The Underbelly's Dishkarte Series Gives Filipino Comfort Food a Clever Twist
Sinigang ramen, palabok mazesoba, and miso champorado sound like unlikely combinations. But at this ramen joint, they make perfect sense.
by Rhia Grana
Published on Jul 5, 2026
Trust the guys of The Underbelly to surprise you with outrageously delicious food. I expected no less when I checked out their latest pakulo, a menu they dubbed the “Dishkarte Series.” Honestly? They delivered.
The dishes are obviously a showcase of noodle nerds Noel Mauricio and Jackson Chua’s diskarte. In their words, the term means “venturing into Filipino flavors, putting things together that shouldn’t make sense but end up tasting right.”
According to Chua, the series came together because they often do collaborations, where they issue event exclusives. “We released the sinigang ramen for the Exploding Galaxies event here at Karrivin Plaza, to launch the Sarap and Palayok cookbooks. Then we came out with the Pancit Canto for Toyo Eatery’s 10th anniversary. So sabi ko, gawa na tayo ng isang buong Filipino lineup. And then saktong mag-i-Independence Day. So we started offering the menu last June 12,” he shares.
The Sinigang Billy (yes, Billy and not belly) is a joyful confusion. Your brain expects ramen but your palate finds sinigang. The contrast becomes oddly satisfying. The chefs’ description is spot-on: “It’s sour, smoky, and a little unruly. Not your lola's sinigang, not your usual ramen.”
“We infused our in-house tonkotsu broth with actual sampalok. When we tasted, ‘Uy, may potential.’ So tweaked the tare, adjusted the seasoning... Then we braised the chashu in tomatoes, onions, patis... yung classic aromatics ng sinigang. Then para maiba, I added lotus roots and drizzled it with tomato oil,” Chua shares.
Sobrang Soba is a clever mashup of Japan’s mazesoba (mixed noodles) and our very own palabok. “We think it’s sobra because it's over the top, literally and otherwise,” the chefs say. And they aren't kidding. The bowl comes loaded with crispy fried chicken skin (instead of the usual chicharon), smoked bangus, shrimp, kikurage (wood ear mushroom), menma (bamboo shoots), and spring onions. To get that rich, velvety palabok texture, break the yolk and mix everything together. It’s created by Chua, a self-confessed palabok addict, so expect this to be ridiculously satisfying.
Pancit Canto + Pork Intestine is aburasoba with a chili-mansi kick. The dish throws restraint out the window: springy noodles tossed in a savory sauce, topped with pork intestines, and served with Gyozhanghai—it’s gyoza in lumpiang shanghai wrapper. It comes with sweet chili sauce by default, but feel free to swap it for vinegar or gyoza sauce if that's more your speed.
For dessert, the restaurant puts a Japanese spin on a Filipino classic with its Miso Champorado. Instead of reinventing the dish entirely, the kitchen stays true to the comforting essence of champorado while introducing subtle Japanese influences. At the base is coconut sticky rice, topped with Davao cacao espuma. The foam is infused with miso, adding a savory depth and balancing the chocolate's richness. It’s finished with crispy fried dilis for a salty crunch.
Dishkarte is all about Filipino flavors that people already know by heart, but reinvented with Japanese techniques and presentation. The biggest surprise isn't that Filipino and Japanese flavors work so well together—it's realizing they may have belonged in the same bowl all along.
The Underbelly is located at The Alley in Karrivin Plaza, Chino Roces Ext., Makati City.