Quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten. Someone wise said this before. But, with our current financial state, most shoppers – or diners – often give more consideration to the price, sacrificing quality, and, as a consolation, just mutter ‘you get what you pay for.’
Indeed, nothing good comes cheap – Food-wise, or otherwise. Until Makimura, that is.
Makimura has become a by-word for the ramen-crazy universe. And we can’t blame them. The penny-pinching, ramen-loving humans hit Eureka when they crossed paths with Makimura. This penny-pinching, ramen-loving human, included.
The beginnings
Makimura owners Vickee Dela Cruz, and Mark Anthony Ong (yes, the love of her life), credit their love for travelling to Japan as the trigger to putting up Makimura.
Vickee says, “We love travelling to Japan and we would always explore the food – particularly the ramen and the maki’s.”
Makimura – which, roughly translated from Kapampangan, means “seeking a cheap(er) alternative” – is also a contraction of Maki (yes, that adorable Japanese delight rolled in seaweed) and Mura – or cheap.
Initially, Makimura only offered maki and Takoyaki at the Combi Food Park in the City of San Fernando. Eventually, ramen entered the picture, and the rest is history.
In 2018, the birth year of Makimura, the Balibago and MarQuee mall branches opened. After 2 years, the SM City-Baguio and San Agustin, City Tarlac branches were inaugurated. And the queue, regardless of location, is always long.
Amid the Pandemic
Vickee said that, due to the pandemic, Makimura branches were asked to close for two (2) months. For them to keep their people employed, they ventured into deliveries of ramen kits and other treats. Luckily, the Makimura republic stayed loyal. The orders kept coming, and the patronage remained strong.
Affordable. Really!
My first Makimura experience happened at its newest branch – SM City Clark.
I was amazed to be served five (5) pieces – one order – of ebi tempura for only P99. And no, these babies aren’t the puny ones, either! Is that affordable or what? For the same price, you may have six (6) pieces of takoyaki.
The ramen offerings are another story altogether. The best-selling Aka or red ramen, along with the original and the green ramen are priced at P199, while the Koru, or the black ink ramen sells for P249. Yep, thank the authentic squid ink for the color.
You may also find Makimura in SM City Pampanga and SM City Telabastagan.
Coming up
Makimura is set to open its Subic branch within the first quarter of 2022. And not long after, another outlet in Baguio City.
Makimura is the perfect marriage of quality and affordability, and never a case of one or the other. No sacrifices needed. You can have the best of both worlds here.
