The continued rise of ramen restaurants and international Japanese ramen chains clearly confirms the popularity of ramen among local diners, who doesn't love a bowl of comforting noods? Now deeply woven in the local culinary mainstream, a bowl of ramen often saves the day for many. But how does one cut through the dizzying maze of ramen options? Do it differently. Not ramen, not soba. It's mazesoba. And Menya Kokoro remains the only spot in the metro where you can enjoy Tokyo's Number 1 Mazesoba as it introduces a pair of unique hot and cold mazesoba expressions for your hearty and sumptuous noodle fix.
Our love for Japanese cuisine and ramen in particular continues to reign over the local restaurant scene but you'll have to admit, changing up your noodle game is always a good and welcome change from the usual ramen offerings. Ramen without the usual broth? Literally translated as "mixed noodles," mazesoba is a bowl of soba without soup or broth topped with a variety of ingredients packing a solid savory punch. And despite having no broth, this ramen rendition is rich and intensely concentrated in flavor. Menya Kokoro offers the best example of this ramen style earning it the badge as "Tokyo's Number 1 Mazesoba" since 2013. Creativity and innovation never stops at Menya Kokoro as it unveils two new offerings to satisfy any serious noodle craving. Ready to mix up your comforting bowl of mazesoba? Then, read on...
Since it opened its very first branch in Uptown Mall in Bonifacio Global City back in 2019, Tokyo style mazesoba has been part of Manila's growing ramen culture enriching the local culinary scene (see more on my post TokyosNumber1Mazesoba: Prepare For A New Ramen Experience by Menya Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba from six years ago). And Menya Kokoro remains the only restaurant specializing in this particular style of noodles for a unique Japanese dining experience. The open kitchen layout at Menya Kokoro at The Podium is where the wicked alchemy happens, as bowls of Tokyo style mazesoba with its thick yet firm soba noodles draped in the rich and savory minced meat sauce are prepared in quick succession for the incoming diners.
But first, some soothing libations. An ice-cold bottle of Kirin or Sapporo pairs perfectly with a hearty bowl of mazesoba but if you prefer something light, smooth and easy, the Jim Beam Highball is the winning pick at Menya Kokoro. The bourbon-based highball offers a refreshing and palate cleansing mouthfeel followed by deep lingering and rich flavors...
...while the Gin Highball with its refreshingly crisp and clean notes with just a whisper of sweetness is another tempting libation tempering the savory richness of the Tokyo style mazesoba for a perfect pairing.
Menya Kokoro offers a full range of side dishes to complement your bowl of Tokyo style mazesoba like the classic Karaage (P 200), richly seasoned deep-fried and juicy chicken served with a lemon wedge. The delectable play on textural contrasts and flavorful richness bursts on the palate with each crunchy bite. A fresh squeeze of lemon is all you need to bring out even more flavors.
The Gyoza (P 120-3 pcs/P 190-5 pcs) with its savory and richly seasoned filling delivers a flavorful burst and textural contrasts with each bite. Soft on top and lightly seared on the bottom for that delicate crispness, the sharpness of the soy-vinegar sauce balances the flavors. Menya Kokoro offers a full line-up of tasty side dishes to pair with your bowl of Tokyo style mazesoba like yakitori, Aburi Chashu and even sukiyaki (for more on the tasty side dishes at Menya Kokoro, see my post Dining in the Next Normal: Comforting Noodles and a Cold Beer on a Cloudy Afternoon at Menya Kokoro from 2020).
As you enjoy another gyoza and refreshing sip of Jim Beam Highball, the mazesoba masters of Menya Kokoro put on their own performance executing each step in the intricate process behind every perfect bowl of Tokyo style mazesoba. From the thick udon noodles to the signature minced meat sauce slow-cooked with a secret and proprietary recipe and delicately poached onsen egg, your bowl of Tokyo style mazesoba slowly takes shape...
The open kitchen at Menya Kokoro provides diners an intimate glimpse of the tedious process with every bowl of Tokyo style mazesoba and its complex layers of flavors and textures. Ingredients like fish powder, flavored oils and garnishes are delicately infused into each bowl for a unique brothless ramen experience. This voyeuristic peek reveals the intimate secrets of the perfect bowl of Tokyo style mazesoba as anticipation builds while triggering your appetite...
In a flurry of multiple yet precise motions executed in mere minutes, the mazesoba masters of Menya Kokoro presents Tokyo style mazesoba in its latest creative expression guaranteed to take your ramen experience to the next level. And all this with a ramen without broth. It's the sauce with its intensely concentrated flavors that delivers all the savory richness despite the absence of any broth. And this is lavishly showcased in two new inspired Tokyo style mazesoba creations...
