Ramen, reimagined
"The world," quips restaurateur John Concepcion, "is my school."
It fascinated him endlessly: while visiting Japan early on in his career, he observed how restaurants could focus on a single dish and spend a lifetime mastering it. It was not just cuisine per se, but a calling. It was an epiphany just simmering, waiting for the man to discover. A spark waiting to light up the path ahead.
“When you travel, you encounter ideas,” he says. “And then you start chasing higher standards.” Because of this insight John named his company Standard Hospitality Group.
If the world was his school, then the lesson would be how every detail matters—from the ingredients to the presentation to the experience itself. John explains, “That philosophy of dedication, precision and continuous improvement stuck with me and continues to inspire the concepts we build at SHG.”
How John Concepcion & son Michael elevate the ramen experience at Ippudo
But for John, the founder and CEO; his son Michael, the creative director; and the rest of the team, the best can even get better when raised to the highest of standards.
According to John, “Our latest venture, Ippudo Ramen Bar, came from a realization that ramen has become highly commoditized, and we saw an opportunity to elevate the experience. We wanted to create something more intimate and refined—where the quality of ramen remains the heart of the concept, but the side dishes, ambience and overall experience take things to the next level. We need to evolve the game of ramen.”
Ramen is more than just a bowl of noodles—it’s a culinary crisscrossing of warmth, flavors, textures and aspirations (to be transported to Fukuoka for some; for me, right smack to Shibuya or Shinjuku with a bagful of Mobile Fidelity LPs from Disk Union). Standard Hospitality Group partners with ramen experts Ippudo (Chikaranomoto Holdings) to launch Ippudo Ramen Bar at Uptown BGC, blending traditional ramen craftsmanship with modern dining sensibilities.
This innovative concept refreshes Ippudo’s esteemed legacy by combining authentic ramen-making techniques with the vibrancy of contemporary dining. Tailored for today’s discerning diner, Ippudo Ramen Bar offers stylish interiors and an inventive menu that respects its Japanese heritage.
At the core of this new offering is Ippudo’s celebrated tonkotsu ramen, an all-time favorite. Guests can enjoy both the beloved classic ramen varieties as well as exclusive, new creations unique to this concept. Going beyond noodles, Ippudo Ramen Bar also presents sushi and sashimi selections prepared by hand-roll specialists, Koyo. Complementing the experience are diverse small plates and main dishes.
What elevates this place even more are the drinks: carefully crafted highballs (Gari, Genmaicha, Umeshu, Yuzu and Katsuboshi); sake (Dassai); wines and beer. (Make mine a tall glass of cold Black Sapporo draft beer.) The list of non-alcoholic drinks is also impressive: from Yuzu Sunrise to Arnold Palmer, enhancing the bold flavors of whatever’s on the plate.
It’s a calm collision of old and new—where classic Japanese flavors meet modern twists, and everything just fits. Strands of memory and invention in a bowl.
John shares, “We’ve worked with Ippudo for a long time and have built a relationship based on trust. So when we approached them with the idea for Ippudo Ramen Bar, they immediately agreed and gave us full creative freedom—carte blanche.”
If there was any challenge, it was in finding the right chefs and working with them to create dishes that felt unique yet still connected to Ippudo’s DNA. John and company wanted a Japanese fusion approach, using high-quality local ingredients while ensuring great value for money.
“I call this the magic time—when we bring in foreign chefs, work with them on a clear brief and vision, and see them bring all of it to life. This is where the excitement happens, and it’s what keeps me so passionate about this business.”
Space is also a main character in this narrative. Ippudo Ramen Bar was designed by Michael and his team in collaboration with Hong Kong-based architecture firm DEFT.
“Some ramen shops tend to be a bit more transactional. They’re mostly at the train station. You’re meant to eat your ramen and go,” explains Michael. “But our space here was designed to be a bit more warm, experiential. The furniture, the lighting, the music, the sound system, everything was a bit more intentional for a more social experience.”
Michael did not want the space to alienate their core customers; they still could rest easy while partaking of their preferred ramen.
“We were trying to check a lot of boxes. So, we selected a design and we worked with our architectural team to create something that we felt celebrated the heritage of Ippudo, but sort of introduced a new chapter for us. We need to push ourselves to reimagine what Ippudo should look like in 2025 and beyond.” Michael’s proud to say that the Ippudo Ramen Bar is the first in the world.
While the son is in charge of aesthetics, the discipline and the intuition come from the father.
John explains, “Michael and I have a great synergy. He brings a fresh, creative energy, always challenging the conventional way of doing things, while I balance that with strategic thinking and operational experience. We’re both passionate, so we sometimes have intense debates, but at the end of the day, we share the same goal—to build brands that set new standards in the industry. On a personal note, I want to see all three of my children more involved in the business and take on bigger roles.”
Michael thinks the world of his dad. “My dad’s got a very keen and developed eye and sense for what will work—what the market wants or doesn’t even know they want yet. I think it’s a combination of gut and experience. When I was 19, I started a small business. It failed. But my dad gave me seed money to try. That was my real schooling. He encouraged me to just jump in and do it—and figure it out.”
John’s business philosophy may seem simple (“Never compromise on quality and experience…”), but a herculean task to maintain. He stresses, “Whether it’s the food, service, or ambience, every element should feel intentional. I also believe in continuous innovation—if you’re not evolving, you’re falling behind.”
Thus, the dishes at Ippudo Ramen Bar may offer comforting familiarity and, at the same time, evoke the sense of something yet to be discovered.
What do exclusives such as the Grilled Chicken Kuro Ramen or the White Chicken Yuzu Ramen taste like? Fantastic, transporting. John adds, “The grilled chicken ramen variant is my favorite. And I’ll have that with some modern gyoza.”
Avee T. the photographer also gushes over the Spicy Hanetsuki Gyoza on a bed of garlic layu sauce as well as the charred edamame (its toppings of roasted nori flakes & Togarashi give it a delightful kick) and the Honey Jalapeño Snapper Roll. Our orders: the white chicken for me (the citrus gives the broth a bit of tang) and the grilled one for Avee (the words “black garlic & onion oil” flash spellbindingly on the menu). We end up sampling both.
The desserts at this place deserve an entire article altogether.
Both the space and the menu at Ippudo Ramen Bar reflect both the evolution of ramen culture and the father-son dynamic at its core. Under the lulling lights and surrounded by pulsing music, John and Michael Concepcion let their guests into a ramen place with depth, highballs, umami and a tasty backstory.
