Read first: TSUTA RAMEN MANILA: Is it better than Ramen Nagi or Ippudo? https://awesm.pl/tsutaramenmanila
Tsuta Japanese Soba Noodles was the first Ramen Restaurant to ever win a Michelin Star in 2015.
Master Chef and Owner Onishi Yuki opened Tsuta in Sugamo, Tokyo back in January 2012 to rave reviews, having won multiple awards and praises from ramen lovers across Japan. In 2015, it was awarded a prestigious Michelin Star, the first for a ramen restaurant at the time.
Tsuta is known for its clear broth ramen, which is much lighter and clean-tasting on the palate than the more popular Tonkotsu-style–a rich and almost thick style of pork broth.
Its success comes from Chef Onishi’s dedication to quality and consistency, and his willingness to break with tradition by utilizing western ingredients such as black truffle and olives. The combination has proven successful, and ramen lovers from all over have shown their appreciation of it.
TSUTA JAPANESE SOBA NOODLES
Tang Lung St, 18號V Point 地下 2 號 舖
Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Open: 11:30am–8pm Daily
Telephone: +852 3188 2639
Related Blog Post: TSUTA RAMEN MANILA: Is it better than Ramen Nagi or Ippudo?
Tsuta Ramen Hong Kong
We missed our chance to try Tsuta in Japan, so we jumped at the opportunity to sample their famed ramen once when we found out there was a branch in Hong Kong.
Located at what’s informally known by the locals as “Ramen Street”, Tsuta can be found in Causeway Bay, about a 6-minute walk from Times Square, Hong Kong.
The interior is very modern and neat, heavily inspired by Japanese minimalism, with a single bar set-up for dining.
The restaurant can seat roughly around 20 people at a time.
Tsuta Ramen Menu: Shoyu, Shio, Miso | Soba Toppings, Side Dishes, Rice Dishes, Drinks
This makes for a slightly intimate setting, where you get to watch the chefs prepare your food right in front of you.
Constructing a Bowl
Each bowl is meticulously constructed utilizing the best and freshest ingredients possible.
The soba noodles are made with a special blend of several types of wheat and whole wheat flour. These are made in-house daily to ensure freshness and quality.
Broth
The base broth is made from a variety of fresh ingredients that have been selected to compliment each other. Chicken, special herbs, and seafood stock are carefully cooked at the right temperatures and for the right amount of time to help preserve the flavors. No MSG is added as the cooking process naturally draws out the umami taste of the components.
You can choose from 3 types of sauces to flavor your broth:
• Shoyu (soy-based)
Tsuta’s signature, the Shoyu is made from soybeans that have been aged for 2 years at the Shoyu Brewery in Wakayama. Combined with a stock of Asari clams, chicken, and a variety of herbs, the clear broth has deep complex flavors from the soy and elevated by the earthiness of black truffle.
• Shio (salt-based)
Considered by historians to be the original and oldest style of ramen. Shio, which means salt, is a clear broth that is most commonly found outside of Japan. (Instant Raman would be considered a Shio type.)
The Shio sauce is made from Japanese Asari Clams, fish stock, Okinawan Sea Salt, and Rock Salts from Mongolia. The clear broth is slightly saltier than those of typical ramen dishes. Leeks and pureed olives in truffle oil balance out the flavors.
• Miso (fermented soybean)
Miso from Tokushima Prefecture is considered to be among the best in Japan, and thhe aromatic mix of spicy sauce and porcini mushroom oil enhances the strong savory flavor of the miso.
What We Ordered
Ajitama Shoyu Soba (HK$113.00 | ₱727.16)
We went with the Shoyu Soba, a perfect balance of umami, earthiness, richness, sweet, and salty. (The Signature Shoyu is our recommendation for first-timers.)
Your first sip of the clear broth reveals the deep complexity of flavors from the aged soy. Then you’re hit with the earthiness of black truffle, which surprisingly doesn’t overpower the dish. The sweetness of the chicken and clam stock lightens the soup perfectly, and the bamboo stock provides a slight bitterness and richness that rounds out the entire dish.
The pork loin (char siu) is cooked perfectly and its natural sweet and rich flavors can be tasted in every bite.
This is a fantastic bowl of ramen! I love how all the flavors are perfectly balanced, allowing you to enjoy the taste of all the ingredients.
Side Orders
Ro-su Meshi (HK$35.00 | ₱225.23). Sliced roasted pork shoulder with fragrant butter sauce.
This was a perfect side, especially if you love rice with toppings.
The pork shoulder is tender and smokey, with a slight sweetness that pairs excellently with the aromatic butter sauce.
A must-try!
Niku Meshi (HK$35.00 / ₱225.23). Diced roasted pork with onion sauce.
The bite-sized pork cubes are brulee’d with a hand-torch, which adds a clean charred flavor to the dish. Combined with the sweetness of the onion sauce, the Niku Meshi makes for a perfect side order.
We also loved the thin slices of radish that cut through the richness of the pork and onion sauce.
Final Thoughts
We love Tsuta Japanese Soba Noodles! It’s a refreshing departure from the more common Tonkotsu-style ramen restaurants that have been dominating the “Ramen Scene” as of late.
People used to the richer, heavier Tonkotsu-style might be put off by the lighter broth used by Tsuta. The pricing may also seem a bit higher than the competition. However, considering the high quality of work and ingredients that goes into every bowl–the fresh noodles made in-house daily, the complex broths and sauces, and the excellent pork and fresh ingredients–it’s well worth the price.
Chef Onishi Yuki’s decision to break from tradition and experiment with flavors and ingredients really paid off.
If you love ramen, Tsuta should definitely be on your bucket list.
TSUTA JAPANESE SOBA NOODLES
Tang Lung St, 18號V Point 地下 2 號 舖
Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Open: 11:30am–8pm Daily
Telephone: +852 3188 2639
Related Blog Post: TSUTA RAMEN MANILA: Is it better than Ramen Nagi or Ippudo?
Live an Awesome Life,
SEAN NOLAN of Team Our Awesome Planet
Disclosure: We paid for our own meals. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights.
P.S. Guess who’s coming to town this Christmas Season in BGC?
Can’t wait to get your hands on a delicious bowl of the Michelin-starred Tsuta Soba Ramen?
Don’t you fret! Tsuta will be opening its first branch in the Philippines on December 16 (beside Single Origin)—see you there!
Somehow “Michelin Star” + Ramen do not seem to go together but this looks amazing. Thanks for the report.