During my conversation with Lee Jose, there was something hovering above us.

The random app on my phone couldn’t seem to translate the embossed red letters in Japanese, which were taking the central ceiling spot of the freshly opened Ippudo Ramen Bar in Uptown Bonifacio.

It turns out it wasn’t as complicated as I thought, and I had probably already spotted the same kanji characters in other Ippudo branches in the past.

“It means ‘Ippudo’ or ‘one wind hall,’” the executive corporate chef of Standard Hospitality Group (SHG) tells me. “Back in the ’80s, ’yong mga ramen places, [they] tend to be male-dominated. So what the founder (Shigemi Kawahara) wanted to do was [to] blow a new [gust of wind representing] a new culture; something fresh for the industry.”

“Small, smoky, and intimidating,” Japan Food Guide writes to describe the male-dominated ramen shops before the supposed change. “Kawahara set out to change that, envisioning a space where anyone could enjoy a bowl of ramen in comfort.”

While absorbing Ippudo’s origin story, I instinctively remembered the Jûzô Itami cult classic “Tampopo,” which was released in 1985, the same year Ippudo was born in Fukuoka. Interestingly enough, the satirical film spotlights a woman—the widow titular character—learning the ropes of making ramen. Despite the film’s eccentric atmosphere, the elements felt delicate and warm, as the preparation up to the consumption of ramen were almost romanticized, and for good reason.

Brave new (ramen) bar

Launched in March 2025, Ippudo Ramen Bar evokes the same feeling of relaxation and softness while keeping the spirit of curiosity alive. For something grand—and I mean, Ippudo’s first ever ramen bar concept anywhere in the world—it does a good job at making you feel grounded. 

“Small Plates, Baos, Sushi, Ramen, & Highballs,” reads the text plastered on the glass of the restaurant’s exterior, letting you peek through high ceilings, plus straightforward, minimalist, and modern interiors. Before you notice it, you swing open the tall glass doors and get lured into a noticeably brighter space with a warmer color palette versus other Ippudo branches.

“We built it for the way people actually eat and hang out now. Good food, casual vibe, no pressure. Whether you’re a ramen fan, someone who appreciates design, or just someone looking for a good night out. It was important not to alienate our core customer but also find a way to introduce ourselves to someone new,” says SHG creative director Michael Concepcion

Once you sit on the stool, you’re in for a cozy chow time, a VIP access to a food preparation preview, or both—similar to the immersive and communal experience izakaya bars offer.

“We built it for the way people actually eat and hang out now. Good food, casual vibe, no pressure. Whether you’re a ramen fan, someone who appreciates design, or just someone looking for a good night out. It was important not to alienate our core customer but also find a way to introduce ourselves to someone new,” says SHG creative director Michael Concepcion, describing the bar as a place to “get a great bowl of ramen but also post up with a drink, catch up with friends, and stay a while. Clean, warm, and friendly. Nothing stiff.”

Reinventing the ramen experience

The prerequisite to “staying a while,” of course, is genuinely good food—and Ippudo Ramen Bar ensures an upgraded menu experience.

“We worked with chef Mark Manaloto from New York and started with the question: How can we stretch the experience without losing the soul? We still have the ramen people know but added sushi rolls, small plates, highballs. It feels bigger without feeling scattered.”

Jose explains, “As you know, we have the normal Ippudo ramen chain. Our kitchen in those restaurants are not geared up to have other dishes, [unlike] here in the Ippudo Ramen Bar, you would have a yakitori, so we’d have a grill. You have the sashimi section, sushi section; we designed this area to have that.”

“As you know, we have the normal Ippudo ramen chain. Our kitchen in those restaurants are not geared up to have other dishes, [unlike] here in the Ippudo Ramen Bar, you would have a yakitori, so we’d have a grill. You have the sashimi section, sushi section; we designed this area to have that,” says Standard Hospitality Group executive chef Lee Jose

It’s about “elevating,” he says. “Our yakitori is not just the normal yakitori stick that is dry, so here, we added the sauce, we added the topping.”

This testament holds true in the special yakitori grilled over binchotan, a high-quality charcoal utilized to impart a distinct flavor to the food sans the usual smoke and odor.

First off is the tsukune with spicy teriyaki sauce, which is perhaps the easiest to chew. Its soft texture sets a pleasurable tone for the munching experience, not to mention the cured egg yolk dip infuses creaminess and amplifies the chicken meatballs’ taste.

If you’re craving more chicken, the tori momo with spicy teriyaki sauce is a flavorful treat—suddenly, it also sparks a newfound appreciation for chicken thighs’ versatility.

