Tsuta, the world’s first Michelin-starred ramen restaurant from Tokyo, opened its doors in Bonifacio Global City last December to the delight of local foodies and ramen aficionados. While there are already several ramen brands in the country, this is the first ramen restaurant to open here with the distinguished One Michelin Star from the globally renowned Michelin Guide. I really love eating ramen, but I have yet to visit Tsuta because of my busy schedule. Thankfully, I chose the perfect time to finally try their award-winning Japanese soba noodles because Chef Yuki Onishi, the founder and master chef of Tsuta, is back in the country to launch their new Philippine Original Series.
The first branch of Tsuta in the Philippines is located at the C3 upper ground level of Bonifacio High Street Central in Bonifacio Global City. It was brought to the country by FooDee Global Concepts, the same group that operates Pound by Todd English, Bench Cafe, Tim Ho Wan, and other popular restaurants around the city. Chef Yuki Onishi opened his first restaurant in Tokyo in January 2012 and began receiving awards from 2013 until it became the world’s first Michelin-starred Ramen in 2015. He opened his first international branch in Singapore in 2016 and it has also been franchised to Taiwan, Hong Kong, and finally in the Philippines.
Tsuta BGC occupies a relatively small space, typical of those local ramen eateries in Japan. The setup is casual and informal, giving you the idea that the food is the main highlight of the restaurant. Tsuta offers an authentic yet modern ramen dining experience, driven by his ambitious desire to create truly original flavors using premium and natural ingredients.
The best seats in the house would definitely be at the bar directly in front of the chefs. Chef Yuki Onishi is back in Manila to personally attend to the kitchen and to the launch of his Philippine Original Series which will include a new ramen variant as well as other new appetizers and side dishes.
The name Tsuta originates from Chef Yuki’s family crest which also means “Ivy” in Japanese. While there have been a deluge of ramen restaurants in the city, Tsuta promises to offer something totally different from the very rich and oily ramen Filipinos are used to eating. I’m very excited to get my first taste of this multi-awarded Michelin-star ramen.
Chef Yuki learned the art of making ramen in 1997 at his father’s ramen shop, ‘Nanae no Aji no mise, Mejiro’ after graduating from high school. He then opened his own restaurant, Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta in Sugamo, Tokyo in 2012. His artistry in combining ingredients lifts his ramen into a higher dimension, although this sometimes brings him in conflict with his father who prefers a more traditional style.
What makes Tsuta special is Chef Yuki’s unique combination of his signature Dashi soup broth, oils, and sauces which come together to create a delicate, multi-layered umami flavor. He left a budding fashion career to pursue his dream, and the result is a Michelin-star for Tsuta for the last three years.
Chef Yuki flew back to Manila this April to personally oversee the launching of the Philippine Original Series. I heard that the opening menu of Tsuta Philippines was limited to only three ramen variants, so this new Filipino-inspired bowl will be a welcome addition.
I started my Michelin-star ramen experience with their Aburi Niku (P130), one of the side dishes offered at Tsuta. These charred and blow-torched pork cubes are drenched in onion sauce then garnished with leeks and watercress. It’s a good way to jumpstart my taste buds before my ramen arrives. They also offer a few rice toppings including rice bowls topped with char siu or pork cubes. The menu really is quite short, so it’s good that they are adding new items.
The soba noodles at Tsuta are made from the mixture of several kinds of wheat flour and whole wheat flour which are produced at the restaurant. Tsuta’s soba are slightly different from other ramen noodles, with the former being a bit thicker and more al dente or hard. This allows more of the ramen broth to be soaked up inside the noodles. Despite the difference in terminology, it’s still okay to just call it a ramen.
The bowl that gave Tsuta the coveted Michelin Star is its signature Shoyu Soba (P390). At first glance, the shoyu soba looks much lighter than the usual ramen variants we see, but that is what makes it so different. Instead of using a tonkotsu broth made with pork bones and pork fat, Tsuta’s unique dashi is a blend made with chicken, asari clams, and seafood which are carefully selected by the Master Chef. The soy-based shoyu soba uses fully-matured two-year old soybeans sourced from the shoyu brewery in Wakayama which are specially produced for the restaurant. A dash of black truffle oil is also added which results in a light and clean-tasting broth that brings out the umami flavors of the ingredients.
While some ramen lovers may prefer the rich and oily versions, I actually found myself enjoying the light but sophisticated flavors from the Shoyu Soba. Other ramen may have an in-your-face explosion of flavors, but Tsuta brings with it a more elegant and refined taste and depth. Sipping the broth actually reminds me of chicken soup lovingly prepared at home, but on a whole new level. I actually feel healthier while eating it. Now I understand how Tsuta got its Michelin Star, not through sheer overpowering flavors, but through finesse and a masterful combination of ingredients. I still like the richer versions, but Tsuta gives a different ramen experience altogether.
The standard Shoyu Soba comes with one slice of pork char siu, bamboo shoot, and leeks, but you can also choose to add more toppings like the Char Siu Ajitama Shoyu Soba (P620) which comes with four slices of char siu and a flavored egg. This is one of the best ajitama or soft-boiled eggs I have encountered as it is perfectly cooked with a runny egg yolk that goes so well with the ramen.
After coming to the Philippines for the grand opening of Tsuta, Chef Yuki Onishi made his return to launch the Philippine Original Series which includes a master creation made specially for the Philippine market. We were lucky to be one of the first to taste this new creation last April 3 so I was really excited to try it.
Chef Yuki personally prepared each of these new soba bowls inspired by Filipino flavors. True to his art and philosophy of exploring and learning foreign cultures, Chef Yuki introduces the new Sang La Tan Tan Soba.
The Sang La Tan Tan Soba is Tsuta’s version of the Tantanmen married with the Philippine’s most popular dish - Sisig! Never in my mind would I think of combining these two national treasures but Chef Yuki has done it masterfully. The Sang La Tan Tan Soba comes with a beautiful blend of the restaurant’s signature Dashi and Shoyu Tare combined with locally sourced ingredients including peanut paste, chili, and white cane vinegar. It is then garnished with leeks and sautéed minced crispy pork, giving it that crunchy texture we all love from the sizzling sisig.
The result is a ramen bowl that is both spicy and slightly sour with just a hint of sweetness. It has an unmistakable flavor that is uniquely Filipino but is also Japanese as well, which is an astounding feat that only a Master Chef like Yuki Onishi can create.
This broth is richer than the Shoyu Soba, so those who are hesitant to try the lighter broths at Tsuta should go and get this variant. It is not as spicy as other tantanmen I have tried, so the heat is just right for the Filipino palate. The Sang La Tan Tan Soba is available starting April 7, but it will be limited to only 50 bowls a day. Since it take 12 hours or more to prepare the stock, once it runs out for the day, the restaurant cannot prepare more even if they wanted to.
Chef Yuki’s Philippine Original Series will be launching for the whole month of April, with other original dishes such as gyoza, karaage, and green tea pudding making its way into the menu week by week. That should give you more reasons to visit Tsuta this month so you can experience this wonderful Filipino master creation. I’ll be back really soon to try the other new appetizers and side dishes, so hopefully then don’t run out of Sang La Tan Tan Soba for me!
Tsuta Philippnes
Upper Ground Level C3, 7th Ave, Bonifacio High Street Central, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
