The Cup of Noodles: Republic Ramen vs. Cherryblossom Noodle Cafe

Ramen has come a long way since the moment five for a dollar “noodle bricksIn Japan, ramen is a comforting dish made from thin wheat noodles wrapped in a rich broth. There are several types of ramen and many regional variations including the popular miso ramen, shōyu (soy sauce based) ramen and our favorite – tonkotsu, a creamy broth made from pork bones and fat.

A few years ago, ramen was hard to find off the supermarket shelves. But thanks to the growing interest in Japanese culture, this culinary trend has caught on in Phoenix. This week we are watching the tonkotsu the Windows in two local noodle houses. Who will win the Noodle Cup?

In a corner: Republic Ramen & Noodles
1301 E. University Dr. in Tempe
480-388-3685

We wander in Ramen Republic at 8 o’clock on a Saturday night. The place is deserted (not a good sign), except for a nuclear family speaking in hurried Japanese (who East a good sign) and a trio of students. The Republic is similar to Pei-Wei in style and format: you order at the counter, take a number, and wait for your food to arrive. The decor is Asian minimalist meets urban warehouse chic, with thick square furniture, exposed ductwork and white walls with no other illustration than a large sign announcing the restaurant’s name.

Our cashier is friendly and informative, noting that this is our first visit. She is holding a large flat bowl bigger than my head and tells us it’s a single serving. Holy shit! It would take me hours to finish a bowl of noodles this size. It’s also less than $ 7 a bowl. She goes through the list of available ramen – miso, zodiac, vegetarian. On the recommendation of several Yelpers, we’re launching the $ 1 for extra noodles in our tonkotsu.

My table mate and I enjoy tempura shrimp ($ 3) and gyoza ($ 2) while we anxiously await our bowl of noodles. The broth arrives topped with fresh spinach leaves, flower-shaped carrots, bean sprouts and three thin slices of pork. It’s a nice presentation.

We dig with white plastic miso spoons and are surprised at how creamy the broth is. His dirty, but not too much, with a tasty pork flavor. Dairy products are generally not added to tonkotsu, although from the velvety texture you could swear it’s a cream-based broth. “It’s delicious,” says my table mate. “The broth is addictively good. “The noodles are plentiful, but nothing special.

The vegetables are crispy and fresh, but the pork is a disappointment. Just three small slices, and they’re fatter than we like. I barely eat a bite before giving the meat to my partner and heading back up to the counter to order peas and more carrots. Next time I will try the chicken breast or order my meatless bowl.

Having never visited Japan, I cannot attest to the authenticity of the Republic’s ramen. he feels more pan-asian that exclusively Japanese, but I can forgive that since the broth is so satisfying.

In the other corner: Cherry blossom noodle coffee
914 E. Camelback Road in Phoenix
602-248-9090

We arrive at Cherry blossom noodle coffee for a weeknight dinner and step into an almost full house. The place is small, but warm and comforting, with faux brick walls and a shiny red phone booth reminiscent of the Muggle entrance to Harry Potter’s Ministry of Magic. in the open kitchen, Asian chefs laugh and joke in their native language while producing endless batches of noodles, sushi, and even Italian pasta. A dessert box awaits you with colorful cakes and silky chocolate mousse – a favorite with local food blogger JK Grence.

We order a California roll happy hour for two dollars and wait for our dish of Hakata ramen, another name for tonkotsu derived from a Japanese city north of Kyushu. A few minutes later, our dish arrives. The bowl is noticeably smaller than Republic’s oversized porcelain, and broth darker in colour. Inside is a nest of homemade wheat noodles topped with thin curls of kikurage mushrooms that deceptively resemble noodles.

“The broth is hot and tasty,” says my volunteer taste tester. “But this pig has way too much fat. “The broth is less creamy than its counterpart, with a smoked pork flavor and a strange bitter shade I can not place. It’s so heavy I can only digest a few bites before I need a bite of California roll to cleanse the palate.

I barely touch the pork, letting my companion drop the bland, greasy strips. The noodles in Cherryblossom’s ramen are slimy and heavy, but fresh taste. Overall, that’s a good description for this ramen dish: heavy. The bands of Kikurage lighten it with earthy flavor, as well as a well-deserved crunch. The mushroom was a nice touch. But while corn or carrots are not common in most types of authentic Japanese ramen, I miss the texture of the fresh vegetables that slowly soak in the broth.

The winner: Accessories at Cherryblossom for their authenticity and warmth, but Republic Ramen & Noodles this is where I go for a delicious bowl of noodles.