OPENING JANUARY 2022
Ramen spot Tonkotsu first launched in Soho in 2012 by co-founders Ken Yamada and Emma Reynolds, and now has restaurants spanning Brighton, Birmingham and London, with a whopping 13 of them based in the capital. Clearly, it understands the people’s love (ney, need) for noodles. Its Finsbury Park offering is the 16th restaurant to add to its already mighty line-up and is located a mere 30 seconds from Finsbury Park station. Akin to its sister restaurants, the interiors have been designed by long-time collaborators Blenheim Design, featuring crosshatch patterned tiles, polished concrete walls, bamboo herringbone floors and dark blue leather booths.
Tonkotsu is best known for its steaming bowls of ramen and guests can still slurp on its signature Tonkotsu ramen made with a pork and lardo broth, homemade noodles, roast pork belly, bamboo shoots, spring onions, burnt garlic oil and that all-important halved egg. Other favourites include its chilli chicken ramen as well as a vegan miso mushroom option. All its noodles are handmade in-house and cooked to order for exactly 32 seconds – precise! There are plenty of other warming dishes to entice ramen-sceptics too, including katsu curries, gyozas and broths.
Kick off with pork, ginger and garlic gyozas as well as shiitake and bamboo shoot and king prawn versions. Or, tuck into tasty snacks such as crisp fried chicken kara-age, chilli chicken wings and a vegan-friendly cauliflower version of the wings. To drink, there’s Japanese whisky, cocktails, beer, and wine as well as a selection of sakes (including one of its own made by the Tsuji Brewery in Okayama) served by the flask or glass. Non-drinkers might fancy one of its soft drinks or teas instead.
The menu is available to click and collect, or on Deliveroo, if you don’t fancy travelling for your noodles.