Friday, June 17, 2011

A Taste of Hokkaido @ Raku (Hokkaido Ramen House)

While waiting for Hubby's boarding call on his way back to Singapore, we decided to pass the time going around NAIA Terminal 3.  I haven't been able to visit their 3rd floor area for the longest time and was actually excited to see anything new (word to the wise, we are seriously neglecting this airport terminal!  There are so many possibilities and spaces to be used for commercial purposes.  I just don't know why our government is taking too long in doing so.)

Hunger eventually got the best of us, so off we went and decided to try Raku (Hokkaido Ramen House).


The food was ok, nothing quite spectacular.  To give them a little credit, though, their Seafood ramen (Php225) had quite a tasty broth which Hubby and I both loved.


And their Japanese Ocha iced tea (Php29) was a house blend concoction. Anyone who's ever read my previous posts knows how much I abhor powdered iced tea mixes! =)


And now on to the not-so positive parts:

I've been a huge fan of Japanese pickled ginger slices for the longest time, ever since my mom forced me to try one on one of our more adventurous culinary exploits.  I must admit, I was instantly hooked.  So when the opportunity arises for me to have a plate / serving, I definitely won't pass it up.  Imagine my surprise when the pickled ginger that came along with my meal was so bland and so warm.  Guess I'm not just used to warm pickled veggies.  Such a dissappointment.  =(

Service was also a little slow considering there were still only a few customers seated the time we came.  So expect a long wait.

But that wasn't the worst part.  Considering how long it took for my order to come in, my Chicken Teriyaki bento (Php235) wasn't even cooked right through.  Yup, it still had raw, bloody parts.  So appetizing...  Hubby immediately chucked it aside (who in their right wouldn't have done as well?)



To be fair though, I was actually quite enjoying my bento til before the bloody discovery.  So sad.  =(

All in all, I guess it's a hit-and-miss thing.  I do hope they do something about the negatives since they really have a lot of promise.  =(

***

Raku (Hokkaido Ramen House)
3rd Floor, NAIA Terminal 3
Pasay City, Philippines

4 comments:

  1. very honest on how you felt about the food, I too have experience such disaster before, well, we never know until we try.

    ReplyDelete
  2. @Nava.K: So true. I love trying out new restos and experiences, whether good or bad, are still experiences nevertheless. =)

    ReplyDelete
  3. My experience with Raku has been quite the opposite.

    My work takes me to Singapore almost every week and I fly CebuPac. The only bright spot for me is eating at Raku before my flight. Their Ramen is the closest to what Ive tasted in Sapporo, Japan and their Gyoza Kyo is also very good (a favorite of my wife and kids). I think this is a Japanese franchise which is why the taste is quite different from Rai Rai Ken and the others.

    Ive never had a problem with their service... in fact, I think its quite good for a casual dining joint.

    Anyway...sorry to hear about your experience...just thought Id share mine

    Mike R.

    ReplyDelete
  4. @Mike R.: Thank you for the comment. I'm glad to hear that. I have to admit, there are instances when an establishment may experience a "bad day" and as such, it is nice to hear that this is not always the case. =)

    ReplyDelete

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