Misua was driving through Katipunan this afternoon and saw a huge billboard for Roku Sushi + Ramen. It said that this new ramen joint was, get this, a whole six times better than "your usual Japanese meals". I'll have you know, we get our Japanese fix from the usual haunts in Manila - Omakase, Kimpura, Ramen Bar, etc. So it's not like I'm comparing Roku to something completely different and off its price point.
Roku Sushi + Ramen is on the 5th floor of the Oracle Building in Katipunan. Inside, its clean, sleek and has this modern Japanese theme going on. Kudos to the design team behind Roku's interiors.
The menu is pretty straightforward - ramen, rolls, donburi, sushi, some other things, and dessert. Misua ordered Roku Ramen, as our waiter recommended. I ordered the Negi Miso Ramen, a spicy pork and veggie noodle soup. Both were PHP219. Their ramen noodles are apparently handmade, so we had high hopes.
I thought mine was so-so. Noodle texture wasn't a winner. Veggies and pork servings weren't as generous as advertised. Could not believe I paid over PHP200 for this, when I could have enjoyed a Ramen Bar Chicken Karaage for just a few pesos more.
Then I tried Misua's Roku Ramen. It tasted like salt water! Yes I realize his was a soy sauce soup base, but it lacked a savory aroma, had no umami taste, and it had those same, starchy, icky noodles. We tend to gauge a ramen house's skill by looking at how well they prepare their boiled egg - whites should be solid, the yellows should be tender around the edges, with the center of the yolk being half cooked and runny - sort of like molten eggy heaven. Roku's was a plain old hard boiled one. Pooh.
Needless to say, we were gastronomically unsatisfied. We probably will never return.
Misua was SO sad that he fell on his back. Like that. Just kidding, the picture just wouldn't rotate properly.
While were on the subject of noodles, here are some AWESOME ramen houses, in order of blow-your-mind yumminess:
1. Ajisen Ramen: An oldie but a goodie!
2. Ukokkei Ramen Ron: They're open again, come one come all, and don't worry, meeting the Ramen Nazi is part of the whole experience.
3. Ramen Bar: Limited menu, but trust us, you will not want be left wanting!
