Mendokoro Ramenba: Ish Eats Manila

(5/5 stars)
Sometime last year, I was delighted to find out that Mendokoro Ramenba had opened in Makati. I live in Quezon City and my favorite ramen place in the country is Yushoken in Alabang. 

Mendokoro is what I suppose you can call a sister restaurant of Yushoken. The menu is almost exactly the same and the quality is superb as always. Almost every time I visit either restaurant, I order my favorite shoyu ramen with extra tamago or soft boiled egg. 

Shoyu Ramen (Php 410), Aji Tamago (Php 90)

I often brave the traffic and toll fees to get a dose of Yushoken. This means that I was extra delighted to find out that can experience the same level of goodness and I no longer need to pay toll and my travel time has been cut in half. 

Mendoko Ramenba delivers everything that you’re looking for in ramen. They have firm, fresh noodles and a deeply flavorful broth. The sticky goodness in the tonkotsu (pork bone) broth is unrivalled by any other ramen place in the country.

The slab (yes, slab) of chashu or grilled pork is thick and juicy. It’s always a thick portion unlike other places that include only paper-thin slices of met.

The only downside when dining in Mendokoro Ramenba is the limited seating. They serve their ramen in a U-shaped counter which surrounds the kitchen/prep area. Because of this, one must often wait for a while to be seated. There’s also a chance you will be seated separately if you are a big group. Once done, you would need to make way for other diners who are anxiously waiting for their chance to sample the amazing ramen.

Japanese-style seating

I counted about 24 seats on the counter. That isn’t unusual for similar ramen joints in Japan. However, this also means that you need to come very early (the place opens at 11:00 a.m.) or be prepared to wait for at least 20 minutes. That makes it difficult for people who want to come by during their hour-long lunch break.

Here’s some gyoza being cooked right in front of the diners

Piping hot broth sits on the stove while pieces of chashu are grilled on a pan.

The open kitchen allows diners to see their food being made. All the ramen is made right in from of you, including the sides like the gyoza. This places serves one of the best versions of the popular Japanese pot stickers. Theirs are fairly plump and full of flavor.

Some flaming showmanship from one of the cooks.

Despite having a limited menu, they also have some off-menu items like the Super Chashu Ramen. It features a milky tonkotsu broth and a giant round piece of grilled pork on top. I tried out this dish and while it was certainly delightful, I found it a bit too filling for me. Someone with a bigger appetite will definitely appreciate it. The chashu was also extremely flavorful. I really enjoyed it but I also needed to drink almost a pitcher of water to calm my palate.

Super Chashu Ramen (Php 530)

Overall, Mendokoro Ramenba tops my list of Ramen places in the country. In fact, I would say it definitely rivals the ones that I have tried in Japan. You should definitely drop by if you get the chance.