Wandsworth residents will soon be tucking into some tasty ramen, as a Japanese restaurant famed for its homemade noodles and broth, is set to open in Clapham in September.
Ramen specialist Tonkotsu is launching its 17th restaurant on Clapham High Street, bringing its signature bowls of ramen, gyoza, and its famous chicken karaage to the south west London neighbourhood for the first time.
As travellers exit Clapham Common tube station, not only will their rumbling stomachs guide them to the restaurant for a bowl of steaming ramen, the echoing beat of the restaurant’s in-house DJ will entice Clapham’s party-goers.
Tonkotsu co-founder Ken Yamada said: “We’re delighted to be able to bring our amazing ramen with freshly made noodles and bone broth to Clapham.
“It’s an area of London we love and have been looking in for the right property for Tonkotsu for a while.”
First launched in Soho in 2012 by Yamada and Emma Reynolds, Tonkotsu was at the forefront of London’s ramen craze, as every part of the Japanese dish is made from scratch.
Each bowl of steaming hot ramen is made with three different types of freshly prepared noodles using mid-century machines imported from Tokyo.
A two-day preparation cooking process ensures the stock boasts maximum flavour in every bowl, while the noodles are cooked for precisely 32 seconds in boiling water to achieve the, what the Italians call ‘al dente’, medium bite.
The menu will feature the restaurant’s signature Tonkotsu ramen: a creamy pork broth with thin-cut noodles, topped with roast pork belly, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, spring onions, burnt garlic oil and a seasoned egg.
Other favourites include the Chilli Chicken Ramen, a chicken and sea salt broth jazzed up with Tonkotsu’s addictive Eat the Bits Chili Oil.
Accommodating for non-meat eaters, the vegan Mushroom Miso ramen is another relished addition to the menu.
All soups can be customised with extra toppings such as kimchi or the spicy scotch bonnet hot shot.
No visit to Tonkotsu would be complete without a few juicy gyoza and Tonkotsu Clapham will be serving up freshly steamed batches of the classic pork, ginger, garlic, shiitake and bamboo shoot, and king prawn versions.
Other standout starters include Tonkotsu’s crisp fried chicken karaage, plus Eat the Bits chilli chicken wings and the vegan-friendly cauliflower ‘wings’.
Like its sister restaurants, Tonkotsu Clapham will offer a range of smaller-sized ramen to give customers more choice when it comes to price.
The smaller size, of which a limited range has always been available as part of the lunch deal, has now been expanded to include all ramen on the menu and is available at any time of day or night.
The drinks menu includes a sake made for Tonkotsu by the Tsuji Brewery in Okayama, and an exclusive beer, Mikan Shimoda Pale Ale, made in collaboration with Thornbridge.
The drinks line up is completed by Japanese whisky, wines, and cocktails, plus low-alcohol options, soft drinks, and teas.
As well as plenty of space to dine-in, Tonkotsu will also be available on Deliveroo, and for takeaway via its own Click and Collect service at tonkotsu.co.uk.
Featured image credit: Paul Winch-Furness
