Dining Snippets: Indus x Ramen Nagi x Ikinari Steak

INDUS

R.I.C.H has always been top-of-mind when it comes to Indian restaurants in Manila but I couldn’t help get curious about Indus – especially since there was a time that you couldn’t get seats unless you made prior reservations. Upon entry, it felt upscale but quite snooty and intimidating – especially when contrasted with R.I.C.H.’s warm, inviting and vibrant atmosphere.

SWEET LASSI (P180)

One thing noticeable is that it does have a pretty narrow list of menu items when compared to the thick and seemingly never-ending options in R.I.C.H – which I actually prefer, as it streamlines the ordering process.

HOUSE PAPADOM AND CHIPS

One thing that was appreciated though was that they gave a bowl of papadom and chips on the house! Freshly crisp and perfectly seasoned, these were a delight to devour – but do pace yourselves – as these serve as wondrous vessels to the restaurant’s flavorful curries so best to save them for later!

MUTTON BIRYANI (P650)

The Mutton Biryani didn’t photograph well – nor was it a hit for me. The meat was tough; and flavor-wise, it could still be amplified in terms of spice and heat.

PRAWN CURRY (P800)

The highlight for me would be its Prawn Curry – hands-down, one of the best tasting curries I’ve ever had – the prawns were fresh and plump; and boy – was it a flavor-machine! It went perfectly with the biryani, the papadom and chips! Of course, I always have a glass of Sweet Lassi on standby to manage the heat buildup. Glasses of Lassi seldom photograph well, but I did appreciate Indus sprucing the glass up to make it more IG-worthy. They also thoughtfully provide some palate cleanser (a personal favorite is the fennel one) to help with the heat!

PALATE CLEANSER

Overall, Indus can’t be considered in the same tier as R.I.C.H; but boy, I’d definitely go back for its Prawn Curry!

Indus: Modern Indian Kitchen

25th Street, Taguig, Metro Manila

Date of Visit: August 5, 2023 with Lily Chua

RAMEN NAGI

I’ve always enjoyed the novelty of trying out Ramen Nagi’s limited king variants every now and then; but usually it's a one-off thing and I come crawling back to my usual order of its Red King on my next visit. It’s seldom for me to actually plea for a Limited King to be a permanent fixture in Ramen Nagi’s menu until I tried its Mazesoba King (at times referred to as the Vegan King). It’s a perfect bowl for vegans, for those observing meatless diets or when you’re craving for some noodles on a fiery hot day – this soupless ramen is a healthier alternative that still packs in on flavor. Bonus is that the chew of its al dente noodles definitely is extremely satisfying!

MAZESOBA KING/VEGAN KING

Each bowl comes with a wonderful array of colorful toppings – from its golden-brown fried shallots, its bright yellow corn kernels, minced garlic, its fiery red fire sauce, beetroot powder, chia seeds and onion leeks – all lend their own characteristic flavor and texture. It also comes served with a seaweed soup – which personally, I’m really not a fan of – but a spoonful or two of the soup does help lend moisture to the noodles when they start sticking together.

Ramen Nagi

Multiple Branches

Date of Visit:  August 13, 2023

IKINARI STEAK

Ikinari Steak opened up to a high degree of anticipation and fervor – especially for those who frequented its numerous branches in Japan – which translated to insanely long hordes of hungry Filipino diners. I recall lining up for 45 minutes in its flagship MOA Square branch – despite starting queuing as early as 11am!

WILD COMBO (P777)

Watch out for lunch exclusive sets such as the Wild Combo – which offers a combination of 150g of its Wild Steak and 150g of its Hamburg. This was perfect for our maiden visit as it allowed us to sample more variants in one go. I enjoyed the Wild Steak, but I'm quite on the fence when it comes to its hamburg.

RIBEYE (200g – P1199)

We paired this with one of their premium cuts, the Ribeye as well. Each order comes with a cup of rice and buttered vegetables. They allow you to build up on your meat by opting for heftier and bigger cuts. Honestly though, I'm perfectly happy with the cheaper wild cut already which is half the price of the premium cut!

SOUP, SALAD AND DRINK (P100)

If you're ordering a drink to pair your steaks with, opt for the Soup, Salad and Drink add-on instead! For a reasonable price of P100, you get simple salad (which is paired with sesame dressing) and a hot cup of soup.

WILD STEAK (200g – P599)

Since then, my go-to order would usually be the 200g Wild Steak (will avail of an extra 100g of meat for times that I’m extra hungry) – as the meat is tender, quality is acceptable, and it’s simply a quick, fuss-free bang-for-your-buck meal! Don’t sleep on the condiments on your table – feel free to mix and match to create that perfect bite! A word of caution – rice is NOT unlimited, and a serving may not be enough for most!

Ikinari Steak

Multiple Branches

Multiple Visits