Michelin-Starred Tsuta Ramen Opens in BGC

The ramen scene has been steadily growing for a few years now as Pinoys have learned to find comfort in a bowl of hot broth, noodles done right, and a slice (or four) of melt-in-your-mouth Chashu instead of the usual silog staples. But just as we were thinking we had finally figured out our favorites, in comes Tsuta—the world’s first Michelin-starred ramen restaurant, and the bar for ramen immediately shoots up a few notches.

Some people waiting for their ramen

On its opening day, Tsuta extended a generous array of prizes for its first 100 guests. The first 10 people in line received a one-year supply of Tsuta ramen, served as one hot, delicious bowl of ramen per week, their choice of specialty shoyu (soy-based sauce), shio (salt-based sauce), or miso soba. Diners 11 to 30 gets six months’ worth, while numbers 31-50 will enjoy free ramen once a week for 3 whole months. Meanwhile, the succeeding 50 people in line will each get a voucher for one free bowl of signature Tsuta ramen valid for claiming anytime within one year. That’s a whole lotta ramen!

So, with all that up for grabs, at 6:15, I cockily walked towards Bonifacio High Street Central, confident that I would be able to bag a spot among the first 50, but just as I was rounding the corner, I saw the long line leading up to Tsuta. My bubble had burst. And as my eyes did a rough estimate of how many people were there, my heart was slowly accepting defeat.

Being a sport, I approached the first guy in line, Charles Columna, and I sheepishly asked him what time he started to line up.

Charles Columna, first in line

“We were here at 11. At 11 we started lining up, me and the other guys [pointing to the ones sitting beside him]”. 11pm. At 11pm last night I was going to bed ‘early’ to wake up in time to queue at 6am so I can grab a spot among the first 50. And as I was replaying this disbelief in my head, he said something that snapped me back to where I was, “All for the love of ramen,” he said. Indeed. And just like that, I happily lined up as customer #79.

The scene in Tsuta 

The first 10 in line, with Mr. Eric Dee, COO and Managing Director of FOODEE Global Concepts

Charles had the honor of sitting up front and center, his order personally attended to by founder and executive chef, Onishi Yuki.

The crowd inside the restaurant

It was a good morning, made better by ramen. And any day with free ramen is guaranteed to be even more awesome. That’s my last thought as I walked away with my voucher for a complimentary bowl of happiness. Life is good.