shokutsu / Ramen

The toppings served separately to ensure that the sliced meat does not soften up too much in the hot broth until you are good and ready to eat, I appreciate this small touch. The both delicate and deep broth is rich tasting but not overly oily, I can see why Santouka is popular with female ramen fans in Japan, which tends to generally be more a cuisine enjoyed by men.

Fairly basic, clean tasting soup with standard noodles.

It was very creamy and a respectable representation of a solid tonkotsu broth, and to top it off, there was none of that distinctive pork scent that you can find at times in tonkotsu soups. The Nagahama Ramen did come with the usual toppings of beni shoga (thin slices of ginger that is pickled) and konbu (kelp), along with chopped green onions and bamboo shoots. The beni shoga is a key one here for tonkotsu-based ramen, as its used as a refreshing element and to help mask any notable pork scent coming from the soup stock. Lastly, I did notice another element that is found in this style of ramen in Japan was missing, a spoonful or two of some garlic-infused flavored oil.

Probably the most popular and favoured bowl of ramen in this city. Select your fat level in both your chashu and broth.

Toppings were a few thin slices of pork, bamboo shoots, green onions and a full boiled egg. The noodles were a variety I have seen in the cases of restaurant supply stores, and have bought myself in the past. The broth was light, a chicken-stock base and had not been topped off with any oil. How would I describe the dish overall? Very ‘plain Jane’.

Carefully constructed soup base, with well cooked noodles make for a sold combination. Best tonkotsu ramen in the GVA, IMHO.