Japanese food and beer is a pairing that has stood the test of time. Izakayas are a staple where people can enjoy food and drinks but most of the food served in these establishments are usually of the fried or grilled variety.
San Miguel Brewery Inc. (SMB) flips the script, pairing its line of premium beers with another Japanese favorite — ramen. It teamed up with Ramen Ron, one of the metro’s top ramen restaurants which is headed by chef Hiroyuki Tamura of the now-defunct Ukokkei Ramen, the famous noodle place that birthed the ramen craze in the country.
Each hearty bowl is elevated when paired with San Miguel Super Dry, San Miguel Premium All-Malt, San Miguel Cerveza Negra, and San Miguel Cerveza Blanca. Exploring this balance between umami-filled ramen and thirst-quenching beer is about discovering the harmony between rich flavors and crisp mouthfeel.
A bowl of Aburasoba is both hefty in taste and in body. This soupless ramen features thick noodles dressed with tare sauce and topped with pork chashu cubes, spring onions, bamboo shoots, finished with shredded nori and sesame seeds. The dish is paired with San Miguel Super Dry which chases down the rich taste with a clean and crisp mouthfeel.
A serving of Seafood Ramen takes the flavors of the sea to the table. This is a bowl of noodles in Ramen Ron’s signature Ukokkei “silky fowl” broth on a miso-base topped with an assortment of seafood ingredients including shrimp, squid, kani crab sticks, and clams with vegetables and nori. A feast for the eyes and for the senses, this dish is best paired with San Miguel Premium All-Malt because of its distinct, full-flavored, slightly sweetish taste.
Packed with umami, Ramen Ron’s Tantanmen is soulful through and through, with its thick noodles in broth loaded with sesame, chili, miso, and ground pork topped with spring onions. The exciting flavors of Tantanmen pairs very well with San Miguel Cerveza Negra and its hints of caramel, coffee, and chocolate.
Straightforward yet complex, the Ukokkei Shio-Mansi Chashu Ramen is a surprising treat. It features ramen noodles bathed in Ramen Ron’s signature “silky fowl” broth seasoned with a salt and calamansi-base. This is then topped with special thick-cut chashu, bamboo shoots, mizuna greens, and calamansi jelly. The dish pairs perfectly with the refreshing San Miguel Cerveza Blanca which mirrors the citrus notes of the ramen while providing additional hints of spice.
These pairings of Ramen Ron’s signature ramen by Chef Tamura Hiroyuki and San Miguel Premium Beers are available at Ramen Ron Rockwell and Bonifacio Global City until September 30.
