Santouka

Cambridge, MA - Tonight, I attended a Yelp Elite Event at Santouka, located in Harvard Square at 1 Bow Street. With the snow conditions, I figured to allow more time. I ended up arriving 15 minutes early. I liked how this restaurant has a waiting area with a comfy couch and three chairs. Throughout the restaurant, there are large photographs of various sights in Japan. On both of their big long tables that sit up to 10 people, they have two floral arrangements in the center of the tables. These plants serve as a privacy barrier between customers. The staff were friendly. They offered hot tea, iced water, Sapporo beer, and sake to all guests. We got to hear the story behind a sake ceremony, partake in a sake ceremony, and history of this restaurant which started in Japan and expanding across the US. I can't say that Santouka has the best ramen place in Boston since I've only been to two places - Santouka in Harvard and Sappora in Porter Square but it's better than the places I've been to in the MD/DC/VA (e.g., Azuma Izakaya, Blue Fin Oishii, Temari, Satsuma, Ren's, Sakuramen, etc). Their Tonkotsu Shio Ramen is their signature ramen, which consists of silky tonkotsu broth enhanced with simple salt flavor. The broth is made from cooking the pork bone marrow for 20 hours. The ramen bowl consists of homemade ramen noodles, bamboo shoots, pickled plum, braised pork belly, pink swirl fish cake, scallion, mushroom, and sesame seeds. I like how the flavoring isn't heavy. The significance of the pickled plum is it serves as an accent to the ramen bowl like lipstick is an accent to a women's face.