Osaka Ohsho has established itself as an authority when it comes to gyoza, making these Japanese pan-fried dumplings, which are usually ordered as a side dish, the topliner of a meal. Since its opening in the Philippines in 2014, it has crafted various specialty gyoza like truffle, chorizo, and bacon and cheese gyozas. Well, they’re not labeled as “The World’s No. 1 Gyoza” for nothing.
But in late November, the Japanese restaurant launched an addition to their menu—noodles. Linfred Yap from the Relish Group (same chain behind Rock & Seoul, Birdhouse, Wee Nam Kee, and Kumori Cafe) said the restaurant’s gotten requests for noodles, so it’s been a long time coming.
Now, Osaka Ohsho offers three noodle variants called Flying Noodles. They’re basically cold soba (except for one which is somen) with dipping sauces.
First is Matcha Teriyaki Tonkotsu. Keeping the dish young and in-the-loop, the spotlight is on the eye-catching green cha soba. The thin-as-spaghetti noodles do taste like green tea albeit very faintly so make sure to dip it in tonkotsu sauce. Chicken teriyaki and enoki tempura go with the dish.
There’s something for seafood lovers, too—Tempura and Squid Ink Soba. Drench the cold soba into the squid ink sauce for a slightly salty flavor. If your palate is used to strong, piquant flavors, the sauce might be a little underwhelming. However, there are prawn tempura and kani strips to compensate for the meager seafood taste.
For something more familiar but still bearing that Japanese flair, there’s Bacon and Cheese Somen. These cold thin noodles, paler than the first two, is a pick-me-upper. It’s generously garnished with bacon bits, fried egg strips, fried mushrooms, chicken strips and a salmon cheese aburi on the side. Douse the somen with the cream cheese sauce that comes with the dish.
For now, the Flying Noodles wouldn’t be joining the mainstays of the menu. They’re only available until January next year.
Read more:
Moving out of the side (dish) lines
Bacon, eggs, and tomatoes on soba? It could work
Chao Chao’s gyoza should be your new happy hour chow
Writer: YAZHMIN MALAJITO
