Discovering the best ramen and comfort food spots in the south

I’ve lived in the south all my life, but I am still getting to know it in terms of its culinary identity. It’s a never-ending process actually, as the neighborhood food scene keeps on changing, especially in BF Homes Parañaque where you’ll find a number of restaurants, hole-in-the-wall establishments, and everything in between.

For me, Aguirre Avenue feels like it’s an endless stretch of eating destinations. I’ve been there several times, but I don’t think I have tried even half of what it has to offer. I’ve pinpointed some favorites though, which I think is worth sharing with those who feel overwhelmed with all the tempting options there.

Ramen is one of my go-to comfort foods and whenever my hubby and I crave for it, Ramen Kuroda (96 Aguirre Avenue) comes top of mind. This casual dining establishment has an open kitchen where you can see the staff prepare the food. We have tried all the three kinds of ramen in this place: shiro, kuro, and aka, which all have rich wheat homemade noodles swimming in tasty tonkotsu broth highlighted by its umami flavor.

Ramen Kuroda's kuro ramen has a tonkotsu broth flavored with special garlic oil.

Shiro is the classic type, kuro has that special garlic oil, while aka is the spicy one. I prefer the latter because of its piquant broth that has the perfect amount of spiciness—you won’t cough your way throughout the meal. My hubby also likes it but he gets the aka chasumen variant that has 300 percent more chasu (braised pork). We both love how this branch serves a free serving of extra noodles for every à la carte ramen order.

I just have an issue with Ramen Kuroda’s consistency in serving appetizers; sometimes we would be given complimentary side dishes, and sometimes none at all. Otherwise, the ramen is pretty spot-on and affordable, too. We have yet to try the other dishes and set meals because every time we visit, we would stick to our favorite noodle soups.

Also along the same street is Bamba Bistro (55 Aguirre Avenue corner Arsenio Luz), which is easy to locate because it’s just near the main gate. If you see the establishment with the big sign, “Not your average bistro by the corner”, then you’re there.

One of my girl friends and I had lunch in this quaint eatery owned by Chef Tina Legarda who I heard has worked in famous chefs’ restaurants abroad. Her menu shows her sophisticated palate, and although the items seem pricey for a neighborhood establishment, I saw that the dishes featured quality ingredients.

My good friend ordered the duck ravioli pasta filled with shredded duck, ricotta, and porcini mushroom cooked in cream sauce and truffle. It has a velvety consistency and very rich flavors with a hint of aromatic truffle oil.

Bamba Bistro's Hangover Killer Bowl is filled with sinful chicharo and crispy chicken skin.

What tempted me was the dish called Hangover Killer Bowl that had sriracha fried rice with shrimps, squid, chicharo, sprouts, crispy chicken skin, poached egg and tamarind sauce. It’s not the healthiest option on the menu, but it was oh so good.

We capped off our meal with the bestselling pizzookie, a chocolate chip cookie pizza topped with vanilla ice cream and walnuts, served with a side of salted caramel sauce. Those with sweet tooth would definitely enjoy this decadent dessert. I would eat at Bamba Bistro every day if the prices weren’t so restricting.

Parallel to the main road is a hidden gem called Café Alezon (146 Tropical Avenue), owned by Venjoy and Anna Alegre, a husband and wife team who both love to entertain. According to Anna, “Alezon is the name of (Venjoy's) brother who passed away four years ago in 2012. This is his personality—he loved art, he loved really good music, he loved good food, and he loved people.”

It’s a pretty spacious establishment that can accommodate around 50 diners, and it has a curated menu of trademark family recipes like the laing paella and tamarind chicken. Those with discerning tastes would appreciate the diverse offerings—from pizza to rice meals, and even Mexican fare.

My hubby and I tried the open tacos featuring homemade tortilla topped with barbacoa beef and minced veggies and sides of salsa and shredded cabbage. Aside from it being a tasty dish, we both thought that it was good value for money since one order consisted of two heaping open-faced tacos.

Cafe Alezon's all-meat thin-crust pizza is a must-try.

We sampled another bestselling dish, the all-meat pizza with thin crust made in-house that is generously topped with homemade sausage, pepperoni, bacon, olives, fresh basil and cheese. I love how the combination of toppings made it so flavorful that you would want to eat one slice after another.

I was surprised to find out that Venjoy does a lot of cooking and marketing for the restaurant, but he didn’t have any formal culinary training. They try to stick to local growers—ordering fresh mushrooms from their neighbor who cultivates it, and herbs grown by a friend, among others. I suppose their passion for food really shines through. “What we have here is what we know how to do.” —KG, GMA News