The Metro.Style Guide To The Best Asian Noodle Dishes In Manila
Go beyond ramen and discover laksa, pad thai, phat mama, jjajangmyeon, char kway teow and other treasures.
You can twirl it, slurp it, or even cut it into a million tiny pieces. There’s really nothing quite like a warm bowl of noodles. It’s as if it keeps comfort in every strand.
There are hundreds (if not thousands) of ways to enjoy it and there’s always a perfect preparation depending on your preference (or mood) – spicy, savory-sweet, nutty, sour, creamy, you name it. And even during this time when we’re staying home and dining out is still problematic, great noodles are still available within the realms of the delivery world.
Speaking of sheltering at home: For most of us, food is the most effective way to transport ourselves’ to our favorite travel destination. Missing Japan? Hit up Mendokoro Ramenba or Ramen Yushoken for a bowl of miso ramen (in a convenient kit that’s easy to prepare). If you’re craving some pho, you can always message Bawai’s for a quick delivery. Longing for Italy? Call Cibo for some spaghettini tartufata (pasta is sort of like noodles, right? Well, for the exact difference, check out Serious Eats’ noodles explainer). And if you’re missing both noodles and travel, you can always live vicariously through @pancitlove and @noodleworship on Instagram. Thank me later.
But today, allow me to focus on the hearty goodness of Asian noodles that are filled with bold flavors despite the simplest of ingredients. Since it’s already hailed the most popular noodle dish in the world, I’m no longer including ramen in this list because there are already dozens of articles listing the best ramen places in Manila, like this one.
Here are just some of the best Asian noodle finds in Metro Manila that you should try soon.
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Beyond ramen
Beyond ramen
Soy Egg Noodles
There’s something about savory-sweet noodles that just hits all the right spots. This writer is partial to sweet soy noodles, much like the lo mein stir-fry noodles from Golden Hainan House — every hefty strand slicked with sauce and topped with your choice of char siu, soy chicken, or lechon macau. For orders, check out @goldenhainanph on Instagram or @goldenhainanhouse on Facebook.
Photo Credit: ORDER HERE
Soy Egg Noodles
Hawker Chan's take on soy egg noodles has thin and light wonton noodles tossed in soya chicken broth and sambal. Order from GrabFood, FoodPanda or Pickaroo. Or check out @hawkerchanphilippines on Instagram.
Photo Credit: ORDER HERE
Sotanghon
Believe it or not, but Sotanghon is actually made from green mungbeans (yes, the humble monggo)! It looks a lot like bihon and these glass (some call it cellophane) noodles are used not just in the Philippines but also in other Asian countries. The clear and smooth strands can absorb a lot of liquid, which means more flavor. In the Philippines, sotanghon is often paired with chicken, but you’ll be missing out on a lot if you haven’t tried China Mommy’s Sotanghon Crab — bursting with bold seafood flavors with a hint of sweetness from the fresh crabs, which makes it the perfect centerpiece for any home celebration. To order, message (0917) 514-8540 , DM @chinamommyph on Instagram, or order online at chinamommy.ph
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Sotanghon
For a more accessible yet equally tasty version, check out Carlito's Catering's Prawns with Sotanghon. Order online at carlitosph.com or DM @carlitoscateringph on Instagram.
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Chinese Misua
Misua (sometimes spelled mee sua or miswa) is often made into a stew with sardines here in the Philippines (which is also really tasty over steamed rice), but these salted wheat noodles from Fujian, China is also the base for “birthday noodles” (or yi mein, “long life noodles”) in a lot of Chinoy homes. Noodles signify long life to the Chinese, so it’s only apt to eat and serve misua on your birthday and mix in tons of other symbolic and delicious ingredients like prawns (joy and laughter), chicken (good marriage and family), mushrooms (longevity), and eggs (fertility). It’s topped with scallions and peanuts for added texture and flavor. House of Misua’s traditional misua is rich in deep chicken flavor and loaded with toppings. For orders, message (0977) 715-1362 or DM @houseofmisuaph on Instagram.
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Chinese Misua
If you’re looking for a vegetarian option, you can check out China Mommy’s vegetarian cha misua: vegetables, tofu skin, mushrooms, and vegan meat in traditional Chinese misua. For orders, message (0917) 514-8540, DM @chinamommyph on Instagram, or order online at www.chinamommy.ph
Photo Credit: ORDER HERE
Beef Noodle Soup
A trip to Taiwan would be incomplete without savoring a bowl of piping hot beef noodle soup or niu rou mian (牛肉麵) from the night market. Flavored with warm spices with a hint of sweetness and slight bitterness, Taiwanese beef noodle soup is traditionally made with beef shins and tendons, which gives it sooo much flavor (and collagen, which is great for the skin). The perfect beef noodle soup must have extremely tender chunks of meat, which can only be achieved after boiling it for several hours. Its broth must also be rich in beefy goodness, making it the best way to warm up on a cold day. If you didn’t have an oily film on your lips after slurping down a bowl of these hearty noodles, you are doing it wrong. If you ever find yourself craving Taiwanese beef noodle soup, check out Tien Ma’s in Little Baguio or Canton Road at Shangri-La at the Fort. To order from Tien Ma, message @tienmasph on Instagram. To order from Canton Road, check out @shangrilafort on Instagram.
