I LOVE Japanese ramen (not the instant kind), but I always stop sipping the soup once it gets cold. I gag. At least, that's my experience with all ramen I've tasted so far all over the country (I've not been to Japan), even the ones I truly love. There will always be that bowl half-filled with cold soup after I have eaten all the yummy stuff and sipped soup while it was still very hot.
Last Tuesday, I was sipping cold soup up to the last cold drop, and that was because there was soup left when I decided to nibble on some maki rolls and Deng shared some slices of her katsudon. After nibbling, I tested whether the soup was still hot, it was cold, like a dog's nose... except that.... it was yummy. And so I sipped on and even tilted the bowl to get the last drop.
What sorcery is this?
Nah. Nothing as dramatic as that. Just yummy ramen at this new place that Dabawenyos are filling up to the last bar space -- Ramenikko Ramen House along Tionko Avenue, where Kangaroo Coffee used to be.
Since we arrived at 7:30 p.m., the peak dining hour, Miggy and I had to wait for our table. We were finally accommodated at the far corner portion of the bar at the function room area. Deng arrived when we were already settled in.
Waiting at the front desk allowed me to meet the father of the owner, Anthony Serafin, a schoolmate two lifetimes ago (yes, we're old, I never denied that). Anthony says they make their noodles fresh everyday and they do not use MSG.
They are happy with the response so far, he said, they even have to open much earlier for the late afternoon and dinner crowd since people are clamoring to be let in.
People do have a reason to clamor.
We got the Shoyu and Miso ramen because the Tonkotsu and Shoyu-Tonkotsu were already out of stock. We added Crispy Kani Maki and Fried Veggie Maki because Miggy's pesca-vegetarian, and Deng got the Katsudon.
Suffice it to say, we were all happy. Very, very happy. (Except that, their wasabi sauce isn't the type that unclogs your nose, sad. May we have the wasabi that makes you want to thump your head on the wall, please?).
Head on out and get that ramen at Ramenikko soon. Promise, da bes.
Where is it again? It's along Tionko Avenue corner V. Mapa Street where Kangaroo used to be.