Wang Mart - Ramyun

Review by Kamesh

Taste ★★★☆☆ 

Service ★★★☆☆

Ambiance ★★★☆☆

Value for Money ★★★☆☆

A few blocks away from work, Wang Mart is our not-so secret spot for a Ramyun fix. Wang Mart is a Korean grocery in Polaris street, Bel Air Makati. It sells everything from back scratchers to home made pickled chillis. It also has a counter at the end of the grocery that serves tteokbokki, Ramyun, and other Korean food I cant read on their menu.

Kimchi, chillis, radish, dilis (P80-P150)

Pork with vegetable pancakes, kimbap, and rice cake (P100)

We go for Ramyun here because it's only a hundred bucks, and you get unlimited kimchi to go with it. Get your own drink from their fridge, there's a huge collection of Korean drinks like Chilsung, Sac Sac, various ginger drinks, teas, milk drinks, of course, some soju as well - this time I tried bottled tea.

The nice Ate will cook according to your choice - mild or spicy. I always choose mild. While waiting for her cook, I usually go around the grocery looking for a pasalubong for my husband - like Korean chocolate wafers. After about 5-8 minutes, Ate serves the Ramyun with a small plate of Kimchi, chopsticks, a long spoon, and tissue...in our case we use it to wipe our sweat ("from the 'mild' Ramyun", you say? Yes.).

The noodles are thick. This time, its a bit undercooked. The Ramyun has seaweed and egg. It is still spicy, but tolerable. Soup is murky, probably from the spices and the egg white. The kimchi is not well-made, the lettuce is still too white and it hasnt quite absorbed the chillis its marinated in. I was a bit disappointed about this, I've eaten here many times, they're not very consistent with their kimchi. Sometimes, its really good. Sometimes... Well, today's version was the worst version yet. Still, we had the little plate re-filled. Haha!

The Ramyun and kimchi combo will barely leave room for the best part of the trip, Korean ice cream. Must...make...room!! The best ones are the "fish ice cream" or Bungeoppang (red bean and vanilla in fish-shaped waffle casing) and Melona. Melona is the safest one for the those trying this for the first time. It's a guaranteed favorite. Expect to have no merienda and a late dinner after this experience.

The truth is, Wang Mart's P100 Ramyun is just P26 if you buy it from their shelves. It's just instant noodles cooked with egg. What youre paying for is the Kimchi and the cooking service. So if you don't mind the P74 difference, you can head on over for a fun experience eating in a Korean grocery.

This is huge for P26. I asked the cashier twice, and she said it was really only P26.

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