Tongara – A Japanese Dining Experience You Shouldn’t Miss

I will go the extra mile  for RAMEN  and I mean that literally. 

Yesterday  I hied off to Marikina from Mandaluyong thanks to the invitation of @JohnBunag and @teamkaladkarin.

This gem of a place  in a location so far away from the family’s usual haunts, beckoned with its promise of  a different kind of  ramen.

I love that to date , it is the only Ramen Shop with this particular broth   in the country. 

Thanks to the power couple Mr & Mrs. Borja, a unique ramen  originally concocted by Ramen Master Makoto Okazaki in his MenTenTen ramen shop in  Shinjuku can now be experienced in the Philippines.

‘Ramen is our passion’

It took Ramen Master Makoto Okazaki a decade to hone his skills  as a chef and another 3 years obsessing  over crafting the ideal Tongara broth.

 TONGARA Ramen is the portmanteau of  TONkotsu (porkbone  broth ) and ToriGARA (chicken bone broth).
The first Tongara Ramen shop opened in Cebu in 2015. This second branch in Lamp Quarters Marikina just inaugurated its restaurant last April.

Yesterday , we were served the following :

TONGARA RAMEN

The combination of tonkotsu (pork bone broth) and torigara (chicken bone broth) was absolutely scrumptious. That milky broth was liquid gold. The chashu was tender and melt in your mouth. The noodles texture was just the way I like it – firm and al dente.

TANTANRAMEN P560
Tongara’s rich broth with deep flavors of sesame and a bit of chill pepper heat. Topped with minced meat, preserved Japanese Vegetables, menma, negi and ajitama

Again that magic broth is the base from which masterpieces are made. This one had a kick which was just right

TSUKEMEN P475

Cold ramen noodles  topped with chashu, menma, negi ajitama and dried seaweeds served together with a  hot perfectly balanced dipping sauce

Per Wikipedia Tsukemen was invented in 1955 by  Kazuo Yamagishi. It was said that Yamagishi gathered left over noodles from bamboo basket and started eating them and dipping in special soup with soy and sweet vinegar

CHICKEN KARAAGE P200

At first the color  was a little too light for me. But then when I took the first bite, I loved how crunchy it was outside but very moist and flavorful inside.

Do not forget to squeeze the lemon all over the chicken before dipping in the Japanese mayonnaise. So good!

GYOZA P200

Tongara’s gyoza was succulent and delicious. It paired well with the  four types of ramen served to us.

SUMMARY

Initially, I thought  another ramen place. But then the unique combination of  pork bone broth and chicken bone broth piqued my curiosity.

That first slurp sold me. Never thought that the marriage of  tonkotsu and torigara will result in a ramen with complex flavor that is at once unique and scrumptious.

Although Tongara Ramen Shop in Lamp Quarters in Marikina just opened last April this year.. This international franchise from Shinjuku  opened its first ever store outside Japan  in Cebu  as early as 2015.

Check them out and let me know what you think. As far as Im concerned though, its worth the long trip from where I live in Mandaluyong.

TONGARA RAMEN is located at Lamp Quarters Gil Fernando Avenue Santo Nino Marikina City