Hanamaruken's Bowl of Happiness & Drunk Man Rice Bowl

We had a delightful experience at the Hanamaruken branch in Trinoma Mall, the first branch in the Philipines. It started to operate just last year. It was a treat from a great Japanese restaurant that originated in Osaka, Japan.

Hanamaruken was founded in 1982 by a Japanese butcher and meat seller in Osaka named, Takaku Arakawa. The resto is a subsidiary of his Arakawa Pork Company, a reputable supplier of premium meat in Osaka, Japan. His dishes became so popular in Osaka that people are falling in lines patiently waiting for their turn to be served. Hanamaruken put up 40 branches in the city of Osaka alone to accommodate everybody.

A bowl of Signature Happiness Ramen (PHP480) garnished with two halves of tamago (boiled chicken egg with slightly runny yolk), chopped negi spring onion, and that pastry distinctively designed decorative pastry.

The host, Oya Olalia (PR Director), served us the famed bowl of Signature Happiness Ramen. It is the kind of ramen with same authentic ingredients used by Hanamaruken in Osaka, Japan. It was like you got what the  Osaka locals are queuing for everyday there from afternoon till midnight. 

The bowl is of ramen topped with slow-braised pork rib, which I supposed was grilled first before it was braised, is so tenderly done. The meat has a hint of smoky taste and that adds more flavor to this soupy dish. The secrets of this dish lies along the many phases of tedious processes that would take about 20 hours to complete. Hanamaruken strictly follows the philosophy that their dishes should be made with excellent, high-quality meats and prepared by passionate chefs.

A serving of happiness and another for a drunken man

The dish, a Bowl of Happiness, is the gustatory union of dark-browned, slow-braised, soft bone pork rib and Shoyu Tonkotsu ramen noodles. The unification becomes a perfect combination of tastes and satisfaction. As you will notice, there is that piece of black nori sheet at the edge of the bowl  with Japanese characters inscribed on it that can be translated to mean “marriage."

The Hanamaruken served us another bowl of dish with an intriguing name, the Drunk Man Rice Bowl.  Practically, a bowl of cooked rice topped with cubes of tenderly braised kankuni or potbelly pork and two sunny-side-up fried eggs, garnished with home-made braising sauce, chopped negi spring onion, and red chilies.  So called, because it is offered as a perfect dish, or at least ideally for, after having a drinking  spree or simply put it as an ideal dish for those who got drunk in the inuman. Of course, it is also perfect fill for anybody who's is hungry.

A bowl of Drunk Man Rice Bowl

A set of Hanamaruken famous dishes. Now you don't need to go Osaka, Japan anymore to get a taste of these.  You can now easily have it from Hanamaruken branch in Trinoma Mall in North Edsa, Quezon City

We were served with two choices of drinks to pair with the sumptuous authentic Japanese dishes: a mug of ice green tea  and  a cup of Japanese tea. Either of the two makes a refreshing wash down. 

My dear Margette with her mug of refreshing ice green tea. 

A mug of ice green tea and a cup of Japanese tea

Now, you don't have to go Osaka to have what the Osaka folks are patiently queuing long for every night. Hanamaruken has a branch now in Trinoma Mall in North Edsa, Quezon City which you can easily reached by MRT train, buses, taxis, and even jeepneys, or by driving your car along EDSA or any of its connecting major thoroughfares.

The Hanamaruken branch in Metro Manila is in the 2nd Floor (Garden Restaurants) of Trinoma mall.

Lamps with costumed-made circular frames are hanging  strategically on the ceiling, giving a slight old-world feel to the restaurant.

The Trinoma branch is good enough for a number or few groups of diners. Its interior decorations are filled with artistry. Some ancient Japanese music are played here to add more old-world ambiance.

Margette with the group of select food bloggers takes her time taking photos with the famed Osaka dishes

For those in the south of Mertro Manila, there's a second branch of Hanamaruken in Alabang Town Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa City. It opened just recently.

The Hanamaruken place in Trinoma has the feel of Japanese homey  ambiance. Lamps and trinkets are hanging pieces of art balanced with Japanese paintings hanged on the wall.      

Related posts:

• The first Trinoma Food Crawl - we almost crawled the floor after
• Wee Nam Kee's Two Great Dishes in their 2014 Brand New Menu
• Mango Tree Bistro's Two Thai Signature Dishes This year
• Dining authentic Japanese food heritage at Ginza Bairin
• Pearl River Cafe's Cantonese casual dining dimsum resto in TriNoma mall

HANAMARUKEN PHILIPPINES

Location   : 2F Garden Restaurants, Trinoma, North EDSA, Quezon City (location map here).  Another branch is in Alabang Town Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa City

Website    : http://hanamaruken.ph/

Facebook : Hanamaruken Ramen Philippines

Twitter      : Hanamaruken_PH

Instagram : @Hanamaruken_ph

Phone       : (02) 720 9283

Dining authentic Japanese food heritage at Ginza Bairin

Last week, Ginza Bairin was the first resto we raided when we had the "foodcrawl" in Trinoma Mall (North Avenue, Quezon City, Metro Manila). The event was co-sponsored by Yummy Philippines that invited us to join a group of select food bloggers.

Mr. Jimmy Tan, the Managing Director of Ginza Bairin, was our host.  He served us two of their authentic Japanese foods, the Special Katsudon and the Rosu Katsu Curry. What makes dining in Ginza Bairin special is that the ingredients in their dishes are directly sourced from Japan.  Eating here is like you are dining in Tokyo, Japan.

