Mugen Ramenya is now open
The buzz in the food world was the highly anticipated opening of Jorge Mendez’s ramen restaurant, Mugen Ramenya. The chef is the same one behind Japanese comfort food restaurant Ohayo, popular Thai restaurant Some Thai, and Modan, which serves modern Japanese food.
Mugen (Japanese for “infinite”) is a 10-seater ramen bar serving a focused, evolving menu. It opened its doors with one rule in mind: keep it small, make it excellent. They offer a menu for those who want a different kind of ramen experience.
The menu centers on Hakata-style ramen; bold in flavor, rich and fatty in the mouth. Super talented Jorge’s years of working with Japanese cuisine and several trips to Japan have shaped his focused approach to the ramen offered at Mugen.
Appetizers include five-piece gyoza served with a sharp, savory dipping sauce; golden-brown chicken karaage (Japanese fried chicken) with tamago (egg) mayonnaise and lemon; and my favorite plump ebi(shrimp) nuggets paired with a gochumayo(gochujang mayonnaise).
After the delicious starters, the bowls take center stage. The hakata ramen (a type of tonkotsu ramen originating in Fukuoka) comes with a silky pork broth and thin noodles, layered with chasu mortadella (thinly sliced braised pork belly), naruto(surimi fish cake), and menma (fermented bamboo shoots). The tantanmen is rich with sesame depth, bok choy, and minced pork, while my preferred crab ramen draws from an ebi broth, balancing sweetness with ocean brine. The outstanding Wagyu ramen features A5 grade beef, tendon, and a golden yolk over a deep broth.
Tsukemen offers a more interactive experience—thick, springy udon dipped in a concentrated broth. Variants include Wagyu, chasu, and a refreshing dandan somen with lemon and radish. Abura soba is offered in Wagyu or chasu, with no broth but layered umami from gyofun (fish powder), Katsuobushi (smoked tuna flakes), and yolk. The chahan (fried rice) section offers three takes -Wagyu, chasu, and crab.
Desserts include the indulgent Earl Grey ice cream with buckwheat feuilletine (thin crispy crepes), fried corn milk with matcha (green tea) condensed, and matcha ricotta mochi. Drinks range from a house-blend iced tea and yuzu-kaffir limeade to indulgent creations like iced black sesame latte, and sakura raspberry.
They open daily from 4pm to 11pm and do not accept reservations. Don’t let this stop you from visiting, it is all worth it!
(Mugen Ramenba is located at 108-B Maginhawa Street, Quezon City. Check out @mugenramenyaph on Instagram.)
Celebrating coffee, chefs and cuisine
Food Writers Association of the Philippines and The Rockwell Club present “A Five-star Collab” – a 10-Hand degustation meal by five talented Filipino chefs.
The five chefs include Bettina Arguelles of One World Deli who will make Coffee Beef Belly Cuapao; Patrick Go of Your Local and Lazy Susan who will create Kape Pork Asado Tostada; Don Baldosano of Linamnam, Bombvinos, and Offbeat who will cook Mindanao-Style Biko with Coffee Cremeaux, Penk Ching of The Pastry Bin who will whip up a Barako Buko Salad; and Christian Valdes of CMV Txokolat who does Barako Bonbons. Coffee Tasting will be by Commune.
The program highlights will include the presentation of the 22nd Doreen Gamboa Fernandez Food Writing Awards and the 1st Doreen Gamboa Fernandez Short Food Video Awards plus the book launch of “Brew: Cafe, Coffee. Kape.”
This is happening on Sept. 20, 2025 at 2pm at Palm Grove at Amorsolo Square in Rockwell, Makati. Tickets are at P 2,000 each. *
(Please contact 0917-8271480 or check the Doreen Gamboa Fernandez Facebook page for more details.)
Follow me on Instagram @pepperteehankee
- Latest
