Shio Ramen

by Celia Sin-Tien Cheng
March 30, 2009

*RAMEN SETAGAYA
34 Saint Marks Place
(2nd & 3rd Aves)
New York, NY 10003
212-387-7959
$

Thanks to Ramen Setagaya, I have finally come to appreciate shio ramen . Shio, Japanese for salt, is a clear broth and Setagaya makes it with pork bone, chicken and chicken bone; Raus and Rishiri seaweeds from Japan; dried mushrooms, scallops, and anchovies; garlic, ginger, cabbage, and red pepper. The broth’s rich seafood and meat flavors trigger that savory fifth sense on the tongue that the Japanese call umami, while a dash of yuzu cuts the saltiness with a touch of citrus acidity. The ramen is topped with dried scallops fried and ground into flakes, fresh julienned scallion, hotate oil made from scallops and Aosha seaweed, menma (bamboo shoots), and half a salt egg. Don’t be fooled by the clear broth, Setagaya’s shio is filling and satisfying.

Also in Greenwich Village, Japanese, Noodles, Ramen