Uma Uma!, a specialty ramen shop born in Japan and popular in Singapore is opening its first outlet in Manila, along with cocktail bar Horse’s Mouth. Here’s a look at what to eat and drink when the two open soon at the second level of S Maison in Conrad Manila.
Uma Uma!: Original Hakata Ramen
It was as early as January 2015 that Iki Concepts, the Singapore-based group bringing in the two food concepts in the country, decided to bring in the restaurant and bar. "We decided on this space in April 2015," says Russell Yu, director of Iki Concepts, "and we will now open on June 15, 2016." In Japan, Yu shares that Uma Uma is known for quality ramen, and his partner stumbled upon the shop in Japan — it was the only place that was specializing in ramen, and also serving wine and yakitori. Impressed by the food and most especially its noodles, they decided to bring the brand and its Fukuoka recipe to Singapore.
Uma Uma was formerly known as 'Wu Maru,' established in the 1950s, known for its hearty tonkatsu stock and noodles based on a family recipe (they are also 100% MSG free). "Uma Uma is known for traditionally pork based broth, and thin white noodles," Yu shares, "I think the difference of Uma Uma compared to other ramen chains is that the owners of the business in Japan are very open with us trying a lot of things with the noodles." One of these things include a soba dish they experimented on and was approved. Traditional meets modern at Uma Uma, and upcoming are more innovative ramen flavors. "We also have a mentaiko ramen that we'll introduce; we have white truffle ramen in Singapore," Yu adds, "so we can do a lot of fun and funky things with the food the way other places can't." He also shares that they want to explore on using aligue (crab fat) on a noodle soup, and I personally look forward to that kind of ramen!
In the Philippines, Uma Uma’s menu is straightforward, showcasing five noodle dishes and additional toppings one may place on their bowl of noodles. Their two signature dishes here are the Uma Uma Ramen (P360) with chasiu, spring onions, black fungus, spicy miso, and soft boiled egg; and the Mazesoba (P360) of spring onion, bamboo shoots, chill oil, bean sprouts, sesame seeds, and onsen egg. It’s highly recommended to have this soba with chasiu (P390) for an extra filling treat. According to Russell, all ramen bowls will be sold below 400 Pesos.
Three other ramen are included on the opening menu — Spicy Chasiu Ramen, Tonkotsu Ramen (P360), and Garlic Ramen (P360). The spicy ramen will lure fans of the tantanmen and will hook them right in, as its broth is surprisingly less indulgent and oily. The Garlic Ramen has clean flavors, and the same can be said for the tonkotsu variety, as every bowl of ramen in Uma Uma is free of MSG and uses natural flavors to achieve the umami experience in every slurp and bite.
Add-ons and bites include One-Bite Gyoza (P140), miniature dumplings of the Japanese staple; crisp and juicy Chicken Karaage (P160), and Yaki Chasiu with a delicious glaze giving it slight bitter yet sweet finish. Rice bowls are also available, like the Karaage Don (P190) and Chasiu Don (P190), if noodles do not fancy you once in a while.
Customers can also design their own Lunch Set from Mondays to Saturdays (11:30am to 2:30pm), and this lets diners choose their ramen, one additional topping, one side dish, and a beverage — a value for money filling meal.
Horse’s Mouth: A Hidden Cocktail Bar
After slurping on Uma Uma's ramen, tumble over to Horse's Mouth for some cocktails. "It's called the Horse's Mouth because we tie it back to Uma Uma," shares Russell, "the Chinese/Japanese character of 'uma' is horse, and the entrance of the bar in Singapore is also through the ramen shop."
Horse's Mouth in S Maison is just past a curtain at the other end of Uma Uma, and soon the bar will be offering classic drinks and signature cocktails to the thirsty. "We felt like we could do something interesting here; we'll start out with more classic driven cocktails but are working on some local flavors," Russell says. Bartender Johan Foong of Horse's Mouth in Singapore currently helms the Manila bar to supervise the cocktails and create a tasty lineup of drinks.
Classics included on their lineup are Fluffy Duck, a silky drink of dark rum, lemon juice, sugar, egg yolk, and nutmeg; and White Lady, a mix of gin, triple sec, and lemon juice. Signature Cocktails of Horse's Mouth include Aphrodisiac (gin, lime juice, sugar, Japanese cucumber, mint, absinthe, egg white) and Ool-d Fashioned (bourbon, oolong tea reduction, angostura bitters). To integrate more local flavors, Russell Yu shares that they're playing with the idea of having our local ensalada of tomatoes and salted egg, and transforming it into a drink. "We're also working on a twist on the Bloody Mary," adds Russell. Soon when it opens, you can also have bespoke cocktails at Horse's Mouth to suit to your taste.
Uma Uma! and Horse's Mouth will open to the public on Wednesday, June 15, 2016. The restaurant and bar are located at the second level of S Maison, Conrad Hotel Manila. Visit www.umaumaramen and follow Uma Uma! Philippines on Facebook and Instagram (UmaUmaPH).
