iMunch | SA-Ryu-P Ramen and Curry :D

What's the best thing to do on a rainy and gloomy day like October 29? Eat up some steaming delicious and HOT(in more than one sense of the word) ramen.



I had the chance to try out Ryu Ramen and Curry, which has this quite interesting background.. RYU means "Dragon" in Japanese, and just like said fascinating creature, Ryu Ramen and Curry will leave you breathing a bit of fire through their delicious and flavorful masterpieces. Why they chose Ryu as a name is probably because of the fact that a couple of the owners are born in the year of the dragon.



The place screams Japanese and Classy, with earthy tones evident in the design and the chairs and tables, a weird yet beautiful dragon in one side of the wall, and a real big geisha statue at the entrance. Even the menu is adorned with a bit of that woodsy enchantment. It's perfect for dates, cause of the cozy atmosphere that the lights bring.



We were served a myriad of choices, most of which are dished out of their bestsellers, the Tantanmen Five menu. This probably also symbolizes the 5 part-owners namely: singer/ comedian Ogie Alcasid, Edwin Dazo, Neil Castillo, DJ Vergel de Dios and Quezon City Councilor Joseph Juico, but hey, that's just my opinion. Malay ko ba kung involved din sila sa Voltes5? hahaha

WARNING: Said dishes are so awesome, na hindi mo sila tatantanan. hehehe ;D

Classic Tantanmen





We were served the Classic Tantanmen first. It was said that you can ask to adjust the spicyness of said dish by the way from mild to extreme, depending of course on how you handle your heat. This tantanmen is made with a rich miso based broth along with chasu slices, soft boiled egg, tasty and firm noodles. To be honest, this reminded me of Laksa, but instead of the Mediterranean spices, it is evident that the spices used are Japanese. There's also this creamy milky taste that I can't put my finger on, but it makes the whole gastronomical experience more interesting. :D



Karage Tantanmen



Karage Tantanmen basically is really big marinated chicken pieces, crispy to perfection, topped with fresh veggies and shiitake mushrooms and of course, the firm noodles and that very delish and mildly spicy miso based broth. Whereas the classic reminded me of Laksa, this one differed altogether, probably due to the texture of the chicken and those yummy mushrooms, as the soup and noodles go down and engorge my throat in a pleasant fire...

Ebi Tantanmen



Ebi Tantanmen comes with a side serving of garlic, to complement the seafood goodness that is given by the said ramen. The shrimp is nice and sweet indicating it's freshness, and I think there was a bit of seaweed or nori which just made it all the better and contributed to the seafood goodness of said dish.

Yaki Buta Tantanmen



As for the Yaki Buta Tantanmen, it's actually giving me a run for my money with my other favorite- the Cheese Katsu Curry down below. The thing that blew me away with this ramen is the real tender and soft marinated meat that falls off the bones of the said ribs, that by the looks of it is charred to perfection. The noodles come a close second to stealing the spotlight from the pork with it's constant firmness in all dishes, but, for me, it's still all about the pork. (Obvious carnivore here. hahaha) Oh yeah, the spicyness of that miso broth just elevates the taste of the ribs to a whole new world. hahaha!

There's another dish, but I didn't get a chance to taste it so it's something to look for the next time I'm back in Ryu, which is the Gyu Tantanmen. I was told that this is the beefy version of the classic tantanmen, which, as a huge fan of being a carnivore, I'm very excited to try soon.

Up Next is my Ultimate favorite- the Katsu Cheese Curry! On the upside, it looks pretty much like your ordinary katsu, but don't be fooled cause once you take a bite, you'll be engorged in a melted cheese blast from the inside of the katsu, which by the way is very tender and soft to the bite, yet KRRRIISPY on the outside.. I'm not that much a fan of curry, but I'll have to give kudos to Ryu Ramen and Curry for they have truly mastered the art of curry. It was surprising at first bite, but then as you go on, it's not that overpowering unlike most who do curry dishes.







Now if you're wondering about the serving size of these babies, and how do they fare with the price, I'll have to say that your 500 will go a long way for 2, or maybe even three persons cause of their basin- errr bowl serving size.

And yes, puno yan nung binigay samin(it was full upon serving) hehehe...
For more information, please check out their facebook page and their other social media accounts below.



RYU RAMEN & CURRY RESTAURANT Branches:

- Tomas Morato cor Sct. Lazcano, Quezon City 709-8789
- U.P. Town Center, Katipunan Ave., Quezon City 294-3574
- SM Jazz Residences, Jupiter St. cor N. Garcia, Makati City 874-1022

Store Hours: Mon - Sun: 11:00 - 02:00