My favorite Tokyo miso ramen! A bold statement, but one that rings true. The miso ramen at Santora (三ん寅) is incredible, a fireworks display of flavors.
Tokyo Miso Ramen – Top of the Heap?
Santora’s miso ramen is like a souped up carbon copy of Sumire‘s miso ramen. This is no surprise, as the owner at Santora worked at Sumire for years. Sumire is one of the most famous miso ramen shops in Sapporo, Hokkaido.
In short, Santora in Tokyo does a mean bowl of Sumire style miso ramen. But Santora’s broth is saltier and lardier than at Sumire. In addition, it’s arguably more refined.
There’s a lot going on in the soup – pork bones, kelp, katakuchi niboshi (high-grade dried sardines), mackerel flakes, and shiitake mushrooms. The waves of white miso collide against the shores of the hearty pork bone soup and the 2 inch thick layer of pork lard.
On the toppings side of things, you have green negi (spring onions), pork chashu, and an egg if you order it. Furthermore, there’s momentary sweet bursts coming from the mound of grated ginger.
The firm and yellow noodles are from Sapporo noodle producer Nishiyama Seimen. They’re famous for resting their noodles anywhere from 1 to 6 days, or the exact time frame each customer (ramen shop) wants.
Santora - Final Notes
Santora serves other ramen, such as shoyu (soy sauce), and shio (salt). But it’s miso that’s king. They’re my pick for what might be the best miso ramen in Tokyo. Many agree - Santora is part of Tabelog's Top 100 Ramen List in Tokyo.
For reference, Oshima (also in Tokyo) serves a similar ramen, but with more toppings and a gentler soup. The owner at Oshima also worked at Sumire.
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