Meet Tsuta, the Ramen with a Star
The world’s first Michelin-starred ramen restaurant opens Manila branch on December 16
As a kid, you knew you did well when you come home with a star stamped on the back of your hand. You parade it proudly, refusing to wash for fear the badge of honor disappears. Little did you know that for adults, a star award feels just as glorious.??
Chef Onishi Yuki was awarded One Michelin Star in 2015 for his ramen joint Tsuta. He admits to being overjoyed at the recognition – the world’s first for a ramen restaurant and the only ramen shop in the world to have a star for 2015 and 2016. A Japanese noodle dish served in savory broth, ramen is a global culinary icon well-loved the world over as comfort food any time of day. One can tell that foodie Filipinos aren’t immune to its charm, just looking at the ramen places mushrooming in the last few years. If you think you’ve tasted every kind of ramen in Manila, wait till you meet the signature ramen dishes that earned Tsuta the coveted star.Chef Yuki creates his own recipes to offer unique versions of the ubiquitous Japanese fare, while remaining as authentic as ramen can get. His award-winning Shoyu Soba (soy-based sauce flavored ramen) boasts of the highest quality freshly made noodles and a deliciously rich broth from a blend of stock of asari clams and chicken, which makes it light, refreshing, and different from what’s currently available. It is then flavored by soy sauce made out of soybeans fully matured for two years in the shoyu brewery in Wakayama, especially for the restaurant. The resulting broth is clear, allowing other ingredients like the char siu, bamboo shoots, leeks, and truffles pureed in truffle oil to take center stage in the mouth in a well-orchestrated explosion of flavors.
The first Tsuta shop opened in Sugamo, Tokyo in January 2012 out of Chef Yuki’s vision of showcasing to the world a dish that is authentically Japanese. Following years of training under and working for his father’s ramen shop, Chef Yuki has mastered what ramen is supposed to be like, while still incorporating his own art into it. By carefully selecting the ingredients that go into the broth and masterfully controlling the elements that affect the taste and quality of the noodles, define ramen he actually did.
The Michelin star award came as a surprise to the chef, given the fickle selection process and the anonymity of the Michelin Guide reviewers. In fact, he was sound asleep on that fateful Tuesday night when he got the call. Yet, even before the star, Tsuta was pretty popular, with people lining up as early as 6AM to get their hands on the delicious bowl for when the shop in Tokyo opens at 11AM. You can imagine how insanely long the line grew after the awarding!As certified foodies would know, the Michelin Guide traces its history way back to the 1900s when the tire company put out a guidebook to encourage road tripping in France. It eventually sent anonymous reviewers to try restaurants, a strategy it has continued to this day. The reviewers then decide who deserve stars, based solely on criteria relating to the food ? quality, mastery of technique, personality, and consistency. Tsuta’s One Star meant that it is a good place to stop along one’s journey, offering cuisine prepared to a consistently high standard.It may be France’s gastronomic bible but the Michelin Guide has worldwide influence and belonging to such an elite roster has immeasurable impact on its recipients. Demand for the Michelin-starred ramen skyrocketed, prompting Tsuta to open branches in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Manila, and Singapore, where some 200 people lined up on opening day.
May in Hong Kong in causeway bay. In September another branch in Hong Kong and both with long lines at Tsim Shat Tsui Harbour City. Their latest opened in
Dec in Taichung, Taiwan and tomorrow in the Philippines @tsutaphilippines which is their 4th overseas shop owned and operated by @foodeeglobalconcepts#foodeeglobalconcepts
Big Surprises Await First 100 in Line on Tsuta Ramen’s Opening Day
Score one-year supply of free ramen on December 16
Ramen lovers, rejoice!
This is not a drill! Tsuta, the world’s first Michelin-starred ramen restaurant, is finally opening in Manila and it’s giving away prizes to the first 100 in line! Be among the elite 100 who get to try the award-winning ramen in Bonifacio High Street on December 16, and reap rewards your ramen-loving heart will thank you for.
The first 10 guests in line will receive a one-year supply of Tsuta ramen, served as one hot, delicious bowl of ramen per week, of their choice of specialty shoyu (soy-based sauce), shio (salt-based sauce), or miso soba. Diners 11 to 30 get six months’ worth, while numbers 31-50 will enjoy free ramen once per week for 3 whole months. Meanwhile, the succeeding 50 people in line will each get a voucher for one free bowl of signature Tsuta ramen valid for claiming anytime within one year. Prizes are non-transferable and not convertible to cash.
If you’re lucky, you might get to meet Tsuta’s founder and executive chef Onishi Yuki. He trained under and worked for his father’s ramen restaurant before opening his own shop in Tokyo in 2012. Since then, it has branched out to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and Manila. Tsuta is the world’s first ramen shop to have a Michelin star for 2016, 2017, and 2018. It was brought here by FOODEE Global Concepts, the same group behind Todd English and Tim Ho Wan Philippines.
Don’t miss this chance and line up as early as you can at the UG/F C3 Bonifacio High Street Central, 7th Ave. corner 30th Street. Queue will be accommodated as early as 6AM, and numbers will be issued to the first 100 in line. The store officially opens to the public at 11:30AM.
For the official terms and conditions, follow Tsuta Philippines on Facebook and Instagram. You may also share photos on social media using the hashtags #TsutaPH and #MichelinStarRamen.
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About Tsuta
Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta serves the World’s First Michelin-starred Ramen. Its founder and executive chef Onishi Yuki opened his first shop in Sugamo, Tokyo in January 2012. Among its signature dishes is the Shoyu Ramen, complemented with truffle oil.
Tsuta has branches in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and Manila.
About FOODEE Global Concepts
FOODEE Global Concepts is one of Manila’s largest multi-brand food groups, continuously dominating the culinary scene with over 30 years of experience under its belt. It is run by the power tandem of husband and wife Rikki and Beng Dee, with their son, Eric.
The FOODEE Group started with homegrown brands for the Philippine market, then moved on to bring brands from all over the world to cater to its sophisticated clientele. These include other Michelin-starred restaurants Tim Ho Wan, FOO’D by Davide Oldani, and Hawker Chan (also coming soon!), as well as Todd English Food Hall, Pound by Todd English, Hook by Todd English, MESA Filipino Moderne, Llaollao, and Sunnies Café. It’s also set to open Bench Café, a concept in partnership with popular clothing brand Bench.
