Keep reading why this is the only ramen in Baguio that you should line up for! (UPDATED pricelist)
Why “Agara Ramen”?
(Read this fast): “Agara Ramen!” So witty how the name sounds like “agraraman” in our local dialect. It means “ambitious.” Truly fitting because the new ramen bar is aspirational and ambitious to be the sought-after and affordable ramen place in the city, which is fueled by a humbled and deep passion for ramen!
The partners and concept behind Agara Ramen
Owned by a married business duo, Ray Costa (The Agara Ramen Master) and Keith Costa, put up a ramen bar-style inspired from authentic ramen bars in Japan. A 14-seater classy ramen bar with an edge that welcomes every diner with an eclectically industrial interior, an amazing brick mural, and Japanese jazz, hip hop, rap playing in the background. The humble ramen bar is stationed at the ground floor of Rancho Guillermo Building, North Drive, Engineer’s Hill, Baguio City.
The Agara Ramen Master
The head Agara Ramen Master, Ray Costa, had years of experience learning how to cook ramen while living and working in Tokyo, Japan with his mother. His commitment to creating an amazing and filling dining experience in every ramen bowl is rooted from his personal experience and fandom for ramen–a true Filipino ramen head! Armed with experience in cooking ramen, Ray moved back to his hometown, Baguio City, to ensure the authenticity and quality of Agara Ramen bowls that are deeply satisfying and more affordable compared to other famous Japanese ramen houses in the city.
A Fulfilling Dining Experience
The 14-seater ramen bar welcomes you to an open kitchen and that makes the experience more exciting! Agara Ramen recommends you to finish the ramen dish in less than 10 minutes and “no-take out” policy is urged, to ensure that you savor the best quality of the dishes. In fact, you can win a bowl of ramen if you film yourself eating the whole serving and beating the record of 1 minute and 10 seconds!
Ramen: A Japanese comfort food favorite
I can’t think of any reason that ramen era will ever be over in Baguio City. With our famous and notable cool climate, devouring a serving of a hot dish is truly comforting and delightful especially when it’s a bowl of ramen! Baguio “peeps” are indeed blessed to have Agara Ramen that serves classic and authentic ramen bowl favorites!
Agara Ramen Menu
Agara Ramen offers six ramen styles which includes; Chuka Soba (a pork, chicken, fish and vegetable broth), Tsukemen (a dipping ramen dish), Tonkotsu Shio (sea salt base and pork broth), Tonkotsu Shoyu (soy sauce and pork broth), Miso Ramen (strong pork miso soup) and Tantanmen (spicy pork broth soup in sesame seed paste).
Tonkotsu Shio
Tonkotsu Shoyu
Tsukemen
Tantanmen
You can also customize your ramen bowl by adding Shoyu Tamago (Japanese soy sauce egg), Chasu (braised pork belly) and/or Nori (seaweed). They also have side dishes such as; Gyoza (dumplings) and Karaage (fried chicken skin), of course, the perfect beverage to wash down all the delish goodness is the Mugicha (cold Japanese Barley tea) or soda!
Flagship/Menu Ramen
Chuka Soba
Chuka Soba
One of their specials is the Chuka Soba (Chinese Noodles) which is a pork, chicken, fish and vegetable broth, with Chasu, fish cakes, and bamboo shoots. This bowl is abundantly flavored which I love, as well as, the Tsukemen which is a dipping ramen dish made with livestock vegetable broth with soy sauce. Tsukemen is a ramen dish that Kazuo Yamagishi, also known as, “The God of Ramen”, created.
My Verdict
Chuka Soba
Tsukemen
Tasting each ramen style with a quick slurp of the springy noodles and milky broth introduces a luscious, rich and strong taste which I can distinctly note that I’m consuming the best ramen in town. Even the lightest ramens; Tonkotsu Shio and Tonkotsu Shoyu, have adequate piquancy that is purely appetizing, but for me, my favorite would be the Tantanmen which is cooked with just the right hint of spice. Every dish of Agara Ramen is sufficiently savory and authentic, and I think that is the reason why it is the only ramen in Baguio you should line up for!
