Hanamaruken Ramen 2.0 — Restaurant in Pasig

A lot of things could and must be improved.

I ordered gyoza and tantanmen.

Tantanmen arrived 5mins before gyoza. Ground pork servings from tantanmen is not generous. The texture of their noodles is similar to instant noodles. Sauce is good, but the overall experience is not happy. Gyoza is still half, if not quarter/cooked, and did not taste fresh.

They will charge additional service 10% when all you need is in front of you. All utensils, water, condiments are in front so the waiters have nothing to do but get the bill and ask you to go to the other side of the door to pay. Yes,i’m wondering what the 10% SC is for.

And yes, i’m nitpicking because the it’s not the normal japanese restaurant experience you would get where waiters are happy and eager to assist you.

For about 15USD, I could have dined in at mendokoro where the food quality and service are far superior.

Oh, and they microwave their chashu and a whole lot more as you order. And the faucet has been running open for the 30mins that I spent in the restaurant.

On the good side, they are playing japanese music in the background and everything you need is in front of yoi (napkins, condiments, water, chopsticks) so there’s service charge has to be...

Got my early September dose of ramen today here at Hanamaruken. And it was a pleasant gastronomic experience. The place is surrounded by greens, which makes the feels cozy and relaxing. I love the Japanese designs on the wall suh as the paintings, the banners, etc. The in house music is so relaxing. They really nailed to let their guests experience Japan through the ambiance of the place. However, the place isn't that spacious. So you'll find yourself challenged going through the aisle. Though they have a few tables and seats outside.

We tried their flagship ramens - the Signature Happiness and the Pot Belly Ramen. Both tasted good. I like the savory broth. It has good consistency, and the flavor wasn't overpowering. It goes so well with their perfectly cooked noodles. The meat was extremely tender - it melts in your mouth! 😋 I just found the broth a little fatty and salty. If they could tone down those two things even just a bit, then the whole experience will be perfect. But overall, their ramen is good! Oh, by the way, we also tried their pan fried gyoza. It was okay for me. Not something I will want to order again. 👍

Was it worth it? Yes for a good ramen...

This is my second time at The Grove location. I ordered the Double Happiness Ramen. It reminded me of Yushoken's chashu in their secret menu. The large soft meat came off and had good fat in its layers. Chashu that I made in Canada was not as tender. It was very flavourful and my neighbors enjoyed it.

I noticed that the chashu in ramen restaurants in the Philippines is more on tender and juicy vs savory.

Of course, I finished the whole bowl. I wish there was ramen egg and nori. That's why I liked making my own at home. Unlimited supply when it's made at home is the advantage.

I appreciate the saltiness because salt kills viruses. It's very warming and filling. I'm glad to have enjoyed my second ramen here in Hanamaruken Ramen 2.0.

Not to forget. The garlic and ginger were quite good to throw in the ramen. Aside from the missing egg and nori, I also prefer having a lot of negi. It truly elevates a ramen bowl when everything is...