Did Wrong Ramen just correct themselves?
For a restaurant that made a huge splash for irreverence, Wrong Ramen surprisingly settled into a routine. It was as if ramen like the Sea Men and F.U. worked hard enough that they didn’t have to do much else.
Wrong Ramen raised eyebrows when it opened in 2013. But despite the antithetical approach, the name itself was enough to elicit curiosity. What more, the seeming gimmickry was backed up with taste. Wrong Ramen perfected the balance between strange and familiar. The F.U., for example, a catch-all of breakfast leftovers, works wonders.
Up until late 2016, established favorites secured Wrong Ramen's position in everyone's appetite space. There were the occasional wildcards, sure, but they were few, fleeting, and far in between. In November, however, they tied up with their sibling eater, Hole in the Wall, for a pop-up called Fire in the Hole. It was as if the new challenge reignited a proverbial flame, and once again the folks behind Wrong Ramen went back to the drawing board to develop culinary revelations. After Fire in the Hole ended, customers continues to ask about the temporary concoctions.
Change was obviously in order. When the BGC venue underwent renovations, so did the menu. Wrong Ramen got local artist Mika Bacani to come up with new paintings for the updated space, as well as designs for their new line of souvenir T-shirts. Then, they experimented: first by taking things away, like their F.U. ramen (which turned out to be a failure as they were forced to bring back due to popular, and very vocal demand), and then adding in a plethora of new and updated menu items.
So what can we expect from Wrong Ramen 2.0?
Hot Junk
Krusty's Funeral
Two new ramen flavors, both of which were served at the pop-up, have joined the fray as well as a revitalized F.U., which features a thicker brother and higher quality ingredients. Hot Junk, one of their bestsellers at the pop-up, resembles the Korean Army Stew, with kimchi, Spam, sausages, tteokbokki (or rice cakes), and Parmesan cheese. Krusty’s Funeral, meanwhile, takes its cue from SpongeBob SquarePants’ money-obsessed boss. It’s filled with softshell crab, crab fat, coconut milk, cilantro, and chilis (lovers of laksa might want to give this ramen a go).
Chicken Akuma
Aburi Miso Eggplant
Pork Sibs and Tendon Ssam
Spicy Gyoza
Wrong Ramen also welcomed small plates and a whole new line of salads to complement the spicier and richer flavors of their ramen. They made the Red Cow Tamagoyaki, which is a dish composed of corned beef, shiitake mushrooms, tamago, fish sauce, and teriyaki glaze, a little lighter compared to the original recipe. Another addition is the Spicy Gyoza, which, for those afraid of too much heat, is actually a lot less spicy than it looks (it pairs especially well with the Tonkotsu Rich ramen).
Potato Salad
Black Sesame Salad
The health buffs in the area make a beeline for their salads. There's the Black Sesame, which has arugula, pears (for a good crunch), and black sesame dressing, and a Potato one that puts together three different kinds of potatoes with Japanese mayo.
They’ve also included craft beers to the menu, which ranges from Japanese craft beer, (light and less bitter, which makes it a good starter for those who are new to craft beers) to the bolder flavors of Joe’s Brew (which marries well with the spicier options on the menu).
Miso Bun
Yes, Wrong Ramen made a few corrections to the menu, but they're just as bad as before. Maybe even worse because that new F.U.? That's pure sin.
Wrong Ramen is at Burgos Circle, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City; tel. no. (02) 823-8249.