Agara Ramen Prices (as of this writing):
Chuka Soba: Php320
Tonkotsu Shio: Php310
Tantanmen: Php350
Tsukemen: Php350
Tonkotsu Shoyu: Php310
Miso Ramen Php350
Extras
Shoyu Tamago Php60, Nori Php40, Chasu (2pcs.) Php80, Kaedama (thin extra noodles Php80 and thick noodles Php120)
Side Dishes
Gyoza 3pcs Php100, 5 pcs Php150
Karaage Php180
Wagyu Cubes Php200
Ebi Tempura Php220
Mugicha Php40
Agara Ramen Operating Hours:
Sundays to Thursdays: 11 AM to 12MN
Fridays to Saturdays: 11 AM to 2 AM
Follow Agara Ramen’s Social Media Accounts for more updates and promos:
Facebook Page: fb.com/AgaraRamen
Facebook Group: fb.com/groups/AgaraRamenHeads
Instagram: @AgaraRamen
Twitter: @AgaraRamen
Official Hashtags:
#AgaraRamen
#AgaraRamenHeads
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Disclaimer:
I am not an official food expert, but I try my best to genuinely share what I think of the new food finds I try in Baguio City. My preferences may not also be your preference. Thank you for reading!
The Phlippines is blessed with such a beautiful land and amazingly warm people. I always love coming back to the Philippines every year.
The Phlippines is blessed with such a beautiful land and amazingly warm people. I always love coming back to the Philippines every year.
You should bring us here when we go to Baguio. (Teka kelan kaya yun? 😅😔)
Wag ka magalala, top of the list ko yan for you guys when I see you soon! omg I miss you na!
Shocks! We’ve been goinf to and from Baguio City since time immermorial. And you just added another reason to visit after this pandemic.
Nagugutom ako.
It’s a new nook to be discovered in Baguio. 🙂 See you soon!
Knowing that Ray who trained in Tokyo for years is a testament on the quality of bowls they serve. It is known that you will be also trained with the Japanese style of discipline, and I expect he would have imparted this in their restaurant procedures. I will be really excited to go there and listen to Ray’s stories (If I have a chance to interact)
A hearty hot bowl of ramen and cool night in Baguio is a perfect blend. Excited to try this once we normalize after the pandemic.
Hey Jan! Yes, you can definitely meet Ray as he is very hands-on in his business! Yes cool climate and warm food are the best!
Yaaas! Agara Ramen! I ate there two days straight last year dahil sa cravings ko! Hehe. Hope to go back asap after this ECQ hehe
I am so looking forward to eating there, too! I am not into ramen but when I tasted their bowls, bam! wala na, naaddict na ako sa ramen lang nila hahaha pwera bias talaga 🙂
Haven’t tried eating ramen in Baguio, lagi kase yung mga sikat at usually na pinupuntahan sa Baguio ang kinakainan namin, sana makabalik kami jan to try that Ramen house. Very affordable and looks tasty.
Ang dami kasing hindi sikat dito na hindi napapansin pero masarap naman talaga heheh. see you soon!
The ramen looks delicious and the story where the restaurant’s name derives is very unique.
I am not familiar with ramens but Tonkotsu Shio and Tonkotsu Shoyu look the same from one of the ramen resto here where I am eating sometimes but the name is different.
Yes, ‘agraraman’ is an expression here, like ‘ang feeling naman nito’, something like that. hehe. Ya. Shio is salt-based, Shoyu is pork-based. I like Shoyu better. 🙂
Parang ang sarap nung Chuka Soba! Sana makabalik sa Baguio after ng crisis na to.
Yeeep, Chuka Soba is one of my favorites!
Mahilig si mama sa Ramen, kapag natuloy kami sa Baguio this year sabihan ko siya na itry namin dyan. Sa pictures pa lang mukhang masarap na.
Yes, nasa list dapat yan pag Baguio trip!:)
i super loved reading the humble beginnings of the ramen master. passion is really everything.its not just business for them. will definitely try this ramen out when we finally have a chance to visit baguio
had we known about this place, we would have brought our kids here last new year when we spent our new year there in Baguio.
Aww sayang! next time! 🙂
Your Chuka Soba looks good, and now I am craving for the ramen especially it is now cooler here in Melbourne. Hope we can visit Baguio soon and stopped at Agara Ramen.
Ever since I’ve visited Japan, my standard in Ramen became high. It’s great that the owner is hands on. I look forward eating Ramen in Baguio, perfect for the cold weather!
We have tried soooo many ramens but this AGARA RAMEN caught our eye. Maybe ill try their Chuka Soba first. So happy I found your post!
Yes, you know where to go next in Baguio!
Yum. Yum. Yum. I love ramen and it feels like it’s been forever since I last ate one. The prices are so much cheaper as well compare to what they sell here in manila. Hopefully we’ll get ti visit this when we pass by baguio some time. Hahaha
They have a competition here too na well commercialized, but some of their customers shifted to Agara already. 🙂
Ramen lover here! I will definitely try this out when I go to Baguio. Excellent meal for the cold weather!
GRABE! Just by the look of it, makes me want to drool already. Can’t wait to be back sa Baguio. Hay.