The Folks at Noodle Lab and The Underbelly Know a Thing or Two About Carbs

There is that tried-and-tested belief in eastern philosophy that if you eat a bunch of noodles you extend your lifespan. Then there is that more pessimistic belief that if you cut noodles while eating them, the reverse happens. Some of Manila's best noodle spots, The Underbelly and Noodle Lab, are banking on the former.

The certified specialty restaurants are running an exclusive joint "Itamessy" dinner service at The Underbelly's Karrivin space in Makati. The name is coined after the Japanese concept of itameshi for Japanese-Italian fusion, with Italian shortened and meshi meaning meal.

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From left to right: Chefs Ally and Nico Gonzles, Jackson Chua, and Noel Mauricio

There wouldn't be another place we would rather have a noodle concept collision than at The Underbelly, which holds the prestigious Michelin Bib Gourmand thanks to its reputation on artisan casual ramen.

"We're all noodle nerds," The Underbelly head chefs Noel Mauricio and Jackson Chua said in a statement commenting on the collaboration.

On the other end, Noodle Lab's Nico and Ally Gonzales stressed that the pop-up was a sought-after opportunity for them to pick the brains of other creative minds in the culinary space who share their obsession for intriguing dishes.

"This is one of our first pop-ups where it's a real collaboration between two restaurants," they said.

"It's been a new and exciting experience to bounce ideas off other chefs and see firsthand how a
Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand restaurant operates."

We get a meeting of minds of distinguished chefs who didn't really come up the conventional fine dining pipeline. The Underbelly was founded by designer Dan Matutina and Tasteless Food Group's Charles Paw. Noodle Lab started out home-based, scaled through wholesale, and is set to open their own Italian concept in San Pedro, Laguna: Restaurant Delina.

It just makes sense for offbeat culinary creators to craft their own menu that challenges what you think of when you experience casual fusion meals.

Aracini Takoyaki

Middle: Uni Crab Raviolo

So if you're already chomping at the bit to see what the Itamessy business is about, here are some of our picks for dishes worth showing up for.

We got to try the Itamessy menu before the run next week and we started with the Arancini Takoyaki, a structural overlap between the deep fried Italian rice balls and the classic savory texture of piping hot octopus balls finished with pistachio pesto and balsamic reduction.

Up next is the Uni Crab Raviolo with runny yolk, oyster broth, and lime foam. Noodle Lab aren't strangers to the Egg Yolk Raviolo considering they built their reputation on this particular dish, with The Underbelly carving out theirs from the broth.

Last of the mains that floored us was the Yuzu Aburasoba with guanciale, egg yolk, parmesan foam, and nduja salsa. The Japanese aburasoba is minimalist by nature, focusing more on oil rather than broth and being dependent on noodle quality.

The dish's base is loaded with Italian cured pork and dairy foam for a unique blend of sourness and savory texture.

Closing out the show for dessert is the Miso Caramel Cannoli. Oh boy, does this cap everything off with a bit of funk and the nostalgic addition of choc nut blends sprinkled on the crispy shell and silky miso caramel cream.

"There were no egos involved," according to Ally Gonzales. "We simply wanted to create fun, thoughtful dishes."

You can nab a reservation for the Itamessy dinner service on March 16 and 17 here (if they aren't already fully booked).

Yuzu Aburasoba

Miso Caramel Cannoli

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