Sigekiya Ramen:a unique taste of Japan in one bowl

Authentic Japanese ramen has been an elusive concept to my mind. With all the commercialized offers of this noodle dish in the market promising to be the best and the most unique, I truly don't know which is the most superior. On the other hand, Sigekiya Ramen promises a special brand of ramen that will surely remain unforgettable to the palate. 

The term Sigekiya indirectly means "something spicy". According to the owner, this name correlates to their ramen which has the option to be served according to the degree of spiciness the customer prefers, particularly ranging from level 0 to level 100+. 

Sigekiya is actually a noodle house that started in Japan. The owner, a Filipino expat in Japan, fell in love with the ramen after trying it out. It came to a point when he had the ramen for 2 times a week. Upon his return, he immediately started this place as a business franchise. The franchise came from Yokohama, Japan, a city 40 minutes away from Tokyo with dining traditions similar to that of the capital's. According to him, the alcohol, condiments, and sauces are all imported; while the meat, noodles, rice, and vegetables are composed of fresh local ingredients. The interiors, on the other hand, can seat about 30 people, and it mimics a typical Japanese ramen place complete with a bar. 

Sigekiya's ramen comes in two major variants. One is the Sigekiya ramen, which as said earlier, can be customized when it comes to the spiciness level. It has thick noodles akin to Chinese chami noodles used in lomi, a few thick slices of chasu or grilled pork, bamboo shoots, nori, and fresh leeks. Its main selling point though, is the special broth that deviates from the typical watery noodle soup made out of pork bone broth. This is instead, a thick dark soup with special secret ingredients especially made by the Japanese franchisors. As said earlier, its spiciness level can be customized from level 0 to level 100+.

Being adventurous, I had this signature dish at spiciness level 15. I must say that the broth is top notch. The thickness and consistency brimmed with that special flavor. Furthermore the thick slices of chasu, chopped to perfection, added to that stocky taste. As for the noodles, I had a bit of difficulty picking it with chopsticks due to its slippery and thick texture. But nonetheless, the taste was pretty satisfactory. I just hope that the noodles would be a bit thinner so as not to be too overwhelming. Bamboo shoots and nori were pretty excellent accompaniments to the already rich taste. The special Japanese chili spice powder took the cake. It was easy on the throat in large quantities, unlike the Sichuanese chili oil I have become fond of. Furthermore, the spice was pretty easy to take in large quantities. Some people have eaten the ramen at spice level 100+. At Php 360 per dish, it was pretty reasonable to the pocket as well as the palate.

On the other hand, the Tsukemen is a unique noodle dish that requires the customer to dip cold noodles into the hot fish broth topped with fish powder. While it takes longer to serve, the dish offers one a unique dining experience. The dish is 360 Php for a regular size as well. 

Their best selling side dishes usually include their tempura, gyoza, okonomiyaki, and Chicken karaage. While the gyoza reminded me of Xiao Long Bao, I found the former easier to pick up and eat. The dumpling was not overflowing with soup; and the dish was easy on the palate. It can be mixed together with vinegar and soy sauce plus a little chili for that tangy taste. A 5 piece variant goes for Php 130. Not bad for a signature snack. The oknomiyaki, otherwise known as a Japanese pancake, is a side dish that is topped with fish flakes and consists of a pan heated crust with cabbage and special filling. I'm not an expert on this dish but I'd say it's pretty decent and might go well with something sweet. A small pan goes for Php 150. 

The meal was ended with complimentary frozen jelly. While the place doesn't serve any dessert, I'd say that the jelly was enough to finish the melange of rich flavors and tastes that I've experienced at this session. I'd truly want to experience more of their flavors someday.

Sigekiya Ramen is located at 1/F Commercenter Mall, Commerce Drive, Filinvest, Alabang. You can visit their FB page at https://www.facebook.com/SigekiyaRamenPH/

The story in pictures:

The gyoza set

The complimentary frozen jelly

The Sigekiya emblem

Okonomiyaki at Php 150

The Signature Sigekiya Ramen at Php 360.

The clean, Japanese-inspired interiors

The Sigekiya ramen that reminds me of lomi, but with taste that is light-years more flavorful

The menu

The special chili pepper sourced from Japan

Chicken Karaage at Php 180 per serving

Me trying out the gyoza

The Tsukemen meal

Ebi Tempura at Php 290 for 5 pieces.

Tsukemen soup with fish bits on top

The kitchen area

The all-Japan sourced condiments

The signature Sigekiya ramen before being mixed.

A Warmup at CrossfitMNL Alabang

2 weeks ago, Ms. Jennifer Rabe invited me to bloggers' trial at CrossfitMNL Alabang. Since I have been exposed to the discipline a long time ago, I gave it a shot since my work prospects included a transfer to the south. 

