Tag Archives: Molito restaurants

Ramen? You sure can, Yushoken!

28 Friday Jul 2017

Posted by in Asian Cuisine, Noshes in my Neighborhood, Ramen and all things Japanese, Restaurants, Southern Spots

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Don’t ask me why but, for me, rainy days = ramen! Steaming hot and richly flavorful broth, fresh and firm noodles, comfort food happiness. And when I need a ramen fix, I go to Yushoken at the Molito Complex in Alabang.

When Yushoken Ramen burst into the scene at the height of the ramen rage a few years ago, I was ecstatic. Created in partnership between Elbert Cuenca and Ryan Cruz and working with the great Ramen Chef Champions of Japan, headed by the “ramen god” Kazuo Yamagishi, it is definitely not your run-of-the-mill ramen house. Koji Tashiro, a ramen champion and chosen heir of Yamagishi, has provided his own ramen recipes.

Yushoken claims to offer the ideal balance of broth, ramen, and toppings for the most authentic ramen experience. The Tonkotsu broth is deeply flavorful and rich with pork bone marrow and collagen, distilled from hours and hours of boiling and simmering. And the noodles are made fresh right in the restaurant every day, using water that has the right alkaline level which guarantees the perfect texture. The same goes with the wrapper for their excellent gyoza. My personal opinion — it’s the best gyoza I have ever had! Needless to say, the pork and the toppings are absolutely divine. And don’t forget to order the aji tamago (or, more precisely, ajitsuke tamago) to go with your bowl of ramen. Every little bit and ingredient that goes into each bowl of Yushoken ramen is painstakingly prepared and executed to guarantee the perfectly authentic and umami-full experience.

Without question, it lives up to its name. Yusho = champion and ken = house. It is, I’m sure you’ll agree, a house of champions!

By the way… sorry but not sorry — no take-outs, no doggie bags. The ramen MUST be experienced right here and now — fresh, at the peak of their delicious perfection.

No reservations either. Take a chance there’ll be a seat for you. It will be worth it.

Savoring Sogamiga

15 Wednesday Mar 2017

Posted by in Asian Cuisine, Noshes in my Neighborhood, Restaurants, Southern Spots

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Sogamiga means “House with Special Beef”, or so I read somewhere. It is the first of two Korean restaurants set up in Alabang, a long long time ago, at the height of the Korean migrants’ influx into the country. Darkly lit, both outside and inside, tucked in a corner just beside the perimeter fence of what is now the Molito Complex, almost as if its spot was deliberately chosen to be inconspicuous. Like a mysterious, shadowy figure in whodunnits. Or was that merely my imagination, fuelled by unsubstantiated whisperings? You see, rumor had it that it was owned by a Korean gangster boss and this was either a meeting place for his cohorts and other unsavory characters or a venue for money-laundering. Hmm. Just a rumor, mind you! It’s possibly some tale concocted by the waitresses serving us, claiming the staff were made to live in strictly guarded dorms. Or it was merely a fascinating but exaggerated story circulating among the residents. Whatever and whichever, the place had back then a mystique about it and that merely added flavor to the excellent wagyu rib-eye barbecue! What was definitely clear-as-day real was its delicious, authentic Korean food!

Today, Sogamiga stands prominent and brightly lit, both outside and inside. In fact, now, it seems almost undistinguished, ordinary, and… well, legit, so to speak. Still at that corner beside the perimeter wall. The menu has expanded from just the grilled meats to page after page of an extensive selection of classic Korean dishes. From Gun Mandu — similar to deep-fried Japanese gyoza but as large as a full empanada — to the traditional Bibimbap (rice toppings cooked in a hot stone pot) to Japchae (stir-fried sweet potato pancit). They still have, of course, the wagyu rib-eye barbecue for which they are known for.

For me, the prices are a bit high versus your typical Korean restaurant, but at least the food is authentic and delicious. Just ask the loyal Korean patrons who frequent the place. The restaurant is quite large and I have never seen it full to capacity but, just to be sure, you may call 8073008 to reserve a table or room. Sogamiga is at the back of where BMW Autozentrum is in the Molito Complex in Alabang.