The Japanese culture and food invasion continues with this new restaurant that just opened in BGC's B7 Section. Say hi to MARUGAME UDON.
A small private event happened a few weeks ago as Suyen Corporation adds another one to their throng of number 1 brands from Japan. Marugame Udon is the same namesake as with Marugame Seimen, and the ambiance alone could take you there without paying a single Yen or a 4 hour flight. You'll love the smell even from the outside of the establishment as they're probably preparing the fresh Udon and Tempura in their open kitchen.
What's mind boggling is the price of the food in this joint because it's not as pricey as I thought it would be. Japanese Udon and Ramen in the Philippines usually costs Php 400+, but they haven't even broken the 300 mark on their best sellers.
To order, one has to line up and choose their Udon bowl. The open kitchen concept would let you get to know the person preparing your meal, either hot or cold, those udon noodles stay absolutely firm and springy.
The place can accomodate about 80 people in one go and the decor stayed absolutely genuine, much like a noodle shop on Tokyo or nearby prefectures. This would be instagrammable in every corner if it weren't for low light. I bet they did that because it's conducive for eating, rather than talk, you'll love your Udon bowls more.
If it weren't too busy that day I'd have this table right beside the kitchen, so I could do my favorite past time in the world, people watching.
There were about a hundred guests that evening including beauty queens, artists from ABSCBN and GMA, Instagrammers, influencers and bloggers. Of course the main man himself Ben Chan was there together with the executives, CEO of Marugame Seimen from Japan. They flew all the way here just for this!
Curry Rice - My heart skipped a beat after they served this on my table. I am so much of a fan of Japanese curry and this was hot, super thick just the way I liked it. The beef strips were soft, it was subtle, not overly spicy, laid over a heaping bowl of hot white rice. I loved this but they had other hits on the menu.
Tempura - They had tons of choices for the tempura. I had one, okay two of the Ebi (even if I was allergic I had to give in!), a few sticks of Chicken Karaage, the Vegetable Tempura plus Sweet Potatoes. They serve this freshly cooked, so don't forget to have this with your Udon Bowl.
Gyudon Rice - You don't have to go far to get a bowl of full Umami goodness. I could taste a hint of sweet sake, dark soy and smell it too. If you are finding comfort food with strips of beef, a little fat, this bowl of rice would be a good place to start. Make sure you have this as soon as they put it on your tray because it's best when it's piping hot. You don't even have to add anything but I tried this with Japanese chili oil that day and it was even better. I think I just like everything that's hot LOL.
Teriyaki Chickendon - This would be a great treat for kids who love anything sweet and savory on their food. Make sure you order this for them because it's tender and would make you full in a jiffy. This would also be best for take out since it won't get overcooked on your lunchboxes, and it's a pretty good deal for the price.
Beef Ontama Bukkake Udon - You won't find anything fresher as these hand made noodles on their joint. They have researched and looked for the perfect flour available in the Philippines so they can recreate what they legitimately serve in Japan. Think of thick udon noodles served in a hot broth with soft strips of beef gyudon, caramelized onions with all the umami goodness in it plus soft cooked tamago which you can just poke as it envelopes each strand of udon on your bowl. It's super good, you'll instantly be a fan and know why it's number 1 in Japan.
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