My weekends these days are spent sleeping, in an attempt to recover from the toil of long weekdays and quite recently, Friday night parties. This weekend however was a welcomed change to spending time with family–living and the dead.

It was my maternal grandfather’s birthday. Had he been alive, he would have turned 83 years old. Therefore, in true Filipino fashion, we trooped to the Manila Memorial Cemetery armed with food, drinks, candles, umbrellas, and of course, tablets and phones for photos! (That no one has uploaded yet!)

After celebrating Lolo Camilo’s day, we headed to SM Aura to check out what the hype (or bashing) was all about. After getting lost twice, we finally made it! Apart from getting two new pairs of jeans (they’re on sale!!!) at Forever 21 and some lip gloss (realizing the need to look presentable these days!), we headed over to Ikkuryu Fukuoka Ramen and indulge in some Japanese noodle goodness!

Suffice it to say, ramen is the house specialty–the centerpiece of Ikkuryu Fukuoka Ramen’s sleek long black menu. If my memory remained intact after having food here, there were about 15 types of ramen and noodle dishes you can choose from.

We had Kimchi Tonkotsu ramen (the one with reddish soup) that is quite spicy for Filipino palate (twas fine with me after my Indian curry exposure) and this other ramen with the egg which is an-egg-added version of the original Tonkotsu ramen. Both moms (ours and our cousins’) agreed that the flavor was really rich and that it’s very tasty!

We also ordered a fresh tofu salad which was a mix of cold fresh and smooth tofu on top of green lettuce. I can’t identify what sauce was used but it’s yummy, and complemented by the small tomatoes and crisp tofu flakes (I think).

We also had the original yakimeshi fried rice which was so tasty that it really had our moms thinking whether it was cooked in lechon oil or in the karaage fried chicken that we also had. With bits of pork, carrots and greens, I couldn’t agree more.

We also had something that is similar to Yyakisoba but this one is cooked in Tonkotsu soup (imagine chopsuey) and was also very savory. You should try putting it in your ramen soup too, just to savor the last few drops of the soup. This was actually for the rice as advised by the really cute paper table mat graphic but it works with the soup too!

I would say that while the price is quite steep at P380 per ramen order, on the average, the amount of serving and the taste makes up for it. And while the classic tempura and California maki favorites are unavailable, their menu offers you alternative choices that are really great partners for ramen. All in all, for the flavor and the experience, I would say that Ikkuryu Fukuoka Ramen’s value for money makes it worth a visit!