Snappy Ramen: Davis Square now has Ramen

The Snappy Sushi sign is still up

Update 9/28/13: Finally made it back to Snappy to try the Tsukemen. It was very good and the pork belly was much improved. The menu and interior has changed a little bit since my last visit. Ramen is now more customizable. Most bowls start with a cheap basic ramen with a few toppings to which you can add extra toppings. The prices appear lower, but I think that just reflects them moving some of the toppings to the extra toppings list (i.e.: Tonkotsu is now $9, but doesn't include pork belly which you can add for $3, which equals $12, the original Tonkotsu price).

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Sometime in the past few days, Snappy Sushi in Davis Square became Snappy Ramen. The sign still says Snappy Sushi, but there's a new logo on the door and the sign in the window spells out Snappy Ramen. The restaurant has been redecorated and the seating reconfigured.

They're still serving sushi, but the menu is limited to just 10 options.  There are currently 5 options for ramen:

• Chicken Shoyu - $10 - no pork
• Tonkotsu - $12 - pork broth
• Spicy Miso - $14 - pork broth
• Tsukemen - $14 - pork & fish broth. Not available until next week. Tsukemen is usually served with very hot broth separate from cold noodles which you dip in the broth. Snappy plans to serve warm broth separate from lukewarm noodles. 
• Cold Ramen - $10 - sesame-based sauce. Similar to mazamen. There's usually a crabstick in it, but it can be made vegetarian. This is just on the menu for summer.

In addition, they have 3 options for appetizers and an assortment of Japanese and American beer. I asked the waitress if there were any plans to expand the menu over time and she wasn't sure. I wasn't able to ask the chef at that point because they were too busy. Will find out next time I go.

Apparently they serve ramen at Snappy Sushi on Newbury Street, which I wasn't aware of. The ramen at Snappy Ramen is different - the broth takes 4-6 hours to make, whereas on Newbury Street they're using commercially-made paste to make the broth. Snappy Sushi and Snappy Ramen are owned by Kazu Aotani, who also owns Yakitori Zai. I should note that I know Kazu-san socially through my activities with Tewassa. He's been a big supporter, providing gift certificates for our Christmas concert last year, bringing Zai's yakitori chef to cook at one of our quilt send-off parties, and feeding the volunteers at a showing of Fukushima 2011: Chronicles from the Heartland.

Fans of Yakitori Zai's weekend ramen lunch may wonder if the ramen is the same as Zai. I thought it might be, but I was told that while Snappy's ramen is the same style as Zai's, they're using different recipes.

Tonkotsu minus negi and fried onions

I was a big fan of Zai's tonkotsu so I had to try Snappy's. It comes with commercially-made straight soba-like noodles that are traditional for tonkotsu ramen, two pieces of pork belly (mine came with one medium sized and one small), a big pile of what are often called wood ear mushrooms - the unfortunate correct name is actually cloud ear fungus or arage kikurage (キクラゲ) in Japanese, lightly toasted sesame seeds, and negi (scallions) and fried onions (not pictured because I got mine without). 

The broth was on the full-bodied side, but not as rich or as creamy as Zai's broth which was opaque. I could actually see my noodles at Snappy. The pork belly was a little confusing. I couldn't decide if it was kakuni or cha-su so I asked. Chef Youji Iwakura said it's a bit of both - he started cooking it as kakuni but finished as cha-su. While the flavor was good, it wasn't as soft as Zai or Osushi's kakuni or Yume Wo Katare's cha-su. I'm hoping that was a one-time problem. I happen to really like wood ear so I enjoyed it even though it's not a commonly used ingredient, which the chef acknowledged. The toasted sesame was a nice addition and added a subtle nutty flavor. The noodles tasted the same as what Zai was using on a couple of my visits there (on some visits they were using the curly noodles that most people are familiar with). 

Front: Chicken Shoyu, Back: Spicy Miso

Snappy Ramen seats 6 at the bar, 12 at a large table in the center of the room, and up to 4 at a smaller table near the window. I think their total capacity may be 23 because I saw an additional chair off to the side. They also have one high chair.

I arrived a few minutes after they opened so service was fast, but they're still training their staff and probably still working things out in the cooking process so I'd expect service and food to vary in the next few weeks. When I left, the restaurant was less than half full but was extremely noisy. If you're looking for a restaurant to have a quiet private conversation, this isn't it, especially since you're likely to be seated at the large table.

Snappy's ramen is quite different from Yume Wo Katare and Sapporo Ramen in nearby Porter Square so I don't see them as being in direct competition. I also suspect that there's enough business to go around regardless. I'm sure some people will love Snappy Ramen and other's will hate it.

