Menkoi Sato: Miso Ramen
It has been a long time since I’ve had a proper bowl of ramen. Being cooped up in a tiny New York apartment for more than a year makes a large steaming bowl of hot ramen sound better by the second, even if it’s boiling hot outside. After all, ramen feeds the soul.
So I got this hot tip from a Japanese acquaintance that Menkoi Sato in the West Village serves a legit bowl of Sapporo style ramen. I had reason to believe this Japanese friend because he was also from Sapporo, where this style was invented. I decided that this was the time to break my ramen fast.
Sapporo style miso ramen is relatively new in terms of styles in Japan. Miso ramen came about 50 years ago. If you look at where Sapporo is, it makes a lot of sense. It’s located in Hokkaido, the northernmost island in Japan. It’s famous for their cold winters, pristine seafood and the softest snow for skiing and snowboarding. People hailing from Hokkaido need heartier sustenance to combat their climate so they added miso to their ramen. Other typical Sapporean toppings are sweet corn and butter. It may sound odd to have butter in ramen but if you know, you know.
As my bowl of ramen is placed on the table, my eyes feast on the sight of the rich, golden brown broth. Little mounds of scallions and chopped white onions peek through the hot liquid like verdant rolling hills and snow capped mountains. To the side of the green scallion hill lies a lone, sturdy slice of chashu, or broiled pork, that is carefully placed not to disturb the contents in the bowl. Adjacent to the meaty pork were two oblong halves of an egg, expertly cooked so that the sheen of the jammy yolk reflects the deliciousness to come.
Large, warm, and comforting bowl of miso ramen soup, noodles, char siu pork, soft boiled eggs, and onions.
I grab my chopsticks and the soup ladle. I can’t resist just looking at it any longer. I gently push the two types of onions together and down into the broth so the flavors incorporate throughout the entire bowl. To my pleasant surprise, I discover menma, or bamboo shoots, lying in wait just underneath the broth. Littered throughout the bowl were small chunks of ground pork, upping the protein and heartiness of the ramen. I then fish out a large helping of wavy noodles and take a hearty slurp. The thick, wavy noodles glide easily into my mouth, coating my tastebuds with the warm, fatty broth. Porky, meaty umami flavors hit first followed by the deep, earthy, and slightly sweet taste of the miso.
The rich flavors linger for a second and a faint bitter aftertaste follows. Sapporo style ramen uses akamiso, a dark red variant that can have slight bitter flavors. The two types of onions provide varying textures while the ground pork provides more umami, which keeps every bite interesting. In addition, the thickness of the noodles brings a satisfying chew. I reach for the tender chashu. It has a strong salty quality that complements the noodles. The custardy, jammy eggs are perfectly done and their richness feels right at home with the miso.
“See you again!” printed on the bottom of the empty bowl of ramen from Menkoi Sato.
I finish my bowl of ramen in just a few minutes, as is customary in Japan. I wish I could order another bowl, but alas, my stomach is full and my wallet is near empty. It’s a solid bowl of ramen for my first in more than a year!
