At 4:32pm, I text Auntie Babyruth, “Auntie! 5:45pm, right?”
She calls me right away. “Noooooooooo!!! I’ll pick you up around 5:15 because we have to be there at 5:45pm.”
“Okay, I’ll get ready right away!”
And I excitedly get ready for tonight’s indulgence – Ukokkei Tan Tan Men.
Only 10 bowls a day, dinner only.
Boys with twalya-bandannas in the kitchen
Girls with black bandannas in the dining area
After my very first time at Ukokkei, I’ve returned quite a few times and finally found my soul mate in its Karamiso Negi, level 3. It has been my Ukokkei staple ever since.
Because I am a Ukokkei Tan Tan Men newbie, I follow The Expert’s eating method. (Yes, Auntie Babyruth, you the expert!)
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The richness of the miso plus the nutty-creaminess of roasted sesame plus the perfectly al dente noodles plus the gooey golden yolks, they make little red hearts pip-pop up around my head.
I swear I want to swim in this soup forever.
The Expert goes a bit further by asking for extra corn and butter and mixing them all into her tan tan men. I stop mirroring after the 2 eggs. With my cholesterol now over 200, I kinda chicken out.
“When you see the "chicken" at the bottom of the bowl, you've just had an
Ukokkei Ramen Ron full experience! :-)” - Auntie Babyruth
Only someone who adds corn and butter into her tan tan men and finishes it until the very last drop, only she can make the Soup Nazi smile like he’s smiling now. (That guy in white is a Soup Nazi-in-the-making. Yes, they’re opening a branch in Manila soon!!!)
The original Nazi trying to look all Nazi. But fails. So priceless!
That’s The Expert taking a photo of her favorite lucky cats.
Thank you for the delicious dinner and for the one in a million chance photo op with
The Soup Nazi!
Ukokkei Ramen Ron: Unit 1-2, Upper G/F, Tesoro Building, 822 A. Arnaiz Avenue (formerly Pasay Road), Makati City, Philippines. Tel: +632-856-4588