Dining Snippets: Hanamaruken Ramen x Coca x Come Forth Kitchen
HANAMARUKEN RAMEN
HAPPINESS BOWL (P250)
My first time to try out Hanamaruken Ramen was years after the franchise first opened. It was difficult to ignore the hoopla surrounding its signature dish, the Happiness Ramen; however, finishing a huge fatty slab of braised pork rib served on top of tonkotsu ramen seemed like a heart attack waiting to happen; which was why I kept putting my visit off. It was only upon the prodding of my work colleague, Ivan Ang; that made me decide to finally give it a chance.
GYOZA (P180)
Luckily, the restaurant offered the perfect solution in the form of the Happiness Bowl. It allows me to sample the much-raved-about braised pork rib, sliced in smaller chunks; and served on a cup of rice. They were definitely not bluffing about the happiness the bowl delivers. Each bite of the perfectly charred and glazed pork rib melts in your mouth. It was also such a struggle to stop yourself from devouring the glorious fat that came with it. Feel free to sneak in some of their really cheap bite-sized gyoza to give a break from such indulgence, and make sure to drink up on its house tea to help melt away all the fatty goodness you’ve consumed!
Hanamaruken Ramen
2F Garden Restaurants, Trinoma Mall, EDSA cor North Avenue, QC
Date of Visit: September 19, 2016
COCA
HOUSE SPECIAL ROAST DUCK (P1300)
Coca highlights its deluxe hotpot selection in its menu; however, it’s never tempting enough to make me forget about its House Special Roast Duck. A minimum order of its juicy and tasty, sweet barbecued duck is half a duck; leaving little room left to order other dishes.
HOUSE SPECIAL NOODLES (P320)
Pair this up with the House Special Noodles, especially if you prefer noodles on the saucier side. The noodles are topped with seasonal vegetables, and sautéed seafood.
TRIO OF JELLY FISH (P380)
The Trio of Jelly Fish was a total letdown. I got teased by the concept of having three different kinds of jelly fish; but these three variants ended up simply having different levels of spiciness. Aside from being underwhelming, the jelly fish strips were overly-pickled that they ended up being undelightful to eat.
SQUID AND SALTED EGG (P380)
In the case of their Squid and Salted Egg, the opposite (fortunately) happened. What looked to be soggy sad-looking salted egg-battered squid rings turned out to be crisp and insanely delicious! Each piece came with just the right amount of batter. Aside from being surprisingly delicious, it gives value for money as an order comes with enough rings for sharing.
Coca
5F SM Aura, 26th St. cor McKinley Parkway, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City
Date of Visit: August 14, 2016 with Wilson Chua, Lily Chua, Jared Chua, and Jem Chua
COME FORTH KITCHEN
Come Forth Kitchen may be tiny, but it surely gives off a homey comfortable ambiance. Expect warm and attentive service from their friendly staff, and food choices aimed to give you nothing but comfort!
SWEET POTATO NACHOS (P270)
Let’s not mince words: Come Forth Kitchen’s Sweet Potato Nachos are the best nachos I’ve ever tried. First, the crisp and light sweet potato chips are not only healthier than your usual commercialized nacho chips; but also taste wonderfully with the Calumpit longganisa crumbs that came in the bowl. Instead of your typical salsa and sour cream, it comes drizzled in a delicious blend of avocado cream. This is definitely a must-try!
PULPOG (P285)
A favorite comfort food of Filipinos would be the famous sisig. Personally, I shy away from most sisigs since I don’t like tasting the questionable pig parts. I tend to lean towards the seafood sisig variants. However, Come Forth’s take on the sisig, is inspired by La Union’s Pulpog. The tasty pork pieces (fortunately, all meat and fat) are served with a sous vide egg, and coated in a light tasting spiced vinegar. Imagine how perfect that would taste like with rice!
A second visit to this restaurant is definitely in the works. If you’re a fan of Arroz Caldo, my mom fell in love with theirs. A hearty bowl costs P180 and comes with grilled chicken, and shimeji mushrooms! Definitely an amped-up version of the classic rainy day favorite!
Come Forth Kitchen
120 Jupiter St., Bel Air, Makati City
Date of Visit: August 20, 2016 with Lily Chua
