“It is a product that offers a very pleasant sensation both in taste and in the body. This characteristic is brought together in a term that in Japan and throughout Asia is known as umami. (one of the five basic flavors that include sweet, sour, bitter and salty), a very characteristic flavor”, are the words of Ramiro Bonilla, general manager of Ichiraku, a restaurant specializing in ramen soup, a dish that has become popular. fashion little by little in Guayaquil and that has achieved a large number of enthusiasts in search of new flavors.
Open since 2019, Ichiraku Ramen or “ramen is the best pleasure”, translated into Spanish, they handle a concept in which they take special care in each of the dishes that are prepared there. “Our line is Japanese. It was created and inspired by the Naruto anime, one of the most popular in Japan. The person who materialized the idea is my brother Roberto Bonilla, a gastronome engineer who loves gastronomy and anime. He decided to combine these two passions and the result is the restaurant we currently have”.
Roberto Bonilla put a lot of emphasis on it according to what the Naruto manga indicates. “He is a character who, like my brother, is a ramen lover.” Hence, when you enter the restaurant you will see drawings on the walls referring to the orphan ninja created by Masashi Kishimoto.
Ichiraku has six varieties of ramen. “They are made up of soy sauce, soy fermented paste, white fermented paste, red fermented paste and a vegetarian option.” So you can choose between the sakura ramen ($14.50), itachi ramen ($13.50), sasuke ramen ($13.50), Naruto ramen ($14.50), neji ramen ($13.50) and the hinata ramen ($12.50).
If you feel like it, you can also order other specialties such as onigiri ($2.75), a rice ball stuffed with teriyaki chicken and egg, wrapped in a small strip of nori seaweed; Japanese gyosa dumplings ($3.99 for three units and $6.99 for 6), with a crispy base and then steamed, filled with three flavors to choose from: beef, pork and shrimp each with Asian vegetables; katsudon ($10), Japanese cranberry rice, pankonized pork cutlet, boiled eggs, caramelized onions, and chives. In the dessert section they have dango ($2) in 3 flavors (matcha, strawberry and vanilla), the spongy Japanese cheesecake ($3.99 a portion and $23.50 whole) and the creamy matcha ice cream ($4 ,fifty). In addition to drinks such as beers, teas and more. Prices include VAT.
It is not a luxurious place, it is cozy and the experience of trying one of the soups is unique. They currently have six tables that, if unrestricted, could accommodate four people each, reaching a maximum capacity of 20 to 25 people. “We have a chef who is in charge of the kitchen. He is responsible for it and was trained and instructed by my brother; he was practically the one who took the baton when my brother left, ”says Ramiro, who has just arrived from South Korea a few days ago. His brother lives in Canada and is a professional chef graduated from Ecuador, where he specialized in Asian cuisine. “He had Japanese teachers, he worked with them for several years in Quito, he even worked in several restaurants in Japan, where he acquired the techniques and knowledge of this cuisine,” Ramiro points out.
“I invite people to be encouraged to try these dishes because our production is 100% focused on doing it on our own, that is, we make our noodles by hand. In addition, every day we make most of the ingredients (40%) and the rest we import directly from Japan,” says Ramiro, who also highlights the quality of the products and their flavors. “We even have Asian diners from Korea, Japan, who come and they themselves find that what we serve here is very close to what is served there.”
They are about to launch their own website www.ichirakuramen.com, from which you can make home orders with your own logistics and with much lower prices than those currently on the platforms of delivery. At the moment they serve the number 096-732-8939 for orders and in Circunvalación norte 529 (diagonal to La Posada de las Garzas), north Urdesa. Attention from Monday to Thursday from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 1:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Sunday not open. (I)
Source: Eluniverso
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