Meanwhile, there’s the buta bara with yuzu garlic tare sauce, which may just be the lineup’s unofficial crowd pleaser (just doomscroll through Instagram and you’d know). It packs a balance of citrusy flavor and savory garlic, which effortlessly harmonizes with the juicy and fatty pork belly. Devour it slowly and you’ll notice its smoky notes, too.

If we’re talking about crowd favorites, all roads lead to the signature baos. Indulge in the layers of the miso karaage bun—apart from the lovely inclusion of the chicken karaage, it also has the spicy miso honey that hints of sweetness and prompts a more balanced feel. Add in the yuzu aioli for a tinge of zest.

Jose mentions the yuzu aioli when he zeroes in on the “fun” aspect they try to keep, more particularly when it boils down to keeping ahead of trends without losing their identity. “We [keep] the Japanese concept but [at the same time] putting different twists, putting different flavors.”

Witness this further once the hanetsuki gyoza plates land on your table. “If you notice, our gyoza [has a] very modern take,” Jose says.

Delectable and crunchy, the dish showcases pan-fried shrimp dumplings supplemented with a golden-brown and wispy wafer-like skirt swimming in ponzu, giving a striking mix of savory and citrus tastes. If you’re ready for a stronger kick, try the spicy hanetsuki gyoza subtly immersed in spicy garlic layu sauce. 

Boost the multilayered flavors game with the charred edamame (earthy with hints of lemon, plus nori and togarashi for a bit of umami). Whether you’re in the mood for sushi or not, you’d be glad to secure the salmon soy ginger. Orange, as a flavor, is typically injected in salmon, but in pan-seared or baked versions—so does this work? Spoiler alert: Yes. 

Accompanied with soy-ginger tare, the fresh salmon sashimi cuts topped with light orange brulee makes for a delightful experience—and even more if you pair it with Ippudo Ramen Bar’s handcrafted highballs. Exhibit A: The refreshing gari (or pickled ginger), which captures Ippudo Ramen Bar’s dynamic personality with every sip. “[It’s a] favorite,” Jose shares.

In the age of the sober-curious Gen Z, Jose assures there’s something for everyone in their liquor roster. After all, they also have the katsuboshi (bonito flakes), genmaicha (green tea and whisky), and yuzu (non-alcoholic), among other picks. Concepcion claims that “pairing natural wine and sake with ramen” is a “fun” and “fresh” experience you can score at the restaurant. This is probably because it’s usual for Japanese people to pair their ramen with alcohol. Sometimes, it’s also an effective cure for a hangover, thanks to its anti-dehydration components.

Speaking of ramen, who’d forget the Ippudo Ramen Bar exclusives-slash-main attractions? The core bowls are the best of both worlds. A yuzu-bathed pork broth shines in the white chicken yuzu ramen, perfect for an easygoing day. Prefer a stronger, more savory flavor? Ippudo’s signature bouncy noodles deliver stellar chemistry with the richness of the grilled chicken kuro ramen—infused with black garlic and onion oil—Jose’s go-to recommendation.

Soft power push

Ramen has always been one of Ippudo’s menu pillars, but the ramen bar concept further creates a main character out of it. Not just in a standalone sense, but in an omnipresent and flexible way. For one, ramen’s presence doesn’t diminish the role of side dishes, but lifts them up. After all, side dishes are more than just an afterthought or a passive component here.

“It’s really part of the concept—to have a ramen on your own, and then something to share,” says Jose. “So, we really put focus on [creating] the side dishes [so] that it could stand on its own, [even] if [for example] you don’t want to eat ramen. But [otherwise], it’s a perfect combination with that, especially [with] the buns and gyoza.”

Inviting both a sense of familiarity and area for exploration, ramen is many Filipinos’ gateway dish to Japanese food culture. Jose sees the broth and noodles as main drivers of this interest.

Ramen has always been one of Ippudo’s menu pillars, but the ramen bar concept further creates a main character out of it. Not just in a standalone sense, but in an omnipresent and flexible way

Traditionally, ramen is also eaten solo, reflecting the Japanese ohitorisama culture. There’s a reason why singular booths are built in some ramen shops. Although solo goers are more than welcome to enjoy at Ippudo Ramen Bar, Jose recognizes that Filipinos are big on gatherings. Hence, the group-friendly central seating.

