Nagi
Level 2 Greenbelt 3
Ayala Center Greenbelt
Makati
02 7505616
No comments:
Post a Comment