The pork and farm fresh chicken eggs, however, are sourced in the country. They are of premium quality and passed the quality standard prescribed by the Ginza Bairin bosses in Tokyo.

Jimmy Tan introduces the food and dining heritage of Nobukatsu Shibuya, a Japanese pharmacist and epicurean who founded the Ginza Bairin.

All the ingredients used in any of the Ginza Bairin dishes are meticulously sourced and scrutinized. Much more in handling their inventories of meat and other fresh produce. It is a rule in Ginza Bairin that pork must not be frozen and be brought to the kitchen from slaughter house fresh. If storing is required, the meat has to be kept in chiller not in the freezer and must not stay long in the storage.

Another challenging requirement faced by Ginza Bairin franchises here in Metro Manila is that the chicken eggs has to very fresh when used in cooking that it must be within 24 hours from the time it was laid by the hen.

Even the rice are passionately prepared that the cook is told to "cook it with your heart." 

Special Katsudon Set - The katsudon is made with tender hire katsu, fragrant Japanese Koshihikari rice, intensely flavorful sauce of broth simmered for hours, and double serving of golden farm fresh eggs

The special katsudon is served with a cup of miso soup,  slices of fresh fruits, a bowl of cabbage salad, a cup of Genmaicha (Japanese brown rice tea), and small bowl of Seasonal Tsukemono (Japanese pickles).

The fresh farm chicken egg has that enticing hue of freshness.

Ginza Bairin is an authentic katsu dining place in the Metro. The Trimona branch is the third branch in Metro Manila, the other branches are in UP Town Center, Quezon City and in Glorietta 2 of Makati City

It was very interesting to know that Nobukatsu Shibuya, a Japanese pharmacist of Ginza, Tokyo, first introduced the tonkatsu restaurant in Japan in 1927 and invented  the tonkatsu sauce.  

The Rosu Katsu Curry set with the same sidings. A delicious pork loin paired with spiced filled curry. A choice of regular sauce (the mild one) or spicy sauce will make the dish even tastes better  

A serving of sampler of Rosu Katsu Curry  that we tried. It' great tasting indeed. The katsu  tastes great even without the sauce. 

The tasty miso soup has an appetizing effect that I love sipping it before biting the katsudon and munch the Rosu Katsu 

A cup of Genmaicha (Japanese brown rice tea)

Bairin, which means "plum forest" is a place of elegant and stylish culture that inspired the Shibuya family in refining their recipe. As their tribute to the place, they integrated the shape of the plum's flower  in the insignia of  what became their Ginza Bairin restaurant. Ginza, Tokyo is now recognized as one of the most luxurious shopping districts in the world.

 

All the condiments, dressings, and sauces are original and come directly from  Japan.

The original tonkatsu sauce, the same quality, taste, and satisfaction when introduced in 1927 by its inventor, Nobukatsu Shibuya, who happened to be the founder of Ginza Bairin.  

A scoop of Himalayan Pink Salt.

Before we left the table, Jimmy Tan serves us this delectable Green Tea Ice Cream in its natural color and yummy taste. Their ice creams come all the way from Japan.

A bonus serving of Hire Katsu (tenderloin version of Tonkatsu) has a profile of spiky crisp breading with meat that is tender and juicy inside.  A bite comes with a crunchy sound and the dish can be eaten as is and still get that great taste even without the sauce. 

The quality standard and exquisite taste of their heirloom recipes were handed down to the next generations till to the present-day third generation with the grandchild, Masaya Shibuya, proudly taking over the stewardship of their family legacy.  Ginza Bairin has expanded internationally and has branches now in Honolulu, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, and in Metro Manila.

The Ginza Bairin - Trinoma branch in Quezon City

Everybody in Ginza Bairin pays attention to every detail prescribed in maintaining the quality standard of the food they offered to diners. Their bosses in Tokyo are quite rigid in imposing their standard that every year, at least four times a year, a representative from Tokyo would come by in all the Ginza Bairin branches in Metro Manila to check the quality of their food by sampling the food, giving comments, and advising their areas of improvements. It is their mantra that "quality must come first before business."  No wonder the Ginza Bairin restos in Metro Manila are pricing their dishes way far below compared to their counterparts in other countries by more than half their prices though they are of the same exquisite tastes and quality.  In fact, the branches in Metro Manila has been recognized as one of the branches having the best Ginza Bairin's katsu in the world.   

Margette and I were pleased by the legacy of Ginza Bairin.  The authentic food and the story behind it was a great find about great Asian foods. We recommend that others has to try it and learn the value of Japanese meticulosity and passion on food. Here, Margette cannot hide that musing smile of gratitude to be at the place and be served with the real McCoy of Japanese katsu.     

It is guaranteed that real foodies could tell just by one bite or by merely looking at the texture and profile of the food that still Ginza Bairin has the best katsu dishes in the world. It's a great place for dining one great Japanese food heritage.

Ginza Bairin has many more authentic katsu dishes  and side dishes to offer. You need to download this image to get the actual size of the photo. Do it by clicking first the image and wait the full view to appear, then right-click the mouse and then select "Save Image  As..." 

Related posts:

• The first Trinoma Food Crawl - we almost crawled the floor after
• Wee Nam Kee's Two Great Dishes in their 2014 Brand New Menu
• Mango Tree Bistro's Two Thai Signature Dishes This year
• Hanamaruken's Bowl of Happiness & Drunk Man Rice Bowl
• Pearl River Cafe's Cantonese casual dining dimsum resto in TriNoma mall