Serving beefy memories through ramen and gyudon
Whenever it rains, one of the things people automatically think of is ramen weather. But that autopilot response to the collective wet chill that runs down our spine might just go into haywire with a collaboration we probably didn’t know we need: Ramen Ron and Mamou.
Two go-to comfort food establishments in Manila have joined forces to debut two limited-time dishes that speak frankly about making a statement and manifesting memories in bowls.
“On a recent trip to Fukuoka with my wife Carmela, my cousin Raul, his wife Audrey, their daughter Rorie, and Tita Malou, we had so much amazing Japanese food and ramen,” shares Amado Forés, founder of AF Hospitality. “That trip really stuck with me and sparked the idea of collaborating with chef Tamura. It felt like the perfect match and a fun challenge to take Mamou’s greatest hits and reimagine them in Japanese form.”
That might sound like a tough act to pull off—what with Ramen Ron and Mamou’s distinct personalities—but their shared bond, among others, is key throughout the process.
“I basically grew up as Mamou grew, too. It’s been part of so many family memories and milestones,” says Amado. “We just wanted to do something new. We love Japanese food, we love Mamou, and thought: Why not bring them together? It was about having fun, pushing ourselves creatively, and finding ways to blend two styles we love.”
Available from July 21 to Aug. 20 at Ramen Ron BGC and Rockwell, the culmination of this collaboration comes in two bangers that reference Mamou founder Malou M. Forés’ introspective approach and Ramen Ron founder Hiroyuki Tamura’s discerning methods.
First is a deeply savory and rich bowl of steak and truffle shoyu ramen, crowned with thinly sliced Mamou dry-aged beef, cranked up with steak fat bits, bamboo shoots, leeks, aji tamago, and nori before spiking it with truffle oil for an absolute umami-rich slurp that calls to mind sparks shooting from a campfire.
Then there’s an exhilarating steak rice gyudon that certainly doesn’t come across as just another gyudon, thanks, again, to the USDA prime Angus ribeye as well as the robust addition of an egg yolk tempura alongside an arrangement of crisp onions and pickled ginger that complete the dish.
But each dish—with every slurp, sip, and spoonful—asks a little question: Is this Amado’s creative thought process? Are these steak bits reminders of Malou’s favorite trips? What milestones did they celebrate over steak and ramen? Did they love their first sip of the broth just as I did?
Such collaborative dishes stemming from personal backstories make eating food all the more enjoyable, evoking the time and place where it was first conceived and letting others live vicariously with Amado and Malou and the rest of the family at least in that moment in time.
“When I travel and enjoy the experience of seeing beautiful sceneries, savoring their cuisine, and speaking with the locals, I come home wanting to bring that experience and share it with others,” says Malou. “That’s what Mamou has always been about—creating dishes that carry the warmth, joy, and memories of the places we’ve visited and revisited, and making them part of our home.”
It’s easy to find a home at Ramen Ron and Mamou but after getting lost in their steak ramen and gyudon, no one is leaving their seat at the table. No beef, just 100 percent pure appreciation.
The dishes are available until August 20, 2025 at Ramen Ron BGC and Rockwell. Each dish is limited to just 20 bowls/servings per day. A portion of the proceeds will go to the ICanServe Foundation, a local organization aimed to help breast cancer awareness, early detection, and patient support.
