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Tsukemen, known as “dipping ramen,” is a well-loved dish in Japan (and in the Localiiz office, too). Consisting of two separate bowls of noodles and soup broth, the dish was invented in Tokyo by Kazuro Yamagishi nearly 60 years ago. In our own humble city, this dish has gained a steady fanbase, leading to an increase of tsukemen options. After taste-testing all the top-rated bowls, here are our picks for the best tsukemen in Hong Kong.
If you like your noodles a bit more “rustic” (read: thicker, chewier, handmade) then Aya is the tsukemen spot for you. This tiny mom-and-pop noodle shop, which is owned and run by a former ramen shop owner from Japan, is known for its fresh noodles, daily specials, and the long queues that it attracts. Like other ramen-ya, Aya offers variety in the form of different soups—the shrimp miso is a firm favourite—but takes things further with its inventively flavoured noodles. Previous flavours include basil, rose, lemon, black pepper, and chilli, but you can never go wrong with the OG buckwheat noodles.
For a taste of Wagyumafia that does not require membership fees, consider Mashi no Mashi, the restaurant’s tsukemen bar with locations in Wan Chai and inside Basehall. Instead of the typical roast pork, the Mashi no Mashi tsukemen is topped with Wagyumafia’s slow-cooked Ozaki beef, as well as toasted seaweed, a sprinkling of shredded cabbage, and half an onsen egg.
The 12-seater restaurant in Wan Chai, inspired by chef-founder Hisato Hamada’s childhood memories of family food trips, serves its noodles alongside a deeply flavourful and comforting Wagyu broth enriched with fat and cartilage. Like most Wagyu dishes, this is quite rich to be a daily meal—but you’ll definitely be thinking about it in-between visits.
If you like your tsukemen soup rich, prawn-flavoured, and celebrity-endorsed, do yourself a favour and head out to Ebina Tsukemen. Located next to a McDonald’s in an unassuming residential area in Cheung Sha Wan, Ebina is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it 10-seater restaurant that’s favoured by the King of Cantopop himself, Eason Chan.
In case the shrimp on the noren curtain over the front door is not enough of a giveaway, the signature ingredient in all of Ebina’s soups is a dashi broth made with dried sakura shrimp. There are three standard options for soup—miso, soy sauce, and tomato—but if you’re lucky (and early), you might be able to snag one of the coveted bowls of uni soup.
Ebina Tsukemen, Shop 20, Manor Centre, 213 Un Chau Street, Cheung Sha Wan | (+852) 3954 5528
When there are too many options on the menu, food quality tends to suffer, which is why we trust Mitaseimenjo’s short but delicious selection of two tsukemen bowls—the original pork bone and fish broth, and its spicy alternative. All you have to do is choose the portion of noodles, and don’t forget to tell the team if you’d like your tsukemen hot or cold. If you’d like to customise your bowl and meal, just turn to the long list of toppings and sides.
Mitaseimenjo, G/F, Soundwill Plaza II–Midtown, 1–29 Tang Lung Street, Causeway Bay | (+852) 2567 8066
The Hong Kong outpost of this Nagoya-based chain has a wide selection of both ramen and tsukemen, but its most famous dish by far is the sea urchin tsukemen, which comes with a cheesy, uni-rich soup and thick noodles topped with uni and salmon roe.
While we think the portion is pretty generous, we’re aware that some people have an insatiable appetite for all things uni—and those people should order the two-colour sea urchin tsukemen. To quote a different kind of urchin, “Please sir, I want some more.”
Fujiyama 55, Shop 7 & 8, South Seas Centre, 75 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 2723 7737
We love Isaba Taifu for many, many reasons, and the ramen is only one of them. Tucked away in Mong Kok, you’ll find a capsule toy dispenser machine located outside of the restaurant. The prizes, however, are not toys, but free side dishes or even an extra serving of noodles, if you’re particularly lucky. The fun doesn’t stop there; as you step inside the restaurant, you’ll find Japanese signs (and even a skeleton) dangling from the ceiling and customer’s anime drawings and recommendations stuck up as quirky wallpaper. While the restaurant itself is known for its tsukemen, do note that it is only available during lunch.
Choose from original, black sesame, and tomato dried shrimp for your tsukemen base and circle your desired amount of noodles, as well as how much soup and green onions you want. Be warned—the serving size is bigger than other joints and you will be holding your belly as you finish your last bite. After you’re done with the noodles, ask a server to add hot fish soup into your tsukemen broth and cubed hot stones to heat everything back up for a final taste. Be sure to get your camera ready to catch the sizzling in action.
Isaba Taifu, 39 Fife Street, Kin Wong Mansion, Mong Kok | (+852) 2487 4488
Undoubtedly our go-to spot for when we’re craving a rich and creamy soup, Zagin Soba’s signature chicken tsukemen is a bowl that never disappoints. Often lauded as the best ramen in Hong Kong by numerous Instagram users and bloggers, the tsukemen features cold noodles with thin slices of pork and shredded onion, paired with a steaming bowl of hot chicken broth with slices of chicken meat hidden inside.
Although this ramen is on the pricier side, we think it’s well worth the price, given the quality of the broth and noodles. There’s also the owner’s attention to detail, like a washroom equipped with a bidet as well as mouthwash, toothbrushes, hair ties, and more for you to freshen up after your meal.
If you see crowds gathered outside, you’ll know you’ve come to the right place. This Michelin-recommended joint serves a fish-and-soy-sauce signature Shugetsu tsukemen that is savoury with a tinge of sourness. The bowl comes with green onions, half an egg, and slices of melt-in-your-mouth Kagoshima pork. Originating from Shikoku, Shugetsu has two branches in Hong Kong and serves a selection of ramen, snacks, and tsukemen.
The tsukemen broth is light, but a clear layer of oil rests on the top of the soup, so don’t let the noodles soak for too long—best dig in and slurp away. Those who like a fiery kick can try the spicy tsukemen, which also comes with a serving of beansprouts in the broth.
Feeling adventurous? Ganso Tsukemen’s menu is famous for an outlandish recipe—the raclette cheese lobster tsukemen. The lobster pincers are covered in melted raclette cheese and laid out on top of the noodles. Sounds messy? It is, and you’ll have to pick up the lobster to reach the noodles before dipping them in the soup. We think the effort in eating this dish renders each bite even more rewarding, but it’s not to everyone’s liking.
If that sounds like you, there are other tsukemen options on the menu, from the classics to abalone and lobster tsukemen with sea urchin and barbecue pork, cheese crab-paste tsukemen with barbecue pork, and even a truffle tsukemen with scallop and pork.
Ganso Tsukemen, Shop 5, G/F, Dorfu Court, 5–6 Hau Fook Street, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 6799 9663
Despite the closing of its Causeway Bay branch, Fuunmaru still draws crowds at the remaining Tsim Sha Tsui location due to the consistent quality of its food. The restaurant offers six tsukemen staples, but the tsukemen with egg is by far the most popular choice.
Served hot and bubbling, the thick fish broth comes in a stone pot that keeps the flavourful soup warm until the end of your meal. When you’re done, order a bowl of the special furikake (savoury seaweed seasoning) rice to eat with the soup, soaking up every last drop. While the noodles here are thicker than the norm—which you may or may not prefer—there’s no doubt that the bowls are worth a try, even if just for the extra-juicy slabs of pork.
Fuunmaru, G/F, Mody House, 30 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 2513 0693
First published on 22 August 2019. Written by Doris Lam. Last updated by Lily Valette.
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