Although originally from China, this millennial soup has become an emblem of Japanese cuisine. We all know the basis of ramen: wheat noodles to add broth to, bamboo shoots, boiled eggs, pork or chicken, mushrooms… but the options and varieties are almost infinite.
Although it is a dish that has even surpassed sushi in popularity, it is not necessary to travel very far to find true examples worthy of the most exquisite palate. If the madness began in Japan, where they even have a museum dedicated to the dish (in Yokohama), it will soon be extrapolated in the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. Ramen, as the Japanese tradition commands, is eaten by sipping. Did you know that sipping while sucking on the noodle cools it do it doesn’t burn your mouth? In addition, we are told that thanks to the oxygen intake, its flavor is amplified. So, come with us and surrender to the slurp!
Ramen Kagura
When you approach a place and see that there is a line to enter every day, it has to be a very good sign. Also if many of those in the line are Asian, the place earns double points. Why? Because you know you will eat genuine ramen there. We are talking about Ramen Kagura.
It was the first 100% Japanese ramen restaurant in Madrid and the work and creation of Keigo Onoda, a Japanese in front of the whole group Hanakura. Everything in its ramen is homemade, from the noodles to the toppings. The peculiarity of Ramen Kagura is that here, all the ramen served are tonkotsu, i.e. with pork broth. The star of the house is the miso ramen with noodles, chashu, half a poached egg, naruto and vegetables with special miso sauce. From October to March they prepare to types of seasonal ramen, one peppery and the other covered with cabbage and soy sprouts.
They have thought of everything: they give you cutlery in case you don’t manage well with chopsticks, they offer hairbands so you don’t get tonkotsu all over your hair, and they offer bibs so their customers don’t get lost.
Photo: Macarena Escrivá
The street of Echegaray in Madrid has become a small Asian town in which, in just number 30 on the street, there are several proposals coming from Asian countries. One of them is Chuka Ramen Bar. Although their Asian creators have nothing, they know a lot about cooking. With John Husby in front, formed in the Momofuku of New York, and Loreana Mauri, the Chuka has positioned itself as one of the sites for good eating and cooking Chuka, that is to say, the mixture between the Chinese and Japanese gastronomy.
On their menu, they make a trip around numerous Japanese tapas (gyozas or bao buns) and have star dishes like the ramen shioyu, with a chicken broth and a base of Japanese noodles, bacon, Chinese chives, bamboo shoots and an egg. If you fancy something different, bet on the Shio ramen with a soup based on smoked fish, shellfish and seaweed, poultry and pork, marinated chicken chashu, tofu, daikon turnip, hijiki seaweed, smeji mushrooms, tatsoi and an egg. If you don’t understand half the ingredients don’t worry. Relax and enjoy. You’ll enjoy the beauty of it.
Photo: Diego Díez
Ichikoro
And from a number on Echegaray street, we jumped to another. Ichikoro opened in 2016, but he did this by taking advantage of the synergies already offered on the street. “If people here come to eat Asian food, why not take a chance?” Think. And the truth is that they did very well. The concept is originally from a couple formed by a Japanese and a German who learned about the ramen bar Tokyotas and opened their own in Madrid. In addition, the story has a romantic point, because curiously, another Japanese place Donzoko, was the site of his first date with the Japanese.
For the preparation of their broths – almost all chicken based – they use between 8 and 10 hours, which makes the soups more creamy than liquid. Even the chashu they use is a part of the chicken thigh. There they triumph the ramen-soba miso and the bestseller of the house, the Tanton-Men, which initially was made without broth, but in response to the demand from the customers they added it, plus cilantro, an added touch, will bring you a bowl with sesame to crush yourself.
Photo: Macarena Escrivá
Malasaña is another neighborhood where the restaurants of other countries have dominated, and within this current, Ninja Ramen was born. Did you know that ninjas were experts in the art of slipping away? Well, entering there is like teleporting to a typical Japanese tavern where there is no shortage of lanterns, banners, barrels of sake and the option to eat while sitting on the floor.
In addition to traditional Japanese cuisine, the star dish, as the name suggests, is the ramen. On one hand, the Shoyu ramen, traditional, and on the other, different options from the rest with creations like Four Seasons ramen, which is served cold with minced pork, cucumber and miso sauce, or the bull ramen with bull tail meat and beef broth.
Photo: Aitziber Redondo
The Japanese izakaya with the name of Master of Katanas in Kill Bill, is the ideal place to have an authentic Japanese night. Among its Japanese tapas are gyozas, okonomiyakis or baos, also enhance two ramen, one that has always been in their menu, and another just released to the market.
The first is a Tokyo ramen with chicken broth, and the second and most interesting, a black ramen. The idea comes from the Fukuoka area where all the Chinese influence entered, and with it the first pigs. That’s where they made the ramen tonkotsu for the first time. To do this, they use a pork bottom and black garlic oil, instead of the most common sesame. As it is fatty and potent ramen, the bitter counterpoint of garlic comes very well, in addition to the pleasant aroma that gives us the use of a pinch of star anise. The rest of the ingredients are the traditional yaki soba noodles of wheat flour, wooden ear mushroom, chives, a boiled egg and bacon chashu.
Photo: Macarena Escrivá
Yes, it’s surprising this is on a list for ramen, but the variety is the taste, right? We think it’s important to include, because here they prepare a ramen native to Madrid. Using the broth of a stew, it takes more than two days to prepare with ham bones, backbones, hen, Morcillo… They prepare their particular ramen traveling. The result is an amazing dish, with a tasty and non-fatty broth, the udon noodles ending with chorizo.
Photo: Macarena Escrivá
Text: Macarena Escrivá
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