Ramen Keisuke Tori King
G/F Tower 1, Corporate Plaza, 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City
Contact: 0917-320-8879
Open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
(SPOT.ph) You’ve probably had tonkotsu ramen—lots of it. We’ve certainly enjoyed our fair share of the pork-based ramen variant. But it’s worth venturing out of the world of porcine, and into other meat options, like chicken—and that’s precisely what you’ll find at Ramen Keisuke Tori King. The ramen joint hails from Japan and has branches in Singapore, where they’re one of the best-known ramen places in the country. And now they're on our shores, serving ramen lovers at their new location in BGC.
The BGC location has a serene feel, with light wooden tables and chairs and plenty of natural light—but also has a playful side, in the form of the many vintage Japanese ads and posters pasted on the walls. Founded by Keisuke Takeda, who hails from Hiroshima and has been cooking since he was a child, Ramen Keisuke makes almost every element from scratch—the broths, the meats, and the noodles. Their menu here in the Philippines is short and sweet, focusing on their signature Tori King line, which highlights chicken.
Fronting the line is the original Tori King Ramen with Rich Soup (P400/plain, P460/with egg, P550/with char siu, egg, and seaweed), which uses a special broth made with chicken bones, chicken feet, Japanese seaweed, and other vegetables boiled for eight hours. This makes for a soup that’s almost milky-opaque with a voluptous consistency and an ultra-rich feel on the tongue. The other star of the ramen is the quarter leg of chicken that comes with each bowl. Marinated, boiled, then grilled to brown the top, it is fall-off-the-bone tender—so much so that it yields with the lightest prod of your chopsticks.
You’re in for a treat if you prefer your ramen with a kick: the Black Spicy Tori King Ramen (P420/plain, P480/with egg, P570/with char siu, egg, and seaweed) takes the original Tori King and infuses the broth with Sichuan black peppercorns and sesame oil for a smoky, peppery note. Really wanna take the heat up a notch? Go for the Red Spicy Tori King Ramen (P420/plain, P480/with egg, P570/with char siu, egg, and seaweed), which has the original Tori King amplified with a blend of chilis and chili oil for the right amount of satisfying heat. And if you’re in for a lighter bite, try the Tori King Ramen with Clear Soup (P390/plain, P430/with egg, P460/with char siu, egg, and seaweed), which uses a more refreshing clear broth that’s boiled for a shorter time but still delivers on the umami-filled, poultry-heavy profile of the heavier ramen options.
These bowls of ramen are mighty satisfying on their own, especially if you take the additional char siu and egg option. But if the hunger pangs get really strong while you're waiting for your bowl, they offer complimentary seasoned bean sprouts and hard-boiled eggs (which is different from the ajitsuke eggs served with the ramen) at every table. You can also try their sides: take your pick from the Chicken Karaage (P200) or the Pork Gyoza (P150/three pieces, P250/six pieces), both of which are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.
While the Philippine outpost only currently focuses on the chicken ramen offerings, they might just bring in other specials the ramen chain is known for abroad—including their highly coveted Lobster King—in the future. For now, we’ll keep our fingers crossed and our chopsticks deep in our bowls of chicken ramen.