This hip Makati restaurant serves a mean selection of rich, flavorful ramen that come in hefty portions at reasonable prices—truly a bang for your buck.
Ramen. Mere mention of the word makes me crave a greasy, piping hot bowl. And not just any craving—but one that needs acting upon ASAP!
So when I received an invite from The Underbelly, a Japanese restaurant in Makati, it was a big, fat ‘yes,’ the kind that’s reserved for when my husband or son asks if I want to eat out for ramen.
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Ridiculously good food
We decided to go on a bright Wednesday as Metro Manila commute is most bearable on non-rush hour, good weather weekdays. My son, dog Peanut (The Underbelly is pet friendly!), and I made our way from the QC suburbs to a corner of Makati known for some of the most creative food ideas in the metro, Karrivin Plaza.
It was a few minutes before noon when we arrived, with a modern, stylish interior greeting us. The tables inside and the al fresco area were almost full with mostly expat- and corporate-looking diners hunched over big bowls of ramen, some with a can of Asahi beer on the side. It wasn’t long after Nico and I took our seats that the place became packed. We made it just in time before the lunch hour madness that ensued.
We ordered some of the bestsellers: Billy’s Belly, Ribdiculous, Shell Yeah!, and Chicken and Egg (Karaage). I wanted to try one more ramen but seeing the huge portions in the neighboring tables made me think again—after all, I can always go back to try more of their offerings. Service was quick enough, and in about 15 minutes or so our orders came one after another.
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We dug first into the Chicken and Egg, which is gloriously crispy, with each bite letting out a satisfying crunch. The meat is succulent, but it is the breading that stands out, with an umami that comes from the 24-hour cured and dried egg yolks that were shaved over the karaage. If I wasn’t with my son and didn’t have an event right after, I would have indulged myself with an ice-cold beer.
My son and I decided to try Shell Yeah next, and it was a dive into the ocean, with each spoonful of the silky flat udon noodles and rich broth bursting with the taste of the sea. The Underbelly uses only imported Miyagi oysters both for the concentrated broth and the toppings. Seafood lovers must go for this dish which is pretty as it is yummy. A bowl feels like an indulgence.
We then proceeded to have the pork-based ramen dishes, Billy’s Belly for me, and Ribdiculous for my son, sharing a portion of each dish between the two of us. One word came to mind after tasting both: decadent. The broth used for both Billy’s Belly and Ribdiculous is rich and flavorful—no putting on the brakes here! The Underbelly uses stock that has been boiled for 48 hours, no wonder it practically glistens!
The difference between Billy’s Belly and Ribdiculous lies in the noodles and the intensity of the broth. The former is a straightforward bowl of ramen, meaning it has a lighter—but no less flavorsome—version of The Underbelly’s deep pork bone broth and comes with an incredibly nuanced buta kakuni, melt-in-your-mouth tender braised pork belly that’s charred to perfection. The buta kakuni lends the broth a deep smokiness that keeps it from being cloying despite its richness.
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Ribdiculous, meanwhile, is tsukemen-style: thick, chewy wheat noodles are served separately from and then dunked into a thicker and even richer sauce, thanks to an added layer of umami from the gyofun (fish powder). It is then topped with a thick slab of fall-off-the-bone soft pork rib. True to its name, this dish is ridiculously delicious.
If our first dish, Shell Yeah, felt like an indulgence, these two ramen dishes were just sinfully good—a glutton’s dream come true. They all come with reasonable price tags, starting from P480 for Billy’s Belly to P740 for the Shell Yeah, and hefty portions that can be shared.
I’m now thinking of going back to try their other ramen bowls and tsukemen. I’ve got my eye especially on the Tan-tantrum, sesame broth ground pork and kuyo oil, and the Anti-Belly, tsukemen served with cold sesame broth wasabi, and flat udon.
On the side we had drinks from Twelve Labors, which shares the space with The Underbelly. It offers coffee, teas, and pastries which make for just about the perfect ending to a decadent meal. I had the Yuzu Soda, the citrusy kick and fizz of which complemented the richness of the ramen. Nico had the Salted Mocha, which he says had the perfect balance between salty and chocolatey.
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Authentic but still unique
The POST interviewed The Underbelly head chefs Jackson Chua and Noel Mauricio to know more about the restaurant’s concept and what they have in store for us as they continue to become a recognizable player in the cutthroat local F&B scene. “The idea behind The Underbelly and Twelve Labors plays off the Hydra myth—a creature that grows two heads for every one you cut off,” they said. “When Poison Coffee & Doughnuts shut down, it didn’t really end anything. Instead, it led to the beginning of two new projects, almost like cutting one head off and getting two more in its place.”
Both chefs admit to being avid ramen fans. Their menu then stems from their shared love for the iconic Japanese dish. “We curated the menu based on what ramen means to us—mixing some classic flavors with our own personal twists to put together something that feels authentic yet still unique,” the chefs enthused.
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“Our ramen offers a bold twist on the traditional bowls found around the metro—crafted with our own distinct style and flavor,” they added. “What sets us apart even more is Twelve Labors, our in-house craft coffee bar, creating a one-of-a-kind experience where exceptional ramen meets thoughtfully brewed coffee, all in one space.”
They shared that guests are mostly creatives within Karrivin Plaza with its design studios and art spaces, as well as nearby residents from Makati. The past months have seen them grow their regulars that come from across the metro.
Asked what they have in store for those like me who are in a constant search for great Japanese food, they said that they are currently working on expanding The Underbelly’s menu. We should also keep our eyes peeled for a few exciting collaborations in the works. While opening a new branch isn’t on the immediate horizon, they said, there’s plenty brewing behind the scenes.
The Underbelly is located at Karrivin Plaza, 2316 Chino Roces Ave Extension, Makati. It is open every day from 11 am to 10 pm. For more information follow The Underbelly on Instagram.
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