Say “Fukushima ramen” and many will think of the dish from Kitakata, famed for its clear pork/soy broth. In the south of the prefecture Shirakawa ramen is kind, though, with its poultry broth paired with roughly shaped, handmade noodles. Try it at Sugamo’s Mensōan Sunada.
Mensōan Sunada offers original arrangements of flavors studied at a popular shop in Shirakawa, Fukushima. The slow-simmered broth’s delicate clarity belies the deeply rich umami flavor. The noodles, made by hand in-house, are marked by an irregular crinkly shape that holds the broth well. They are also pleasantly chewy and full of wheaty flavor. Most Shirakawa-style ramen uses stewed pork for their char siu slices, but Sunada roasts its pork to bring out the flavor. This is a bowl that is powerfully impressive despite the simplicity.
- Address: Fuji Bldg., 4-24-6 Sugamo, Toshima, Tokyo
- Official social media account: https://x.com/mensouan_sunada
(Originally published in Japanese. Banner photo: Mensōan Sunada’s Tokusei Chūkasoba. ¥1,400. © Yamakawa Daisuke.)
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