Photo Credit: @tienmasph
Pancit Canton
If you ask me, the best kind of Pinoy-style pancit canton must be so saucy that it’s almost slippery, which makes it harder to pick up with chopsticks or a fork. At Ramon Lee’s Panciteria near Binondo, they don’t just douse their noodles with a generous coating of sauce (a combination of salty soy sauce and sweet oyster sauce), they also use two kinds of noodles — miki (lo mein egg noodles) and bihon (glass noodles — for a balance of texture and flavors. It’s a complete meal: It’s got protein (you can put pork, chicken, or even prawns), it’s got tons of vegetables (usually carrots, cabbage, and green beans), you’ll get carbs from the noodles, and of course it’s packed with flavor. For orders, DM Ramon Lee's Panciteria on Facebook.
Photo Credit: ORDER HERE
Laksa
Laksa is Peranakan cuisine’s gift to the world. Its creamy yet spicy broth will both comfort and wake you. The creaminess comes from coconut milk while the heat comes from Thai red curry. You can enjoy it with your choice of proteins like chicken, shrimp, or fish, but one thing’s for sure: its noodles (whether made of wheat or rice) will absorb so much flavor that they will swell with edible goodness (and perhaps a little pride). Since it’s a really popular dish, you can get great laksa from tons of places, like the High Street Café at Shangri-La at the Fort. To order High Street Cafe's Laksa Kits, call 091SLFMEATS, DM @highstreetcafe.fort, or order through the link below.
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Laksa
Limapulo, which claims to have the best laksa in Malaysia, serves up this Nyonya Laksa, available in normal or seafood variants. For orders, WhatsApp (0917) 304-1111 (Visayas Avenue, Quezon City) or DM @babacancook on Instagram or Facebook.
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Laksa
At Tao Yuan, Singaporean Chef Ah Long makes this perfectly balanced laksa with just the right combination of ginger, garlic, chilies, turmeric, dried shrimp, shrimp paste and lemongrass in a fiery coconut-based broth. For orders, Viber or message (0917) 530-8988, (0917) 638-3911, or check out @taoyuanrestaurantmanila on Instagram.
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Laksa
You can even purchase a DIY laksa kit (complete with all the components from the noodles to the garnish) from Babu, one of the stalls at The Grid Food Market at Power Plant Mall (www.thegridfoodmarket.com). For orders, call (0917) 707-7459. Check out @babu_ph on Instagram.
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Khao Soi Gai
This earthy and spicy Thai noodle dish is one of my personal favorites since the lockdown was imposed a year ago (yes, it’s been that long). It uses egg noodles two ways: boiled and fried. The boiled noodles go into the rich coconut curry broth laced with aromatics, shrimp paste, and chicken. Everything is topped with fried egg noodles for texture (it’s also great as a snack!). To offset its richness, I highly recommend eating it with the accoutrements it comes with: pickled mustard greens (for a touch of sourness and bittersweetness) and a generous squeeze of lime (to brighten the flavors and take away the umay factor). Home-based business Stock At Home may be founded by a Filipina, but their khao soi gai will immediately transport you to the bustling streets of Chiang Mai. For orders, Viber (0917) 583-3881 or send a direct message to @StockAtHomePH via Instagram.
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Jjajangmyeon
In South Korea, jjajangmyeon has become such an integral part of their cuisine that single people make sure they have it on Black Day, which happens every April 14th, “to commiserate with each other for lacking a romantic relationship.” In Manila, this noodle dish with black bean sauce has also become a sleeper hit at Korean bbq places. The rich sauce is balanced out by the earthiness of the black beans and the rice noodles tend to mellow out the strong flavors so you won’t get tired of it easily. It’s the perfect combo for grilled meat because the black bean sauce compliments the smokiness of the samgyupsal. If you’re looking for a place to celebrate Black Day with excellent jjajangmyeon (and a stellar bbq set-up to boot), head to Goryeo, the premier Korean restaurant at Forbes Five Star-awardee Okada Manila. (Photo credit: Wikimedia)
Photo Credit: Goryeo, Okada Manila
Gyokai Tsukemen with Cheese
Tsukemen is ramen’s disassociated cousin. It’s also known as “dipping noodles” because the noodles are dry and you have to dip them in a separate broth before eating. In the case of Tsuke-Men, the Japanese stall at The Grid Food Market, they’ve created a tsukemen kit with cheese gyokai (seafood-based dipping broth) and it was glorious. I’m not entirely sure what kind of cheese they use, but my inexperienced palate could detect a hint of cheddar and gouda. This limited time offer is an innovation that deserves to become a permanent addition to their menu. You can still order the cheese gyokai tsukemen kit (it’s fool-proof, I promise) from Tsuke-Men at The Grid Food Market at Power Plant Mall (www.thegridfoodmarket.com). Call (0917) 707-7459, and check out @tsukemenph on Instagram.
