4 of 5, though I think it would deserve a 5 with some minor adjustments.
Date and time establishment visited: 07.07.2018 NAIA T3 Dinner (8-9pm) Note: This review is based on a visit some 4 MONTHS AGO, so it reflects my impression gained at that time; the quality might have improved, deteriorated, or remained the same since then.
I ordered the Shio Ramen; this facilitates assessing the broth and also the noodles in a most unobstructed manner. The clear broth of Shio Ramen does in most cases serve as the basis for the Miso Ramen (except where tonkotsu soup/broth serves as the basis - but NOT in the case of Sapporo Ramen where tonkotsu soup is NOT used!); as the taste of the Miso Ramen soup is mainly determined by the miso paste added to the broth, rather than the broth itself, I prefer to base my judgment on the taste of the clear broth. The miso paste is never produced by the ramen outlet itself, but is third-party supplied, in contrast to the broth which is produced "in-house" (be it at that particular outlet or a central kitchen, as the case might be).
(1) Noodles: firm (al dente) and almost semi-translucent, wonderful taste, perfect as you would expect for Sapporo Ramen in Sapporo itself. I would assume that it is very difficult - not impossible, though - to produce these noodles locally. So either the exact Japanese ingredients are imported and put through a noodle machine or the ready-made noodles are imported. Verdict: 5/5
(2) Broth: clear and intense, probably a classic preparation using chicken bones, some (but less or none?) pork bones, a discreet amount of niboshi (dried young sardines), also some konbu (sea kelp), and vegetables? Well done, and well balanced. Verdict: 5/5.
(3) Chaa-Shuu (often spelled as Char siu, for the Chinese version): here I would have preferred a less dry, juicier, and tastier cut, a cut taken from the pork side or belly rather than the back/shoulder part most probably used. But this is a matter of taste and in Japan, the Chaa-Shuu as offered here would be perfectly acceptable, but not anything to rave about. Verdict: 3.5/5
(4) Other toppings: I did not pay too much attention to the rest, except that I noticed the eggs were perfectly done onsen tamago style, and the bean sprouts were nice and crunchy and not over-cooked (but rather added raw at the very last moment before serving). Verdict: 5/5
(5) Rice: I ate the white rice my son left unfinished (in Japan it is rude and a sign of disrespect to leave any rice uneaten, in contrast to here where rice is often discarded). I could immediately tell that it was some of the highest quality Japanese rice available locally, either Sasanishiki or even Koshihikari; nonetheless, the only issue I had was that it was just a tiny tad too soft, for my taste. On inquiry, it turned out to be Koshihikari, the highest grade locally grown Japanese rice. I prefer a little bit less water and firmer cooked rice so that each rice grain is well-defined. Bravo, the owners have not economized on ingredients, only using the finest available. For me, the benchmark for perfectly cooked and fragrant Japanese rice is the Koshihikari served at Wooden Horse (Molito Mall, Alabang). Verdict: 4/5
(6) Others: I did not try the chahan, gyoza, or karaage, and any of the other items on the menu. From what I could see they looked appetizing and well presented.
(7) Ambiance/interior: a little bit "too nice" to be authentic? Beautifully made and I just hope they can maintain it in the pristine and clear-lined condition it is in now. In Japan - in particular, Sapporo - the good Ramen joints tend to be a little bit on the run-down and shabby side, albeit usually impeccably clean. But nonetheless, I have no argument with the beautifully crafted interior, perhaps more in keeping with an Udon or Soba (Japanese noodle/buckwheat noodle) shop. My fear, a little bit too generous with space? Not that a customer would have any complaints! Verdict: 5/5
(8) Service: nice and friendly, but as so often in the Philippines a lack of communication among the staff which resulted in the ordered drink not accounted for in the bill. Told that they forgot to charge, nobody volunteered a "sorry, and thank you very much for pointing it out". (Happened to me many times here in the Philippines, so perhaps this is SOP.) Hence, some additional staff training might seem in place.
(9) Name: I think "King Men" (from the Japanese ideograms "Oo-men", Oo=King and Men untranslated for men=noodles) is a rather unfortunate name for a good to very good ramen shop. We almost walked away thinking it was some bad Chinese knock-off like so many of those Japanese and Korean Restaurants owned and run by Chinese in North America (Chinese have a predilection for the word “King” in all kinds of designations). Only when we saw the Sapporo Nishiyama Ramen did we venture inside - not quite sure what to expect. The King-Men needs to be de-emphasized or removed from the Restaurant name. Plain Sapporo/Nishiyama Ramen, or similar, would be better.
Summary: Given, as we are told, it has been in operation only 4 months (at least the NAIA T3 branch), there might still be some fine tuning required. The Chaa-Shuu would be where I would give it some thought, perhaps offering alternatively lean and dry (as now) or more juicy and fattier (but not overly so) versions (if my recollection serves me right, more like Santouka’s Chaa-Shuu), and perhaps the rice, too. But the owner's insistence on quality ingredients and sleek and spacious interior are certainly to be applauded. A very pleasant surprise!
Disclosure: I have no relationship to the owner or management of King Men, only 27 years living experience in Japan to base my judgment on; I tasted my first ramen in 1957 and during my stay in Japan I would frequent ramen shops on average 2-3 times a week. I have been a ramen (and gyoza) buff for over 45 years!
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