In a world of pricey ramen chains, Yoko attempts to bridge the gap between students on a budget and the sought-after noodle dish. For anyone craving a touch of comfort food, or anyone who can’t resist the thought of a bowl of steaming ramen, Yoko could be the needed fix.

Taste

The menu consists of three different ramen broths: Tonkotsu, which comes from pork marrow; Shoyu, which is flavored with soy sauce; and finally, Miso, which is made from fermented bean paste. At an extra cost, these bowls can also come with sides like hard-boiled egg, seaweed, extra noodles, or pork slices.

Yoko’s take on the traditional Tonkotsu is aromatic and filling. The handmade noodles easily cling to the warm, milky pork broth. For anyone with a serious appetite, ordering an extra helping of noodles should make the bowl even more filling than it already is. However, the extra noodles might also be a necessity to combat the soup’s sharp saltiness, which comes on too strong. 

It should also be noted that most ramen chains serve their meals with the special ajitsuke tamago: Soft-boiled eggs with an irresistible sweet soy seasoning and a gooey, luxurious yolk. However, Yoko serves a relatively hard-boiled egg as a side instead. Despite this, the egg’s yolk, which still has a light moistness to it, improved the ramen’s richness by quite a bit. On the other hand, the Gyoza and pork slices side dishes’ tangy taste and tough texture did little to contribute to the meal.

Concept

With Yoko, ramen makes its return to JSEC for the first time in recent years. To deviate from the usual rice meals on campus, this cheery lantern-clad stall offers students a new experience with its ramen bowls, which come with a selection of toppings to suit Ateneans’ tastes.

Value for Money

At Php 90 for a solo meal, Yoko’s ramen is competitively priced by JSEC standards, as the stall makes the traditionally pricey dish more accessible to students. However, this price and convenience come with a tradeoff: Yoko isn’t meant to compete with expensive ramen chains, which offer higher-quality sides and a more richly seasoned broth. For its price and place on campus, though, Yoko is certainly worth a try.

Final Verdict 

For the days when a rice meal just won’t cut it and you’re in need of a burst of warmth, ramen does the job. Although slightly underwhelming, Yoko manages to provide a comforting dining experience for those on the lookout for something new in JSEC. 

Rating: 3.5/5

Editors’ Note: In the interest of fairness, Vantage writers only reviewed food that was offered by the stalls during their respective taste tests.

Photos by Bruce Ong