“Our target market is everybody. We see people on their own. They would sit at the bar by themselves, quiet, watching [videos on their phone] while eating ramen. You would [also] see a family of four or six on the other table, you would see groups of friends, or office people,” Jose says. “Sometimes I would just watch the CCTV [and] look at different groups. Where are they coming from? So we’re trying to understand the market.”

Jose meets a diverse range of guests, thanks to how their venue is tucked in the city; family condos, call centers, churches are in proximity. They try to close later at night to pull the bar-attending crowd. Kids also request Ippudo as a post-graduation ceremony treat. “We don’t really jack up the price so much. We stay with that same price point because we want everybody to enjoy it without breaking the bank,” Jose says when asked about what fuels their staying power.

Concepcion believes that they shape the culinary landscape in their area through “[elevating] a casual mall space[…] You can create something experiential, something good, at a fair price, in an accessible place.”

As a tenant of Megaworld Lifestyle Malls, Jose feels supported. “They gave us this nice space. This used to be a bigger space, so we cut it a bit smaller because we are brewing another brand next door.”

As a tenant of Megaworld Lifestyle Malls, Lee Jose feels supported. “They gave us this nice space. This used to be a bigger space, so we cut it a bit smaller because we are brewing another brand next door”

In the space they have, they make sure to deliver a top-tier dining experience. “Coming in hungry, coming out happy, full, [and] satisfied with the memory of spending that time with your friends or family—it is the most important part of the dining experience. Supporting [characters] na lang kami, the people serving you. We shouldn’t distract [you from] what you guys are doing,” he expounds.

Dedication to continuous training

The latter part may plot a small question mark in your head, but that might just be synonymous with their serious case of locking in behind the scenes.

“We make sure that the food coming out of the kitchen is always consistent, always the same as how it’s designed. Each store or each kitchen has a quality system we created here in SHG. We really spend time training,” says Jose.

Placed on the leftmost part of the bar area is a whiteboard carrying a handwritten Henry Ford quote: “Coming together is the beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”

Jose elaborates, “Small things matter when it comes to reminding the staff, ‘This is what we need to focus on today.’ [We] make sure that [when] guests ask about the dish, [they] don’t have to go back to the kitchen and ask about it[…] Even before we open, we do a lot of food simulations. Even the staff, they eat [the food]. We want them to get sick of the food, [so] they know what it is [and the] ingredients [to the core].”

Jose explains that the Japanese culture of consistency and knowing your product deeply rather than merely selling it, has influenced his work ethic. 

“There’s a word called ‘kaizen’ in Japan [which] means continuous training. That’s what we really strive for,” Lee Jose says. “We’re always in that kaizen mode in this company, always training, always finding something new, always improving a little bit at a time. Focusing on quality, consistency, efficiency”

“There’s a word called ‘kaizen’ in Japan [which] means continuous training. That’s what we really strive for,” he says. “We’re always in that kaizen mode in this company, always training, always finding something new, always improving a little bit at a time. Focusing on quality, consistency, efficiency.”

No wonder Jose loves preparing yakitori the most. From an outsider’s point of view, it seems to be a mix of continuous effort, patience, and delayed gratification. “I like being in front of the grill. Very hot. It’s hard to control the heat of the charcoal, so you’re constantly fanning, constantly moving the charcoal.”

It seems that the chef subscribing to this communal kaizen mode isn’t pulled out of thin air—after all, working with people used to be his growing pains.

“I like working on my own, especially when I’m creating a dish. Even before creating [it], I already think about it, I dream about it. But when you’re in the kitchen, you have to work with people. You have to get their ideas, ‘What do you think of this?’”

The chef’s perspective of change and mistakes possibly allows him to see innovation in a positive light, and this doesn’t mean leaving tradition behind. After all, it has always been about blowing a fresh gust of wind when the situation calls for it—or maybe even fanning the charcoal for more passion

Now, he finds joy in collaboration “not just with international chefs, but even with the cooks, the new cooks, the old cooks. Get their taste buds, let them try it. Matabang? Maalat? Get that balance.”

Thus, he hopes that cooks aspiring to open their own restaurants experience wearing many hats first versus rushing. “You should know the ins and outs of the kitchen. The front of the house, the back of the house. Learn from other people’s mistakes. Learn from your own mistakes.”

Jose says, “Don’t stay where you are. Always change, always continuously improve what you’re doing and what you have. Not because this dish has been there for 20 years, it has to stay the same.”

The chef’s perspective of change and mistakes possibly allows him to see innovation in a positive light, and this doesn’t mean leaving tradition behind. After all, it has always been about blowing a fresh gust of wind when the situation calls for it—or maybe even fanning the charcoal for more passion.

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