Ramenizing at Ramen Kuroda!

What's up you guys!

A few storms have passed through my country the last few days. I'm just fortunate that the place where I'm currently living is flood-free but seriously, most parts of Manila and nearby towns have experienced some serious shits. Classes are being suspended, traffic is crazier than ever, it's pretty normal if you'd rather just sit it out or sleep in this kind of weather.

People rarely go out when they know they'd just feel uncomfortable or at risk of getting sick outside. I think it's a universal thing to spend rainy days sleeping and sipping or eating something hot. I myself usually feel lazy when it's dark and gloomy outside, but there's still a way to drag me out. Just use the magic words : RAMEN or GYOZA!

My friends know that these are two of my greatest weaknesses. I almost never say no to ramen nights or gyoza afternoons. That's what happened sometime last week. After a few shout outs on my blog, unanswered text and chat messages, missed calls and failed attempts to meet up, I finally got to see one of my good friends for the first time in a long time, and I was finally able to give her my Christmas gift! Woohoo! Trying to live life as an adult is really hard, it kills me that I rarely see my favorite people, the ones I used to see everyday because we are living our own lives. But that's what adults do.

I don't want to get too dramatic here because this reunion is actually about a new found haven in the form of a ramen.

So, I've been hearing a lot about this place for quite sometime, but I only had the chance to check it out last week. I'm trying to cut down on caffeine because of my random palpitations, but since it's kinda cold, I'm still craving for something hot. I was ecstatic when I found out that my friend was actually taking me to this place. 

It was around late afternoon when we got there, so, there were not much customers - which was perfect for me! We didn't have to wait for a long time to be seated. Food preparation was also quite fast.

I had Aka Ramen and my friend had Aka Chashumen. I LOVE THE NOODLES and the soup is really savory. Now, I've tried other ramen around the city, but this seems to be the most practical authentic ramen so far. No wonder its reputation precedes it. We also ordered gyoza but I finished them all by myself! Haha! 

I haven't been to Japan but ever since I was a kid, I've been in love with the idea of eating ramen and gyoza just like my favorite anime characters. Now that I am working for a Japanese company, I feel like my grade school years were just snippets of what my life is going to be two decades after. I love shocking the shit out of my clients every time I nail a simple Japanese phrase, when I tell them I had Tan Tan Men and Shoyu ramen, or when I tell them how crazy I get when it comes to gyudon, gyoza and takoyaki.

Discovering Japanese restaurants and eating your heart out certainly brings back good childhood memories. For example, not worrying about laundry and not paying bills! (Thanks for the treat, Christine!) Hahaha! It also helps me tap into my inner otaku that I rarely show to the world. I think this is the closest I can get to Japan for now, so, I'm definitely coming back for more. 

I had a great time catching up with my friend here at Ramen Kuroda. If you want to visit the Makati branch, it is located at 3rd Floor RCBC Plaza, Ayala Avenue. They are open from 10:30 AM - 9:30 PM Mondays to Fridays. They are closed during the weekends.