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Phat Mama
In the Philippines, college students live on instant pancit canton with hard boiled eggs from the canteen. In Thailand, teens took instant noodles up a notch and created phat mama. It’s a stir-fry dish using instant noodles, pork, vegetables (usually cabbage, carrots and onions), and aromatics or spices. It’s simple and cheap yet extremely filling, perfect for students on a budget. Today, if you make it at home, you can get fancy with the proteins (use chicken, prawns or tofu) and even use naam sup muu (homemade pork stock) as the cooking liquid, but instant noodles are mandatory. If you’re curious, you don’t have to go to Thailand. Just order online from Khao Khai Thai Chicken House at www.khaokhai.com. Check out @khaokhaiph on Instagram.
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Pad Thai
Pad thai is another gift from the Land of Smiles. It’s so simple yet so tasty — a testament to Asians’ ability to make the most out of what they have. Primarily starring flat rice noodles, this stir-fry is a taste of Thailand on a plate: savory, sweet, sour, and spicy. The noodles are tossed in a tamarind-based sauce and mixed with dried shrimp, eggs, fish sauce, and (palm) sugar. It’s important to serve it with crushed peanuts (for texture and contrast) and a wedge of lime. In Metro Manila, you’ll find awesome pad thai at Benjarong in Dusit Thani Manila. For orders, check out @dusitthani_manila on Instagram or call (02) 7238-8840.
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Pad Thai
Mango Tree has a pad thai meal available for dine in or delivery. For orders, check out @mangotreemanila on Instagram.
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Crispy Egg Noodles
Okay, this one’s pretty specific, but basically it’s Hong Kong-style crispy fried noodles taken to a Five-Star level. This dish comes from Lung Hin, the award-winning Cantonese restaurant of five-time Five Star Award winner Marco Polo Ortigas Manila. They serve the crispy fried egg noodles with a savory minced pork sauce and throw in a couple of prawn balls. The play on textures and flavors will make you crave for more, sometimes even years after you’ve first had it. For orders, check out @marcopolomanila on Instagram.
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Mee Goreng
“Mee or mie goreng” literally means fried noodles and this stir-fried noodle dish is a staple in Indonesian restaurants as well as “warung” or street stalls. Flavored with sweet soy sauce or kecap manis, they also add a bunch of ingredients to make this meal even more substantial, like proteins (chicken or prawn), bakso (meatballs), vegetables and aromatics. It’s always topped with a beautifully fried egg (crispy edges, runny yolk) and krupuk bawang (shrimp chips). 101 Hawker Food House makes superb vegetarian mee goreng without meat or seafood. For orders, check out @101_hawker_food_house on Instagram.
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Mee Goreng
Warung Warung in Kapitolyo (which started as a humble stall at the Legazpi weekend market) serves bakmi goreng, the spicy version of mee goreng, and it’s so nummy you’ll end up dreaming about it at night, longing for the day you get to eat it again. You can contact them at (0917) 800-9158 for orders. Or DM @warungwarungph on Instagram.
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Char Kway Teow
In Hokkien, char kway teow means stir-fried flat rice noodles, and that’s exactly what this dish is... plus a handful of ingredients. Despite originating in Guangdong, China, char kway teow is now more associated with Singapore. Once considered as a “poor man’s dish”, you’ll now find it in both hawker stalls and high-end restaurants. According to Visit Singapore, “a good plate of char kway teow is one that possess wok hei (literally, ‘the breath of the wok’)” or the smoky flavor infused into the dish from high heat cooking. It’s also important that it’s stir-fried in lard for that unique aroma and texture. Whether in Singapore or in Manila, you’ll find generally the same ingredients in char kway teow: prawns, dark soy sauce, aromatics, lap cheong (Chinese dried sausage), fishcake slices, eggs, mungbean sprouts, belacan (dried shrimp paste), lime, and of course sambal. You’ll find excellent char kway teow at Pandan Asian Café in Quezon City and even a vegetarian option from 101 Hawker Food House. For orders, check out @pandanasiancafe or @101_hawker_food_house on Instagram.
Photo Credit: 101 Hawker Food House
Did we miss your favorite noodle dish? Just remember that this list is just a taste of all the amazing noodle dishes the metro has to offer. Give one of these dishes a shot and keep supporting our local food industry.
Lead photos: @babacancook, @marcopolomanila, @stockathomeph
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