Ramen Santouka Gotanda Branch

A small pickled plum floating in the shio ramen gives the broth a distinctive note. Diners at the Gotanda branch describe mellow, rich tonkotsu broth with gentle saltiness, along with tender chashu pork. The menu presents shio ramen as Santouka’s most popular choice. Another diner praises its balance of lightness and umami, as well as the way the noodles and broth come together. It’s an easy place to start with a classic bowl.

For a more substantial serving of meat, try the toroniku ramen. The melt-in-the-mouth pork is served separately from the noodles; it can be enjoyed on its own or dipped into the broth. Choose from shio, shoyu, miso or spicy miso to pair it with your preferred soup.

The miso ramen combines tonkotsu with red miso for depth. Spicy miso ramen features a blend of three kinds of chilli pepper and, according to the menu, offers deep flavour rather than extreme heat. The shoyu ramen pairs tonkotsu with fish stock, giving diners another flavour direction. Tsukemen, or dipping noodles, comes in shoyu and shio versions. The shio dipping broth is gently flavoured with tonkotsu and fish stock, while the shoyu version is described as rich in collagen. Menu information says tsukemen is available from 14:00 on weekdays and all day on weekends and public holidays, so check the timing if that is what you have in mind.

Drinks include a medium bottle of Yebisu beer and a small beer served in a 135-millilitre glass. If you’d like a little to drink alongside your ramen, there’s a choice of size. One diner mentions sitting at the counter, making the Gotanda branch an option for a solo meal.