Kichitora of Tokyo

It was another eventful Saturday for +Mykee and me. We had a bunch of activities planned for the day. I'll get into that on another post. For breakfast, (well, brunch technically because even though it was noon, it was the first meal of the day for both of us) we wanted to get something nice and warm. It was a rainy day, which meant that the weather was perfect for ramen. Without knowing anything about the place, we headed straight to Kichitora of Tokyo for our fix.

"Arigatou gozaimasu!" said the staff in unison upon entry and exit.
Not gonna lie, I like it when Japanese restaurants do that.
It makes me feel important haha!

For some reason, I could've sworn they had a set menu. Or at least I heard they did. When I asked the waitress though, she said that they didn't have one. I wish they did though. I don't know about you guys, but when I try out a new restaurant for the first time, I want to sample different bits of the food they have to offer. It compensates for my lack of better judgement when I accidentally order the wrong thing. And set menus are a steal without having to order ala carte. This is good especially if you're dining alone, of if your companion wants to try something different from what you're getting, with good proportions. Oh well, here's the regular menu for your viewing pleasure.

Ramen prices range from Php320 to Php500
Tsukemen for Php360 to Php400
Rice bowls for Php175 (small bowl) to Php350

Ramen prices go for the same amount as other restaurants. Competitive pricing at its finest, so I had no room to complain. What initially caught my eye was their selection of rice bowls. They offered a Pork Chashu bowl. I love Chashu, so this made me do a double-take. But no! The weather was conspiring with my appetite. It was rainy, and my stomach was grumbling for a steaming bowl of ramen.

Kichitora specialized in a unique ramen broth that was made of a chicken base. They called it Paitan. We wanted to get a little frisky and try this out, but first thing was first. We had to stick to basics before we went with the fancy stuff. I got some Miso, while Mykee got a Tan Tan Mien. We also ordered some gyoza to cleanse our palettes in between stuffing our faces with noodles.

Condiments on our table: Chili flakes, Chili oil, Japanese vinegar, Soy sauce.
(No, you didn't read wrong. It says "Beauty Collagen Nabe" on the flyer.
I'm not sure what it is, but it sure sounds intriguing.)

I found the mixture of condiments amusing. It was the first time I got to sample gyoza sauce that I had to mix on my own. I didn't know the proper ratio of the Japanese vinegar to the soy sauce, so I just went with my gut feel. And my, was it tasty!

Gyoza Php150 (5pcs.)

The gyoza was pretty good. Crunchy on the outside, and meaty/garlic chive-y on the inside. Kind of like an omnivore's smore. I guess my only concern here was that I wish the pieces were bigger. I was surprised when they served it. It measured a measly 2 inches, that you could swallow it in one bite. (No, you can't use your "that's what she said" joke, cause I already thought of that.) For Php30 a pop, I'd skip this.

Hokkaido Miso Ramen Php395

It was looking dim for me, up until they served my Miso ramen. Suddenly, the skies opened up and all faith was restored in delicious humanity. The serving was huge! It was good enough for two, even. It was a sight to behold. There was black garlic oil floating gracefully atop the thick creamy broth. The leafy goods and bamboo shoots cradled by the firm yellow noodles. And the Chashu, oh my goodness the Chashu. THE CHASHU TASTED LIKE LECHON. It was roasted to perfection. The fat trimming was far from the gummy and greasy texture that I shamefully expected. And what's this? More meat underneath the chashu! There was ground pork under all that goodness. In other Miso bowls, they fill up the dish with bean sprouts and skimp on the good stuff, but not here! I got so much in one bowl, that I had about a third order's worth for takeout. And if you're wondering, yep, it still tasted good after I took it home. Just add about 1/4 cup of hot water before reheating in the microwave to let the oil melt.

Tan Tan Mien Php395

Mykee's order was the Tan Tan Mien. He always goes for the spicy stuff. I'm not as big of a fan of the heat, but I had to try a bite because it looked so good! Although the broth looked similar to the Miso, the Tan Tan Mien had a distinct nutty flavour that I wasn't expecting. It wasn't too spicy either. It was pretty balanced actually. Mykee's only comment was that he wished his dish had a Chashu slice or two. I don't blame him. The Chashu was so good, that I bet it would go great with everything (even that rice bowl I was eyeing on).

Hello from a Spanish and Chinese duo who love Japanese cuisine the most!

All in all, our Kichitora experience was something that I wouldn't mind reliving. I'm a picky ramen eater, but I can honestly and quickly put this in my top 3 ramen go-to spots. With a new ramen restaurant popping up in Manila every 2 months, it isn't hard to see which ones are overhyped and which ones genuinely taste hearty and soulful and (oh man, that Chashu is still lingering in my tastebuds) just worth coming back to.

They've got swanky wooden interiors to boot.

In Japanese culture, it's rude to the chef when you don't finish your order. So next time, I'll be packing a bigger appetite when I step foot in Kichitora. Try this place out for yourselves when you've got a mean hankering for a delicious bowl of ramen.

Kitchitora of Tokyo
Glorietta 5, Makati City