Burgos Circle Archives - Between Bites - Bites of Food, Travel and Lifestyle

March 18, 2013 by Janey

Heard of the book, “Chicken Noodle Soup for the Soul”? I read two versions of it in High School. With all the good ramen bars, opening left and right in the Metro, somebody should be able to come up with a version, Ramen for the Food Soul. Last Sunday, I met with the Foodie Club to try out this new ramen place located in Burgos Circle / Forbestown area at the Fort. I’ve asked around and people have actually heard of Wrong Ramen.

I almost would have missed it, with all the ramen restaurants sprouting. But I didn’t, since Wrong Ramen, first, has its catchy name, triggering my inquisitive mind as to why they would name a restaurant as anything wrong. With what Wrong Ramen can offer, their concept sticks since it is right in all the Wrong places. Confused yet? Turns out, it is a delicious confusion.

Wrong Ramen for the most part is based on homemade Hokkaido style ramen soups. It’s this Japanese dish of noodles in well-prepared broth, often garnished with small pieces of meat and vegetables. Daringly, they have taken the bold path of attributing creative spins to their menu dishes.

I invited my Church friend Charles, who loves Japanese cuisine, to check out Wrong Ramen with me and the F Club.

On the Table

Chasu Rice Rolls Php 140

Shredded Chasu rolled in rice wrappers and served with ponzu sauce on the side. This was one of our starters and I appreciate starting with something light.

Since it’s a fresh roll and not fried, its wrapper has a cool touch on the tongue, refreshing but it surprised you with a speck of pork taste. If you like Vietnamese spring rolls, this is the “wrong” Japanese version and much tastier.

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Izumi Sake Bar

August 16, 2012 by Janey

As the sun sets and the city plunges into darkness, there is a watering hole where people gather for collective dining and drinking, even if there are no monumental events to speak of, where the celebration of life after five is enough reason.

Izumi Sake Bar transforms from a restaurant of discerning diners to exciting sake bar polished for dancing and partying at some nights or chilling out during other nights. The unifying theme is being comfortable in a place where drinking and dining are a delight.

Being a sake bar, it has the impression that it’s plagued by serious sake connoisseurs. My friend Jayvee reminisced during dinner how he enjoyed the smooth tasting sake Izumi serves. I enjoy drinking sake but there are more spirits accessible at Izumi than just sake like whiskey, wine, beer, and others that tough gentlemen can down “on the rocks” and ladies convert to cocktails.

It offers the best bottle promos in the Burgos Circle on Jack Daniels, Arctic Vodka, Jose Cuervo, Tequila Rose, Bacardi, Jagermeister, Glenfiddich, Evan Williams, and Southern Comfort – with these at buy one take one or at discounted prices. With Izumi’s daily promos, running your tab to the roof is no big concern.

What sparkles brighter than the lone silver pole, open to guests for pole dancing, is their new man in the kitchen, celebrated chef, Chef Him Uy de Baron. Other than full course meals during lunch and dinner, the rebuffed menu now also boasts of small plates to accompany your drinking pleasure. Mind you, Chef Him, “The Seasoned Chef,” brings with him his education from Le Cordon Bleu Australia and experience from running kitchens in Sydney.

He’s also the brilliance behind famed East Café and still continues to be its culinary consultant while managing his own Japanese restaurant Nomama in Quezon City. With that said, enough with the usual fares that can stretch your boredom from the office to your after-five life. Expect your bar chow to be elevated to a different experience.

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