Ramen Kuroda: Venice Grand Canal Mall

To be really honest, I am not a big fan of ramen or any soupy dish. Well, except for Sinigang which is my comfort food of all time. But I do like having ramen once in a while. I think I just need to have some appreciation of this Japanese dish as it is made with a lot of ingredients and somehow an art form in itself. The broth is not just the usual broth. I believe it takes hours to prepare it and that's how serious Japanese are when it comes to their ramen. 

Ramen has been attracting a huge amount of attention in the worldwide restaurant scene as a representative example of Japanese cuisine. Perhaps it's only natural that genuine ramen is so delicious, because it evolved through intense competition into one of the national foods of the Japanese people.



Ramen Kuroda recently opened a branch in Venice Grand Canal mall. My officemates and I have been wanting to try it because we've been hearing good reviews about it. But everytime we drop by for lunch, the place is packed with people and there are long lines. Only that last week that I finally got to try it when I met up with one of my high school friends who's back in Manila from Guam for a short vacation. Since Japanese food is prevalent in Guam, and that he loves them too, he agreed that we have our dinner here. 



It was nice to finally go thee and found just a couple of people dining. The place was full and every table was occupied too, but this time there's not a long line. We were seated at the al fresco area where we have a good view of the faux Venice canal. 

Ramen Kuroda defines a genuine ramen and promises its clienteles: Flavor: Home-made noodles, soup, and seasoned garlic oil selected with exacting care. Serving: Speedy to satisfy busy people. Price: Affordable enough to enjoy every day. Technique & Quality: Comprehensive supervision by a top-class ramen chef with 20 years of experience and Passion: Bringing Japanese-quality ramen to everyday Filipino experience.
So without further adieu, here are what we had for dinner:  Gyoza - these are Japanese minced pork and veggies dumplings. I love gyozas, I always order them whenever I am in a Japanese resto. Ramen Kuroda's gyozas are a combination of crisp outer skin with moist and juicy fillings within. They are not at all too greasy even if they're pan-fried. 

Ramen Tonkatsu Set - this comes with your choice of ramen, pork tonkatsu, rice, fresh fruits and tea. I chose the Shiro ramen to go with this set; which is the usual ramen broth made of boiling pork and other what-nots. The soup was flavorful but quite salty to my liking. Though their egg noodles are made of chef’s selected flour, mixed properly according to climate and seasons to serve the best noodles and it did not disappoint. The pork tonkatsu was also good, the meat was tender and had very light flaky breading. The set came with cabbage salad though this is not unlimited unlike in other restos. I also love the yellow wasabi that came with it which I used for my sushi rolls instead of the green one. For the price of this set, I believe it's worth it. 

Salmon Roll - I am big fan of salmon and I love this as well. This took a bit late to be served, but I'm hoping the reason is that they have made it fresh and isn't already prepped hours before. I like the small drop of Japanese mayo on top of it for some burst of flavor in my mouth while eating them.

Teriyaki Pork Roll - I usually eat teriyaki as a rice dish; this is the first time I've eaten this variation of sushi and I must admit that I like it. This rolls had a fair balance of saltiness and sweetness in them. I didn't use the sauce at all so I can enjoy their flavor as it is. Definitely a must try if you're dining at ramen Kuroda. 

We enjoyed dining here and I'm glad that the raves about this place is true. I am not super blown away but was very satisfied. My friend loved it too and he was surprised at how affordable our dinner was. He was telling me about this other restaurant that he went to the other night and he spent around 2,500 pesos for only a couple of items and mostly sushi rolls. Thanks brother for this sumptuous dinner!

The service was ok but I found it a bit slow, which was ok because we weren't in a hurry. What I want to point out is how their prices are very affordable compared to other ramen houses. The quality and serving of the food in relation to the price points are very sensible. Since I just work nearby, I think I will be visiting Ramen Kuroda often.

RAMEN KURODA 2/F Venice Grand Canal Mall,  McKinley Hill、Upper McKinley Rd, Taguig City, Philippines Contact No; (02)552-1170 Email: ramen.kuroda@gmail.com Website: www.kuroda.ph Facebook: facebook.com/Ramen-kuroda

For more information, complete menu and restaurant reviews, check out their Zomato profile: 

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