Joshua Co
The Ramen Craze in an Instant
As you go one of the following well known malls in the Philippines like SM Megamall, Shangri-La, Glorietta, and Greenbelt recently, do you notice the majority of the ramen restaurants? I for one have visited the malls frequently since I was young and recently I have been seeing quite a number of ramen restaurants opening which is quite unusual since you won’t normally open a restaurant unless you see it as a business opportunity right? The ramen restaurants have been opening one after another due to its popularity and success which entrepreneurs saw as an opportunity to open other famous ramen restaurants as it has become a trend.
In SM Megamall as I walk inside the new Mega Fashion Hall crowded with people in the late night, I take the elevator to go up on the 3rd floor of the building where the well-known recently opened ramen restaurant called Ippudo Ramen is. The first sight that will appear before your eyes after the elevator doors open will be a crowd of people lining up for Ippudo. The wait is definitely worth it as the food there is extravagant and definitely food that you will come back with. In an interview from Shigemi Kawahara, he said that the reason people line up in Ipuddo might be “Because it’s delicious. We train our staff that every single bowl of ramen has to have a smile and maybe our customers can feel that. It’s very easy to serve a good bowl of ramen. Delicious ramen is everywhere, but what’s important to us is the quality, the service and the cleanliness” (Japan’s World-Famous Ramen House Opens in Manila). I have eaten their food and I would like to say that the food is divine with rich flavors that Filipinos will love and so far has been the best ramen restaurant in the Philippines in my opinion.
The food trend started pretty recently in the Philippines as Filipinos are only beginning to appreciate high quality food. Although the first ramen restaurant was opened at the year 2013, it was at the year 2014 that ramen became quite an explosion as more people are getting drawn to the taste of ramen and made it a good business opportunity in just a short amount of time. In the article in The Manila Times it is stated that “2014 will be the year that it will start to dictate the food market landscape and possibly even consumer behavior. From Cronuts, to Ramen, to brunch, Filipinos can’t help but eat these trends up.” (Why food trends will be trending in 2014) The opening of ramen restaurants like Nagi, Hakata Ikkousha, Mitsuyado Sei-Men and many more has shown its success which peered the eyes of entrepreneurs which led to the opening of the most talked about Ippudo by John Conception which made more Filipinos take a liking for ramen. Even though Ippudo opened late in the ramen trend, it was able to keep the trend going through its popularity.
The ramen trend is growing in the Philippines as how ramen restaurants treat and serve their customers. The hospitable and comfortable feel you get when visiting these ramen restaurants is perfect for Filipinos as it is said in an article that “The Philippines is an intensely family oriented society” (Watkins 141). As a family oriented society we tend to eat together with our family members and we appreciate the comfortable feeling that ramen provides whenever we eat it. In an interview with some of the customers from ramen restaurants, the reason they come to ramen restaurants is how it gives a good atmosphere, the warm feeling coming from drinking the deliciously hot soup, and the comfort you get when eating good food with family and friends. It can be concluded that ramen restaurants in the Philippines are made to fit the Filipino culture of providing a hospitable and warm atmosphere. As Filipinos tend to provide hospitality to guests, ramen shops has provided the same feeling to make you want to go back. Also when you eat with your family having a warm atmosphere makes you comfortable to talk which is what Filipinos love. So ramen is considered comfort food as it makes us feel at ease and is perfect when eating together with others.
As the ramen food trend became popular we now see ramen just anywhere. In the article “Top Five Food Trends Today” it is stated that “Just about anywhere you go, ramen shops have sprouted in every corner of every vicinity. Sure, ramen has been here for a while and since then has grown so popular” (Wires). The popularity of ramen restaurants can be rooted to the increase of Filipinos going to Japan and how Filipinos have more knowledge in international cuisine and brands. Filipinos now have a much more refined pallet to be able to appreciate foreign cuisine which would be the reason for the popularity and the beginning of food trends.
Ramen may also be a pave way to the awareness of Filipinos to other kinds of food and culture. As they find out about ramen they will be knowledgeable about the food in Japan. They will also be more curious as to where ramen came from which will lead to more and more Filipinos travelling to the food’s origin. The ramen trend has made Filipinos more aware and therefore has influenced them in looking into the wonders of where ramen originally came from which is in Japan.
Ramen has become a food trend in the Philippines and have made entrepreneurs see this opportunity to open ramen restaurants before its popularity would end. As ramen restaurants are being franchised from Japan and are changed to fit the family oriented style of the Philippines which was successful. As Filipinos go to Japan to find stalls or to find out more about Japan they become knowledgeable about the most popular stalls in Japan therefore when these stalls open in the Philippines they are able to recognize the restaurant thus making it easier to be well known. Of course the most important thing is that the food is delicious and something that you are willing to come back. Although this trend might still take a long time to last who knows maybe like some ramen it could only be an instant.

Works Cited “Why Food Trends Will be Trending in 2014.” manilatimes.net.manilatimes, 1 Feb.2014.Web.29 Nov.2014. Pastor, Pam.”Japan’s World-Famous Ramen House Opens in Manila.” lifestyle.inquirer.net. inquirer, 11 Sept. 2014.Web. 29 Nov. 2014.
Watkins, David and Astilla, Estela. “Self-Esteem And Family Relationships: A Filipino Study.” International Journal of Sociology of the Family 10.1 (1980): 141-44. Print. Wires, Tribune. “Top Five Food Trends Today.” tribune.net. Tribune, 31 May, 2014.Web. 6 Jan. 2015.