Tokyo Ramen Manchester

This independent Northern Quarter ramen house is modelled on those found in the backstreets of Japan has a cool, laid-back vibe to match. They make 200 litres of broth a day, and once it’s gone, they close the doors.

There are three signature ramen dishes, based on the rich 12-hour chicken-bone broth tori paitan, which is lighter than tonkotsu. Our tantanmen ramen was topped with crisp golden koji fried chicken, a soft boiled egg and earthy kale. It was rich with roast garlic and nutty sesame, a sharp hit of lime, and a confident kick of heat thanks to fermented chilli oil.

The shoyu ramen, meanwhile, was robust and salty, with a concentrated soy tare base and signature chicken broth, topped with tender torched pork belly, pickled mustard greens, nori, and a vivid green oil made with spring onions.

Elsewhere, the compact menu has just four small plates, based on classic izakaya dishes including koji fried chicken with sweetcorn mayo, spicy Korean ssamjang and yeast furikake seasoning; crispy octopus karaage with chickpea miso and citrussy ponzu sauce made with octopus ink; and a vegetarian-friendly tofu dish with smoked avocado.

Our beef yakiniku had skewers of beautifully marbled zabuton steak simply seared over a hot binchotan white charcoal grill until charred outside and pink within, smoky with coal and served with punchy black garlic.

The intensely savoury broths are deep and shimmering, the noodles beautifully bouncy. This place is all about the food, and every mouthful is a joy.

Photo credit: Lucas Smith

Tokyo Ramen is a Japanese restaurant located on Church Street in the Northern Quarter. This relatively new restaurant is contemporary, with an open kitchen and an industrial look to the bar and seating areas. There is a mix of high tables with stools and lower wooden tables and chairs. It is simply decorated with a large window to the front looking out onto the street.

Dishes served have a modern look, with generous portions and plenty of noodles and sides to order. The menu is small but varied, offering a good choice of quality ramen dishes, all of which are carefully made and presented.

The menu features a number of small plates and ramen dishes. Ramen dishes include Tantanmen which is a chicken bone broth served with koji fried chicken and fermented chilli oil, and the Shoyu ramen which is another chicken broth, served with pork belly, pickled mustard greens and spring onion.

There is also a Miso ramen dish served with mushroom, burnt onion and sweet potato which is suitable for vegetarians. Vegan dishes may vary, it is worth checking with the restaurant for their latest dishes and menu.

Other small plates include beef yakiniku served with black garlic, and koji fried chicken served with sweetcorn mayo. There is also a tofu dish which is made with smoked almonds and tiger’s milk.

When it comes to the drinks menu you will find many unique and interesting options such as the grape shochu highball and the white peach shochu highball. There is also a selection of fresh pressed juice, and hot green tea. You can also choose coca cola, or Ramune Japanese soda.

Tokyo Ramen is a popular destination with many recognitions for their menu. Most recently Tokyo Ramen was nominated as newcomer of the year by the Manchester food and drink festival.