Crossfit was a fitness system that was conceptualized in 2002 by Greg Glassman and has since branched out to hundreds of countries worldwide. A gym is usually called a box where people learn the discipline in group classes. The system has its own unique terms for its activities. Exercises are not repeated every session. Instead, participants are given different sets of exercises for every meeting. A usual session lasts form 45 minutes to one hour, perfect for those who have cramped schedules. Also, a typical session is divided into three phases. The first is the warm up routine, while the second and third sets are usually composed of various strength and conditioning exercises that will surely test a person's limits and improve his well-being in general.

I found the system very educational and quite addictive as well. During my previous experience, I learned a lot about the proper forms of exercise routines and the right amount of reps for each routine. I also made a lot of new friends and acquaintances from there.

CFMNL is the official Crossfit brand that opened here in the Philippines. It has branches in Quezon Ave, Commonwealth, the Fort, Alabang, Makati, among others. It has been in operation for more than 5 years. The Alabang box is quite spacious, with a capacity more more than 30 people at any given time. Their facilities include dedicated comfort and shower rooms, a rope for climbing exercises, stationary bikes, free weights, barbells, dumbbells, steel bars, and kettlebells, They also have monkey bars for grab training. You can say that the gym is fully loaded. It is also fully airconditioned.

Upon entering, our trainer oriented us on the proper way of doing squats and basic warm up exercises. Our most intense part was the 200 meter run and the group exercise which consisted of 6 jumps, 3 squats, and a 10 m tag which left most of us exhausted. After the routine, we had a treat consisting of a paleo meal which was either composed of bacon with sweet potato and egg or a beef and veggies with rice meal.

CrossfitMNL's programs range from the bootcamp (beginner) and the Wod or Workout of the Day(advanced); and they have programs for 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months. They have classes from Monday to Saturday and an open gym on Sunday. 

Truly, Crossfit is a good start for those who want to make themselves, better, faster and stronger in a shorter amount of time. 

CFMNL's gym is located at the La Fuerza Compound, Alabang, in front of Wilcon Builders. You can check out their FB page at https://www.facebook.com/CrossFitMNLSouth/?fref=ts

The coach explaining the fundamentals of crossfit.

The well-equipped gym

The bloggers who had the experience

A crossfit water jug

Food Review: Mati's Meat and Bread in River Park, Filinvest Festival Mall Alabang

Last September 8. 2015, Sky Gavin of wheninmanila.com invited me to a food tasting at Mati's Meat and Bread situated at River Park, Filinvest Festival Mall, Alabang. Our group spent an hour and a half for travel time. The distance was frustrating, but the quality food made the journey worthwhile. 

Immediately upon arriving, we were immediately treated to a wave of nothing but food of the highest quality. This isn't surprising since the Mati's is owned by the same restaurant group that owns Melo's and House of Wagyu, two of the most well-established meat and steak joints in the country. Melo's is owned by his father-in-law Melo Santiago, the person who pioneered the importation and use of imported Angus Beef in the Philippines.

Mati's is taken from the name of his son. Also, the menu names are also based on the names and favorites of his family and immediate relatives. The restaurant is about four years old. According to the owner, Mati's serves Filipino fusion cuisine with steak specialties. This concept is due to the fact that he travels all over the U,S, and Canada, where he usually gets his ideas. The conceptualization of these ideas culminated in the formation of the restaurant. While the restaurant group has been a stable fixture in the fine dining scene, they still made it a point to cater to other middle class markets through this joint. Another reason for creating the venue is to showcase the wonderful new ideas without question or conflict with the other restaurants that the group owns.

Aside from the fusion cuisines, the star of the show is the steak menu consisting of Certified Angus and USDA Classic Steak. Surprisingly, price points are lower than that of the other restaurants in the group. All steaks are still imported, and are at par to that served in Melo's. Apart from the steak, the menu also boasts of cheesy favorites. According to the owner, nothing can go wrong with cheese on top.

For starters, we had a wonderful array of creamy appetizers consisting of Spinach Dip and Truffle Bone Marrow. Both are served with French Bread. Both dishes make it highly preferrable as dips for the bread due to the right combination of thickness and taste. Both are also heavily coated with cheese to enhance flavor and thickness. I especially found the the Bone Marrow to be more preferable due to the fact that I like animal fat. Good thing I don't have to worry about cholesterol at my age.

The next part of the repertoire was the Mama's Buffalo Wings. The recipe was based on that of the owner's mom. This time, the wings were spicy and tangy. It was a refreshing addition to soothe the fatty taste of the dips we had earlier. The blue cheese dip that came with the wings gave it a unique flavor. Since it was a bit strong, it overpowered the taste of the chicken, but the experience was still remarkable nevertheless.

The most surprising part of the menu was the cholesterol-inducing Balut Aligue. This fat filled goodness should be enough to knock out people with high cholesterol; but most of the older guests still dared to try it. Personally, I'm not a fan of balut. However, I gave it a try to see if this high-cholesterol treat was worth it. I'd say it was. The balut was not too salty. The aligue seemed to provide some sweetness to it even.  At least I overcame my fear of duck eggs.

