Noodle fans all over the Metro, we have an announcement to make! THERE’S A NEW NOODLE PLACE IN TOWN! We repeat, there’s a new noodle place in town! Just a couple of days ago, we were able to try out one of the most famous soba (noodle) places from Tokyo and we would like to share about it in this edition of EATSplorations. This soba place is called Menya Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba at Uptown Mall in BGC! Menya Kokoro is known for its amazing Mazesoba. Just in case you don’t know about what Mazesoba means, “Maze” means mix and “Soba” means noodles so in direct translation “Mazesoba” means mix noodles. Mazesoba is also not your ordinary Japanese noodles because it is like ramen but without broth. However, it has its own special sauce and signature ingredients that will surely blow you away. Keep on reading to know more about Menya Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba, enjoy!
Menya Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba at Uptown Mall – BGC!
The first Menya Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba in the Philippines is located at the 3rd floor of Uptown Mall in Bonifacio Global City.
Menya Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba can accommodate around 40-50 diners at a time. The space is quite small and very limited. Don’t expect anything too fancy. When you decide to try it out, just remember that you came because of their amazing Tokyo Mazesoba.
Tokyo’s Number 1 Mazesoba as awarded by Japan’s version of Yelp! We haven’t tried other Mazesoba joints yet but we can use this EATSperience of ours to gauge whether Menya Kokoro really has the best Mazesoba.
What to order at Menya Kokoro? Here’s the menu! We ordered their Tokyo Mazesoba (mildly spicy), Zenbu (everything on it) Mazesoba, Gyoza Cheese, and Takoyaki. They also suggested that we try their Vegan Mazesoba but since each bowl was very filling, we decided to pass. The price range of the noodle and rice bowls is from Php 350 to Php 470.
While waiting, we met the man behind Menya Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba, Chef Takuma Ishikawa. He started it all back in 2013 and just after 6 years, he already has 18 branches in Japan and in 6 different countries and counting.
How to enjoy your bowl of Mazesoba? Simply follow the 4 steps above!
Takoyaki (Php 140)
Started our Menya Kokoro EATSperience with a plate of Fried Takoyaki! Instead of using the usual takoyaki grill, they deep-fry their takoyaki which makes a crispier outer shell and a more solid inside than the traditional takoyaki. We actually found it better because it was lighter, tastier, and easier to eat. Great start to our first-ever Menya Kokoro EATSperience!
Gyoza Cheese (Php 140 for 3 pcs / Php 210 for 5 pcs)
To try something new, we had the cheese gyoza! It was also surprisingly better than the usual gyoza, thanks to the gooey and cheesy filling. The wrapper was nice, thin, and crisp. All in all, one awesome side to have!
Tokyo Mazesoba (Php 350 / available in Non-Spicy, Mild, Medium, and Extra Spicy)
This bowl of Mazesoba is their signature menu item! Aside from the freshly made soba, this one has Seaweed Flakes, Green Onions, Chives, Minced Garlic, Ground Mackerel, Onion, Minced Beef, and Raw Egg (another option can be poached). We ordered the Mildly Spicy bowl and it was good! It has great umami from the mixture of ingredients and the spiciness was just right to cut through the richness of the signature sauce.
Zenbu Mazesoba (Php 470 / available in Non-Spicy, Mild, Medium, and Extra Spicy)
This one has everything the Tokyo Mazesoba has except it has Minced Pork, Chashu, Soft-Boiled Egg, and Bamboo Shoots because “Zenbu” kind of means everything or the whole thing in English. We had this in Non-Spicy so that our baby can try it out. Good thing we did because she loved it! The whole package was just so flavorful and so delicious. It was so hard not to finish it even though we were already so full.
Mazesoba can be enjoyed in THREE WAYS! The first way is just mixing everything together and enjoying it as it is. The second way is by adding some Seaweed Vinegar to cut through the richness of the umami-filled soba bowl and to provide a different kind of EATSperience.
The third and final way is by asking for your complimentary bowl of Japanese rice and mixing it in your excess sauce. Make sure to try all three ways, you will surely love it!
Japanese noodles or soba is not just about ramen or noodles with broth. After this EATSperience, we realized that different kinds of Japanese noodle dishes provide different kinds of satisfaction or satisfy different kinds of cravings. Tokyo Mazesoba is chewy, thick, and really filling. It has a lot of umami that will leave you craving for more even though you’re already extremely full. We feel so blessed that Menya Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba is finally here. A new and unique noodle place to satisfy our insatiable hunger for awesome noodle dishes. That’s it for this edition of EATSplorations, until next time!
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Menya Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba
Third Floor, Uptown Place Mall, 36th Street Corner 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Budget: 1000 php for two
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