I took advantage of the New Year holidays to pop over to Tokyo for a bit. I was planning to see friends I hadn’t seen in a while, do some shopping and hit some good restaurants, but almost every place worth going to was closed for the holidays. Sigh. So I managed just one ramen shop that had opened from January 2nd.
It’s a place in Meguro with the rather grand name of Ramen Zero. It’s a little off the street where Meguro’s ramen shops cluster, but it isn’t that hard to find.
The sign
The name sounds like something out of a sentai or tokusatsu hero show, but the interior is very stylish and roomy. That said, there are only 12 seats. Turnover is quick, but you still have to queue almost every time.
From the side
It has a modern feel that’s unusual for a ramen shop, the kind of place where a woman on her own could drop in for a bowl without a second thought. The ramen here is a clean-tasting additive-free ramen that suits the interior, so the concept hangs together well.
Staff recruitment poster
A poster looking for staff to join them. This shop is the third offshoot of Setagaya, famous for its seafood-based ramen. Being a completely new concept of ramen from a famous shop, it topped all sorts of ramen rankings in the second half of 2008 and became hugely popular.
A seat came up before long, so in we went.
Table decoration
This is roughly the vibe. I’d heard rumours there were a few ramen shops with this kind of concept in Tokyo, but it was pretty much my first time.
Salt and pepper are self-service
They use good-quality salt and pepper. I didn’t add any to the broth, though.
My order, the Yakibuta Men Zero
I’ve heard of plenty of ramen with no MSG, but a ramen that doesn’t even use ordinary seasonings like salt or soy sauce was something I’d never heard of before. ^_^ Wellness is the trend these days, but it made me think: so this is how far ramen has evolved. Since it’s a ramen outside the usual categories, the name Zero seems just right.
Taking a spoonful of the broth, it’s packed with the dried-fish flavour typical of Setagaya, but there’s nothing harsh about it at all. You could say it has no particular distinguishing feature, but the cleanness of the aftertaste reaches a depth of flavour I’d have thought impossible for ramen. With a variety of seafood forming the backbone, a touch of animal-based stock anchoring the finish, and even a faint waft of yuzu, the carefully thought-out broth feels like an announcement that a new flavour trend has arrived in Tokyo. I wanted to applaud them for making a ramen this perfectly balanced without even the most basic seasonings of salt or soy sauce.
My companion’s Ramen Zero + ajitama (seasoned egg)
Not just the broth, but the toppings like the yakibuta and menma are excellent too. The yakibuta in particular has a chewiness that beats most ham or bacon.
The noodles
Thin noodles that go well with the delicate, gentle broth. They were cooked just right, and I had no complaints about either the noodles or the broth. No wonder it’s popular. One thing, though: the regular size is a bit small, so if it’s a meal rather than a snack, be sure to order a large.