A long staple for quality ramen in the country, Ippudo brings a new twist to its menu in its elevated concept at Uptown Mall. Here’s what we tried—and you should too.
Bold flavors and unmissable exclusives—these are what any food lover should brace themselves for when dining at Ippudo Ramen Bar in BGC. “We made an effort to come up with dishes that are a bit unique,” says Standard Hospitality Group (SHG) CEO and Founder John Concepcion.
Ippudo Ramen Bar in Uptown Mall, Taguig, is the brand’s new take on their established ramen concept. A sleeker look and an expansive menu provides diners with a more laid-back setting, inviting you to stay for a highball or two after finishing your bowl, maybe with some yakitori on the side.
Concepcion shares that the new concept’s larger kitchen allows them to have more equipment, including a charcoal grill. This new binchotan (a type of hardwood charcoal in Japanese cooking) grill allows them to forge new flavors for their ramen offerings .
Another way they get playful with their menu is seen in their sushi and sashimi selection. Koyo. Concepcion notes that “each dish has its own sauce, so it’s well curated.” Instead of a standard mix of wasabi and soy sauce, each roll and sushi dish is drizzled or filled with its own unique sauce, enhancing each dish’s specific flavors.
This bolder approach to its menu is also reflected in its interiors. SHG Creative Director Michael Concepcion shares that they collaborated with Hong Kong-based architecture firm DEFT for Ippudo Ramen Bar’s look.
Sleek wooden panels evoke a streamlined feel, as warm lighting drapes the entire space. The kitchen can be fully seen from the dining area behind clear glass panes, allowing diners to see the crew in action as every dish is brought to life. Above the kitchen’s glass panes, a decorative wall of shelves with white ramen bowls behind opaque glass acts as an accent to the dominant wooden elements.
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Bright citrus notes & deep charred flavors
The ramen bar opened with two exclusive ramen dishes: the Grilled Chicken Kuro and the White Chicken Yuzu. Although both feature chicken as the main meat topping, each differ greatly in flavor.
The Grilled Chicken Kuro Ramen is rich with dark charred chicken, almost like an inasal taste — a flamed flavor they can now achieve with their newly acquired binchotan grill. There’s a slight heat to the broth that matches the chicken in its savoriness with its notes of black garlic and onion oil, not competing but complementing each other in their richness.
The White Chicken Yuzu Ramen stands as a bright, zesty contrast to the Kuro’s darker flavors. Its creamy pork broth has a tinge of brightness from the yuzu, this tinge extends to the tender white chicken topped with citrus zest to really hammer down the bright notes. The combination of bright and lush flavors in the broth and chicken creates an almost refreshing tart taste, but still grounded by the richness of the pork.
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Highballs of high variety
Another exclusive in Ippudo Ramen Bar’s menu is their selection of alcoholic drinks — among which, the Highballs are a standout with their variety of interesting flavors. You have the Gari Highball with its refreshing hit of pickled ginger; the Genmaicha Highball, which has a nutty flavor from its use of green tea and toasted brown rice; and you have the sweet and tartness of the Umeshu Highball made with plum liqueur. Whatever kind of highball you want to pair with your ramen, they’re sure to have it.
Other tipples offered include Sapporo draft beer, Dassai sake and some natural wines supplied by Bombvinos.
Sides of sushi & yakitori
The true charm of Ippudo Ramen Bar is in how it keeps you seated even after your meal. Its ambience makes you want to order another drink and get some sushi or small plates, and chat the night away with friends or family. If you want to pair your highball with something bright and fresh, their Salmon Soy Ginger is a vibrant sushi dish that gets its unique taste from the charred orange segments that come with each slice of salmon.
For quick eats, their yakitori selection includes Buta Bara (grilled pork skewers served with yuzu garlic tare) and Tsukune (grilled chicken meatball skewers paired with a spicy teriyaki sauce with a cured egg yolk), which will surely delight any meat lover.
All in all, Ippudo Ramen Bar is everything you can expect from the trusted ramen brand — and then some. The subtle but effective shift of the new concept to entice a slower, laid-back experience for diners, where dinner and drinks can cozy up in one sitting, is a welcome and fitting addition to the BGC dining scene.
Ippudo Ramen Bar is located at Uptown Mall, 9th Avenue, Taguig City. It is open from 10 am to 10 pm on Mondays to Thursdays, and 10 am to 12 mn on Fridays to Sundays.
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