Restaurant: Ramen Yushoken
Address: Oakridge Business Park,880 A.S. Fortuna St. Mandaue City, Cebu
Parking: Yes
Operating Hours: 11AM – 11PM Everyday
Ramen Price Point: PhP320.00 – PhP420.00
With the Ramen Yushoken stafff being trained by none other than the “son of the ramen god” Koji Tashiro in December 2012, it would not come as a surprise that this ramen brand will bring about a long line of noodle soup dish fans to their first branch in Cebu. Just after a month from the restaurant’s soft opening, Ramen Yushoken has already been creating a buzz, with people humming about the outlet as one of the best ramen places in the metro, and also, having the best gyoza in the Queen City!
Officially opened yesterday, 4 December 2015, Ramen Yushoken is finally in full operation, now serving customers from 11:00AM to 11:00PM daily.
Ramen Yushoken specializes in “tonkotsu,” or pork-bone broth, boiled for 12 hours for a rich flavorful soup. The “tonkotsu” is poured in a bowl of noodles and then the base sauce is added. Ramen Yushoken has four main base sauce variations – Shio, Shoyu, Tantanmen and Miso.
Shio is salt-based soup, where you can enjoy and appreciate the broth in its purest.
Shoyu is soy sauce-based, which gives out a bolder taste than the shio.
Tantanmen has sesame paste with chili oil and ground pork.
Miso is soy bean paste, made by blending seven different kind of miso, giving out a rich texture and a flavorful, complex taste.
Modern-day ramen called “Tsukemen,” a ramen dish of dry ramen noodles served with a dipping sauce, is also being offered at Ramen Yushoken.
Personally tried the Karai Tokusei which has a complex, fiery flavor. It is made with stock from kelp, fresh bonito flakes and dried mackerel mixed with a spicy tonkotsu broth, served with ground pork simmered in chicken broth, chasu and half an aji tamago. It is made of 24 ingredients, including a miso base and several types of chilies.
After trying all four base soup variations and other ramen selections, my personal pick would be the Tantanmen for having a delicate base with added hints of spice and boldness; I would say it’s the perfect bowl that would warm up any gloomy day! Best enjoyed with a serving of gyoza and a can of root beer! Yum!
And notice the very chic interior? It’s by our very own Vito Selma!
Also, if ever you’ll get the chance to glance at one of the shelves at the counter, you will spot a blue statue. That my friends is the “Ramen god” Kazuo Yamagishi, where the restaurant’s ramen is derived from; whose main successor is Koji Tashiro, the very person who trained Ramen Yushoken staff in 2012 to ensure that the flavors of the food served at their outlets are at par with the “Ramen god” champion ramen houses in Japan.
Before I end this post, let me drop a few must-do when eating ramen!
First, ramen should be eaten immediately, while it’s hot and the noodles are “al dente.” So better capture a photo as fast as you can and go slurp away!
And yes, slurping away is a must as well, for it helps cool the soup down. It also aerates both the soup and the noodles which helps improve flavor and let the flavors spread through the mouth. It is considered a sign of compliments to the chef as well.
Have you dined at Ramen Yushoken already? Which ramen would you recommend? Tell us, we’d love to read about your favorite items on their menu. 🙂
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