Winning the noodle wars at Wabi-Sabi

From time to time, I get intense cravings for noodles. If I can, I run to the nearest grocery to buy buckwheat noodles that I like to eat with seaweed and a lot of wasabi. Sometimes I experiment with glass noodles with thinly-sliced vegetables. Usually though, all I can manage is a quick run to the sari-sari store to get a pack of instant noodles that looks like it has less MSG (something I judge by intuition, which is by no means a reliable standard). Within a few minutes, I sit down and pretend I'm in Palawan, eating pho or chaolong, as it is curiously called. Chaolong is actually rice porridge, but if the noodles taste like they do in Palawan, I'm willing to call it anything. The noodles in Palawan, where some of the best Vietnamese eateries can be found, are my answer to the question, "If you could eat just one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?" To me, they're that good, and no instant noodles come close. Not even Oh Ricey, which is the least instant noodle-y of instant noodles. Every time I get the craving, I get the intense urge to go to Palawan, something I unfortunately cannot afford to do. So when I heard about Wabi-Sabi Noodle House and Vegetarian Grocery, I was excited, to say the least.

Ramen Padilla vs. Fernando Pho Jr. For several reasons, I only had the chance to try it last month, eight months after it opened. Several people had been persistently reminding me to visit the place and by the time I went, it was like a movie everyone keeps talking about that I hadn't seen. This meant that I had very high expectations and I was crossing my fingers that I wouldn't be disappointed. I'd seen the restaurant before and I knew it was a small, cozy space, so I decided to drop by one afternoon in between normal eating hours. As I predicted, the place was pleasantly empty, and we sat down at the end, facing the wall. It may not seem like a good idea to eat facing a wall, but at Wabi-Sabi, the wall is almost covered with Polaroid photos of people happily chomping down their noodles. The photos are also arranged according to the customer's preference - on one side is Ramen Padilla, on the other is Fernando Pho Jr. This is Wabi-Sabi's noodle wars, and it's good for people who like to keep occupied while waiting for their food, which doesn't take very long. The menu options weren't varied but I still had a difficult time choosing what to eat. Being vegetarian, it isn't often that I can eat every single item on the menu, so I was experiencing a bit of option-paralysis. Fortunately, I knew I preferred pho to ramen so I ordered a bowl of Viet Pho (95 pesos). I also decided to try the Pot Stickers (45 pesos) as well, and ordered a glass of Lemongrass iced tea (40 pesos). In a few minutes, the food was served steaming hot. We began with the Pot Stickers, which were cooked with a slightly sweet but still tasty sauce. It was a very good appetizer, although it reminded me of frozen dumplings I sometimes buy from the grocery. After the last Pot Sticker disappeared, the noodles weren't scalding hot anymore. Heavenly noodles The Viet Pho still didn't measure up to my memory of noodles in Palawan, but they were heavenly. In fact, I had a feeling the only difference was the ambiance and I was so focused on the noodles that I forgot to offer any to my companion, who I also ignored until I saw the bottom of my bowl. What I love about Viet Pho is that the noodles carry the soup's subtle flavor, and the vegetables and tofu slices go together perfectly. Wabi-Sabi sprinkles their Viet Pho with crispy tofu flakes, which are like chicharon, without the cholesterol. Were I to join the Noodle Wars, I know I'd be on the pho side. However, I couldn't be sure without trying the ramen first, so during my next visit, I tried a bowl of Miso Ramen (95 pesos). The Miso Ramen was very filling and came with corn, sesame beansprouts, veggie cha su slice, nori and sesame seeds. It was also very tasty. I enjoyed the ramen, but not enough for me to jump ship. My heart will always belong to pho, but I'm convinced both dishes are delicious. In Wabi-Sabi's noodle wars, everybody's a winner. If you aren't fond of noodles, there's the Bahn-My (150 pesos). It's a vegetarian sandwich with tender fake meat made from seaweed and tofu, sliced cucumber, carrots and turnips, drizzled with special sauce, and served between warm French bread. It's quite heavy on the stomach, even without any meat, and diners can choose to order half for 75 pesos. Another thing we tried was the Mushroom Siumai (55 pesos), which was a bit too bland, especially compared to the noodles. The Lemongrass iced tea and Thai Milk Tea (45 pesos) were perfect thirst-quenchers after the steaming soup. Next time, we'll try the remaining items on the menu. There's the Shoyu Ramen (95 pesos), steamed buns (25 pesos) and Veggie Cracklings (40 pesos). Until then, I'll be dreaming of Viet Pho. – VVP, GMA News Wabi-Sabi is open from Monday to Thursday, 12 pm to 9 pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 12 pm to 11 pm at The Collective, 7274 Malugay St., Makati.