Tsuta, the only Michelin-starred ramen eatery in the world, is making its way to our shores as the restaurant's first and only overseas venture (for now). Founded by chef Yuki Onishi, Tsuta is renowned for its noodles – made from four types of whole wheat flour – that has a firm bite and smooth texture.
The local outlet has 18 seats and serves the same menu as its flagship, even using the same soya sauce and ingredients. Choose from three types of soup bases: shoyu, shio and miso. The shoyu is served with black truffle sauce, the shio is made from a chicken-and-seafood blend with rock salt, red wine and rosemary infusions, and the miso uses Tokushima-made soya bean miso mixed into a chicken soup base. Prices start from $15 – for ramen with one piece of char siew – to $22.80 for ramen topped with four pieces of char siew and a flavoured egg.
Each bowl of ramen – choose between 100 or 140 grams of noodles – is also topped with thick slabs of pork shoulder char siew. Although it doesn't melt as easily as the more common pork belly, the firm slices give you time to chew and enjoy its charred flavour.