In honor of Menya Hosaki’s DC grand opening on August 18, I’ll be uploading a seven-part/bowl review in the next few weeks.
This second bowl of ramen from Hosaki is Eric Yoo’s signature and an homage to the mentorship he recieved from Shimamoto Keizo. When I first had it in September 2019, it was a blend of pork, chicken, and seafood dashi broths (ergo, “Triple Threat”) that was inspired from Eric’s time training at Shimamoto’s Ramen Shack.
It’s an excellent ramen, with a semi-creamy broth from the tonkotsu. I thought the pork and seafood flavors really stood out, reminiscent of a good tonkotsu-gyokai, even if it’s not really that, since the gyokai portion involves a much heavier fish component. (The Gyokai-Tori-Ton Ramen, No. 157, is a much closer approximation of “tonkotsu-gyokai”) The chicken flavors did not stand out to me, perhaps due to my own tastebud limitations or that chicken tends to be overpowered, esp. when paired with tonkotsu. But overall, the broth exhibited a very good balance between the meat and seafood flavors, with the seafood dashi cutting up the (too-often) overly creamy flavors of tonkotsu and chicken chintan or the heaviness of a traditional tonkotsu-gyokai. It’s a real treat.
The other very pleasant surprise were the noodles. They were thinner than the ones I had in the shoyu ramen last time, likely to accommodate the richer pork broth. Their thinness was also a good indication of Eric’s attention to detail, using different types and shapes of noodles to pair with different broths, which is something that most places in the US should do but don’t. They were much more al dente than the ones I had in my first visit, and it was then Eric explained to me that my previous remarks about his noodles being overcooked or lacking in kansui made him investigate the matter further. He then discovered it wasn’t an issue with the makeup of the noodle, but rather his water boiler bath was running hot; once he cut the noodle boiling time down from 210 seconds to 130 seconds, the results were much better. I was obviously happy that the noodles were tastier, thanks in no small part to my role as a gastro-investigative muse, but it’s also a credit to Hosaki’s willingness to outside observers and strive to make improvements.
The other toppings were up to par, particularly the menma, the semi-jelly ajitama, and the excellent knifework the chef showcased with the thin strands of red pepper skin. Special shout-out to the terrific roasted and blowtorched pork belly chashu, which deserves a Tier 1 rating all by itself. As I’ve told Eric a few times then, I would be happy to buy a pound of his chashu on order, much like Iida Shoten (review to come soon) does with its own chashu around the New Year.
Of the Hosaki bowls I’ve had so far, this is my favorite thanks to the balance of the flavors in the broth. It’s going to be Hosaki’s signature bowl for a reason. The picture is a little subpar though, and I wish it did it more justice.
Q Factor: None (Weekend, 1230); 15-20 minute wait for the ramen.
Price: Triple Threat ($17) + Tax/Tip
Sense: I wish the shop was oriented to allow more natural light in; this photo is subpar.