The newest mazesoba pair offers a distinct set of rich notes and textures with a cold and hot rendition offering unique flavors. Cold and refreshing with a succulent buttery and clean finish anchored with fresh salmon or savory with a palate pleasing crunch, Menya Kokoro takes Tokyo style mazesoba to a whole new level of indulgent richness and unrestrained flavors. The Tokyo style mazesoba has its own set of rules to fully enjoy your Menya Kokoro experience involving mixing the noodles, slurping the noods as you would with the usual ramen, adding some Kombu Vinegar to cut through the richness and finishing with the traditional Oimeshi or rice to soak up the sauce at the bottom of the bowl. Mix, slurp, Kombu Vinegar and Oimeshi, that's how you do Tokyo style mazesoba right in four easy steps (more on the proper way to enjoy mazesoba on my post Mazesoba on a Cloudy Day at Menya Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba from 2019). Then again, follow your own rules or whatever makes you happy. After all, it's your bowl.
The refreshingly cold ramen Salmon Hiyashi Chuka (P 790) with slabs of smoked salmon, creamy avocado, fresh cucumber, egg, nori, spring onions and ikura served with lemon ponzu sauce is a totally new and even radical departure from the traditional Tokyo style mazesoba made with the freshest premium ingredients. A seafood based creation, imagine slabs of premium salmon that just melts in your mouth topped with fish roe for that vibrant pop of briny sweetness made even richer with the addition of avocado, onsen egg and the crunch of fresh cucumbers all tied together by the citrusy and delectably tart lemon ponzu sauce. The decadent richness of the salmon are complemented by the runny onsen egg and avocado building layers of silky smooth textures and flavors. With each thick soba noodle draped and coated with the lemon ponzu sauce, each succeeding bite delivers even more intense notes. Complex yet perfectly balanced, the Salmon Hiyashi Chuka is unlike any Tokyo style mazesoba. Or ramen with the soup.
The Tempura Mazesoba (P 790) topped with two pieces of King Prawn Tempura and crisp battered enoki, nori, spring onions and onsen egg brings contrasting textures in another intricate weave at Menya Kokoro. The familiar notes of the classic Tokyo style mazesoba provide the flavorful base for the new creation. The topping of crisp and succulent King Prawn Tempura and enoki dipped in soy adds yet another layer of flavor to the already rich mazesoba base. The savory and richly seasoned minced meat sauce with just a whisper of heat and seafood combo is one bowl pleasantly overloaded with flavors. Unrestrained with nothing held back, the Tempura Mazesoba is all out flavor and pure mazesoba goodness in a bowl. The new variants are a welcome addition to Menya Kokoro's stellar cast of Tokyo style mazesoba (for more on the mazesoba selections at Menya Kokoro, see my post #MazeCraze: Cool 2 for 1 Mazesoba Deal at Menya Kokoro from last year).
You just can't leave Menya Kokoro without enjoying probably one of the best tempura renditions in the metro. Just take one more look at your bowl of Tempura Mazesoba and you can't help but notice the size of the prawns. If two pieces of King Prawn Tempura on your bowl of Tempura Mazesoba isn't enough, then go ahead and order up the King Prawn Tempura on the a la carte menu. The aptly named King Prawn Tempura (P 660-3 pcs/P 1,100-5 pcs) deserves its royal moniker, and size does matter when it comes to the classic and timeless tempura.
The impressive size of the King Prawn is one thing, but it's the near perfect execution of each succulent piece from the light and delicate crispness of the batter with its airy crunch to the fresh and sweet notes of the prawn that makes this rendition a must-try every time you visit Menya Kokoro. The King Prawn Tempura is one more secret find and flavorful surprise that awaits your visit at Menya Kokoro.
Two new mazesoba creations complemented by bestselling side dishes, it really just doesn't get better than this at Menya Kokoro. Constant innovation with the continuous roll-out of innovative and creative mazesoba renditions highlights just how versatile the Tokyo style mazesoba is setting it apart from the usual ramen options. And that's how Menya Kokoro stays ahead of the game in the crowded and cluttered local culinary and ramen scene. Now it's your turn to change up your ramen game with the new Salmon Hiyashi Chuka and Tempura Mazesoba at Menya Kokoro, Tokyo's Number 1 Mazesoba since 2013...
Menya Kokoro is located at the 5th Floor, The Podium, ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila. You can also visit their FB Page and IG Feed at https://www.facebook.com/menyakokoroph/ and https://www.instagram.com/menyakokoroph/ for more information and updates or call 277586493 for inquiries.
Dude for Food is now on Facebook and Instagram, check out the FB Page and IG Feed for regular updates on good eats. Better yet, click "Like" and "Follow" and enjoy the ride...just look for the FB and IG widgets on the right sidebar.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Got something to share? I'd love to hear from you...