Agara Ramen: Best Ramen in Baguio City?

I’m doing a Baguio City Food Trip 2022 series this month. Check out the installments so far: Chef’s Home | Farmer’s Daughter | GoodTaste Cafe and Restaurant | Lemon and Olives Greek Taverna

What’s good to eat in the cold (and rainy) Baguio weather? A hot bowl of soup. And I heard that there’s a good ramen joint that’s been gaining popularity recently. So on one rainy night, we went to Agara Ramen.

Agara is a ramen shop in Engineer’s Hill. Like the ramen shops in Japan, it has limited seating and an open kitchen where diners can see their ramen being prepared. Its owner and head chef, Ray Costa, is a big ramen head. He once worked in Japan and learned about the Japanese noodle dish. Wanting to make ramen available to his hometown, he opened the shop. Kudos to Chef Ray for also making their ramen affordable!

Since the day I was exposed to Mendokoro Ramenba’s ramen (check out my experience here), I’ve always been on the lookout for good ramen (hoping to try it in Japan someday). So when I read and watched food b/vloggers rave about Agara’s, I was determined to find out myself. But before we talk about the ramen, let’s talk about the side dishes first. We tried the Karaage (Japanese fried chicken), which is crispy and tender.

We also tried the bestselling Hirata Bun, which is a fatty chashu (braised pork belly) sandwiched in a chewy mantou bun or steamed bun. What made it standout is the sweet and tangy barbecue-like sauce. I wish I got more of this; it’s just delicious!

*Hirata* Bun (1pc.: PHP120; 3pcs.: PHP299)

Unfortunately, their Gyoza and Wagyu Cubes were sold out when we visited. So I guess it’s a reason to visit again!

Now the best part—Agara’s ramen. We tried only two (and it’s a shame). One is the Chuka Soba, which is dubbed as “The OG of Ramen”. It’s broth is made of chicken, fish, pork, and vegetables, so imagine the umami-ness. It has a chashu on it, which is fatty, tender, and smoky because it’s blowtorched, as well as bamboo shoots, which adds texture. This is easily my favorite at Agara!

Of course, I couldn’t skip on one of my favorite ramen of all time—Tantanmen. Agara’s version has a thin broth that’s nutty and nicely spicy.

The noodles are al dente, although I prefer it to be a bit more chewy. Still, it has a good consistency.

So does Agara Ramen make the best ramen in Baguio City as many claim? Possibly! It’s good that I want to visit again and try their other varieties, such as the Spicy Miso. If you’re a ramen head, then include this in your Baguio eat-inerary. I highly recommend Agara Ramen to you!

Address: G/F Rancho Guillermo Bldg., North Dr., Engineer's Hill, Baguio City, Philippines | Operating Hours: Monday-Thursday, 11AM-9PM; Friday-Sunday, 11AM-10PM | Contact No.: 0945-1039857 | Facebook | Instagram