Like everyone else in London, I’m enjoying the latest trend
of Ramen noodle soup and even more with all the new ramen shops opening up left
right and centre now.
I’m enjoying this new craze, as I love Ramen a lot, a hell
of a lot. I’ve been semi addicted to boodle soup since my first visits to Asia
back in the 90’s.
First of all it was Thukpa, the part Nepalese, Tibetan
noodle soup slurped in small hole in the wall Tibetan run restaurants in
Kathmandu.
Then came the spicy Thai versions that used to kick start my
day after many a heavy night in Bangkok drinking Sang Thip or Mekhong
whisky. The small roadside stalls
always served me up an amazing bowl of rice noodle soup.
Laos and Cambodia have their own versions, which served a
purpose, but were never as good as what u had in Thailand.
China also gave me many different variations on the simple
noodle soup, from hearty gutsy broth in the north to more refined simple
flavours in the south.
Vietnamese Pho is also an addiction with me, after spending
6 weeks slowly travelling around this amazing country having soup probably at
least twice a day.
Even in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia also serve up
their own variations on this incredible dish, but it is Japan that the simple
noodle soup is taken to new heights, and maybe its one of the reasons I want to
return to the “Land of the Rising Sun.”
Japan seems to be able to take anything and recreate it into
something incredible. They’ve taken the humble Chinese wheat noodle and added
it to a fish, meat or pork bone stock with mesmerising ingredients to create
the best noodle soup on the planet.
In Japan there are noodle shops that specialise in one thing
and one thing only. Could be Ramen, could be Udon style, but what ever they do,
they do it bloody good.
The best Ramen noodle soup I’ve ever had was on our last
night in Kyoto at a modern eatery with glass large glass fronted windows looking
out onto the street. Very different from your normal wooden restaurant with a
short curtain at the entrance.
Outside of Japan, the best ramen soup I’ve had was at Ippudo
in New York. Oh my god it was good, so very good, lovely modern setting with shared
benches, good vibe but oh so bloody good stock. Blog post to follow one day.
In London a small crop of ramen shops have begun to appear,
first off was itenbari, a nice place, good soup but a better vibe.
Then along came Tonkotsu, which promised us the proper 48
hour pork bone stock, but sadly it never lived up to the hype, even after a bit
of tweaking.
Bone Daddies is one of the latest creations and bloody good
it is too, just wish they would do 1. Turn down the bloody music and 2. Give me
more bloody stock you tight wads. I want more.
Shoryu Ramen is the latest offering, coming from the same
people as the Japan Centre opposite, which I have eaten at on more than one
occasion. Still wish it was based in Piccadilly, it was a lot better then.
Lovely modern setting but feels slightly out of place a
little down Regent Street, should be in West London really.
The menu is kick ass with over 10 different ramen soups,
mostly of the Tonkotsu variety from the Hakata District in southern Japan.
The milky white broth looks the biz and on first impressions
it tasted the part also, but it wasn’t a long lasting taste and quickly
disappeared. It tasted almost a watered down version of what it should be.
I like the noodles here, good taste, nicely cooked with a
little bite in them. The egg was not runny, the chashu was disappointingly
tasteless. A shame really. But there is room for improvement here and as they
are listening to their customers, I think this place will improve and get much
better.
Portion control is at its best here with some very generous
portions being served, just what I want at Bone Daddies.
The staff are a bit hit and miss to be honest with pretty
slow but friendly service, but I’m sure they will improve over time.
I know I will be returning here to try out some more of
their soups and hopefully when I return the Kare Age will be on the menu, not
listed as “coming soon”. This I thought
was pretty stupid to have items on the menu that you cannot have. That I do not
like.
But a new ramen shop is definitely a good sign and shows
that we are beginning to take ramen seriously. Bring it on.
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