To accompany the fatty Aligue, we had a helping of Baked Mussels. The appetizer was king-sized and fresh! 8 pieces were strewn across the plate. The oysters also had a heap of cheese and butter for more fatty goodness. I especially enjoyed this dish since I love oysters. They were really baked well. Nothing was overcooked.

Five appetizers aren't enough according to the owner. We had a taste of their salad varieties including Vince's chicken spinach salad and Camille's spinach salad. At about 200 pesos, these were a steal. Ordinary salads would just use lettuce. But not this one. These had lettuce peppered with spinach and arugula, two vegetables that are used in artisan pizza. Apart from that, these had unique toppings. Vince's salad had roast chicken and onion rings. Camille's had the spicy chili vinaigrette and mango. I'd say that these two variants gave a well-needed twist to a dish that was once considered boring.

The carb-filled goodness was continued with their pasta and pizza variants. Bia's Four Cheese, Tali's Gamberetti, Salpico Pizza, and Pepperoni Pizza were served for the day. All of these variants had a generous helping of mozzarella cheese. They differed in their toppings. For starters, Bia's four cheese was mixed with white and goat cheese, apart from the mozzarella. Cheese lovers had their way with this one. On the other hand, The Gambretti was for seafood lovers. It had bits of anchovy interspersed with olive for that genuine Mediterranean taste. The Salpico pizza was a taste of things to come. The beef was very soft and tender, and it was accentuated with garlic. You can actually forget the cheese and crust when you have tasted the meat. Lastly, the pepperoni was laden with pesto sauce for that unique feel. It was a bit salty, but bearable. In sum, I'd take the Salpicao pizza anytime over all the others due to my biased preference for steak!

The pasta selection was impressive too. We had two variants. These were the Truffle and Shrimp Pasta which served as the seafood variety. The Truffle pasta served as the standard type. Both were pretty savory. The Truffle pasta was mixed in olive oil, which gave it a vibrant flavor. Further, it was complemented by a generous helping of garlic bread. The sauce wasn't overpowering compared to the pasta of other establishments. The seafood pasta, on the other hand, had fresh shrimp. I didn't get any allergies from it.

We also sampled one sandwich called the Grilled Cheese. True to its name, it had a generous helping of cheese melted in between two whole wheat bread slices. I love the fact that the bread didn't crumble after every bite. It stood firm as it was being eaten. The cheese wasn't salty either. 

As the steak was getting nearer to our table, we had to overcome one last obstacle: the Salpicao. As Mati's was part of the Melo's group, this dish lived up to its reputation. The salpicao had the right mix of saltiness and sweetness reminiscent of imported steak. However, this was just the prelude. The Salpicao had a generous helping of garlic rice on the side. It also had the sauce wh

The ultimate centerpiece of the feast was the steak. The way they cool steak is unique. As an option, the staff cooks it in the pugon which is usually done in front of the customer to ensure freshness. Flammable gel is used to minimize the smell of cooking. Two variants were given to us: the USDA and Angus Steak. We had to wait for about 15 minutes before it was cooked. The wait had great rewards, though. Being medium well, these steaks represented the Mati's brand well. These were juicy with every bite. They were best served without barbecue sauce or gravy for one to fully experience that beefy flavor. Fortunately, the edges were not burnt or mangled. It just shows how well they cook the meat. As for the taste, I'd say that the meat was top class. It didn't taste burnt or bloody. It was grilled to perfection. Also, the steak melted in my mouth as I ate it. The experience really persuaded me to go back and try more of their steak variants next time.

No meal shall ever end without dessert! True to this motto, the owner indulged us with their cakes. We had the Red Velvet, Eclair, and the Choco Fudge cakes. The Eclair and Choco Fudge cakes were topped with Ice Cream. I'd go for the Eclair cake since I'm a lover of chocolate. But, the others were great too. No overpowering sweetness here. All were tempered with the right mix of sugar, cream, and icing that gave the dishes their unique twist. The Eclair and Choco Fudge cakes focused on chocolate flavor while the red velvet cake focused on enhancing that well-known cream cheese flavor. My personal preference goes with the eclair cake due to its cheesecake-style base.

Of course, the trip was a very memorable one. I couldn't wait to go back there with family and friends!

For those interested, Mati's Meat and Bread is located at River Park Filinvest Festival Mall, Alabang. You can call them at 847-2273. Their facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/matismeatandbread 

The story in pictures:

The menu: note the very affordable prices!

Truffle Pasta

Four Cheese Pizza

Vince's Chicken Salad

Pepperoni Pizza

The USDA Steak

Mashed Potato and Corn and Carrots

The Angus Steak

Baked Mussels

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Camille's spinach salad

Red Velvet Cake

Eclair Cake

The cholesterol-rich Balut Aligue

Choco Fudge Cake

Mama's Chicken Wings

Salpicao Pizza

Seafood Pasta

Truffled Bone Marrow

The USDA Steak

Pictures courtesy of Arnold Yew of Citylifemanila.asia

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