Snappy's prices are a bit on the high side compared with other ramen in Boston. My meal was around $15 after tax and tip. I can't decide if the food quality justifies the prices. I think perhaps not. The restaurant is not as upscale as Zai or Osushi (which both charge $14 for ramen) and they don't put as much work into the broth as some other restaurants. The noodles aren't handmade. However, I didn't leave hungry (a problem I have at Sapporo) and the broth was good enough to finish, so I will definitely be back. I encourage readers to check it out for yourselves and let me know what you think!

Additional photos.

Weekend Ramen Lunch @ Yakitori Zai

Update 8/24/13: Yakitori Zai may not be Reopening

Update 7/21/13: Tried to go to Yakitori Zai for lunch today. They're closed until early August September? :(

I've been wanting to get to Yakitori Zai since they opened last summer, but the South End is "far" away (i.e.: I never find myself in the neighborhood and taking the T involves either 2 train lines and a 10 minute walk or train & bus and a 5 minute walk). Given the reports that it was wildly expensive and I've had a chance to try their food at Tewassa parties, it just hasn't made it to the top of my priority list. That is, until my friend told me last weekend that they now serve ramen at lunch and she was going today. They've had chicken ramen on their dinner menu since last year, but I hadn't gotten any reports about how it was.

According to their website, Zai has been open for lunch on weekends since last month. Lunch is served from 11:30am to 2:30pm. The lunch menu offers a choice of three types of ramen, three salads, and onigiri. Ramen is pricey at $12-14 (ramen at Osushi is also $14) but absolutely worth the trip.

Zai Weekend Lunch Menu - 2/24/13

I was mixed up about the time I was supposed to meet my friends and arrived half an hour early. Thankfully the South End Buttery is directly across the street so I grabbed a hot chocolate and read the paper while I waited for Zai to open. I later noticed that one of our fellow diners had done the same. It's good to arrive early because Zai fills up quickly.

Tonkotsu Ramen - 2/24/13 - $14

I got to try all three ramen but forgot to take a picture of the Shoyu Ramen. There's a picture on Zai's website (upper right). All the adults got the Tonkotsu Ramen. There were 3 small but thick pieces of kakuni (pork belly), nitamago, a small amount of beni shōga (pickled ginger), and a pile of thinly sliced negi (forgot to get it without). The broth was one of the most delicious I've ever had. It was lightly flavored, creamy, and a little sweet. I couldn't really taste the pork, but that may have been because I'm a little congested. It was absolutely perfect for today's wintry rainy weather. Zai's kakuni is on the sweet side (especially compared to Osushi's more salty kakuni). It was very good, although not as soft as Osushi's kakuni. The nitamago was an interesting complement. It worked well with the creaminess of the broth. Since there was only a small amount of beni shōga, it didn't overwhelm the other flavors. The noodles were different than the crinkly ramen noodles I'm accustomed to. They were straight and were the thickness of thin soba (8/20/13: I've since learned that straight noodles are traditional for tonkotsu ramen). I thought the texture was also reminiscent of soba but not the flavor. They clearly weren't made with buckwheat. (Update 3/24/13: Noodles have been changed - see photo below.)

Tomato Ramen w/ Parmesan - $12

The kids got the Tomato Ramen (which is vegetarian) and Shoyu Ramen. I was really excited to try the Tomato Ramen. I'd read that Ramen Lab had a tomato ramen entry in the NY Street Ramen Contest which I was intrigued by. While I love pasta, I wasn't so sure that it would translate to ramen. The Tomato Ramen comes with baby spinach, roasted yellow tomato, and parmesan on the side. One of my friends commented that it really wasn't ramen, but I like Zai's take on it and it was a hit with the little ones. The tomato soup is much thicker than a typical ramen broth, but much soupier than what you'd expect for pasta. I didn't taste any garlic, just tomatoey-sweetness. The noodles were of the curly variety. I'd definitely like to try a whole bowl to myself. (Update 3/24/13: For those who are allergic to soy, please note that the tomato ramen contains miso. :( )

The Tomato Ramen was a hit

I tried only a tiny bit of the Shoyu Ramen and to be honest, I didn't find it all that memorable. Shoyu Ramen comes with shredded chicken, onsen tamago, and a pile of what looked like shaved spring onion. The broth is listed as "chicken broth" on the menu so I'd assume that means there's no pork in it, but I didn't confirm that. If I recall correctly, there were also sesame seeds in the broth.

Annin Tofu

My friends had annin tofu for dessert, but sadly, I'm allergic and couldn't try it. They said it was delicious. The name is a misnomer - there's absolutely no tofu in it but it's made with almond extract. The menu describes it as "almond panna cotta," although it's often referred to as almond jelly.

Genmaicha

Tea is available by the cup or the pot: genmaicha with matcha, organic green jasmine, jade oolong, organin yunnan (black tea), lemon chamomile. They have multiple varieties but the hostess rattled them off so quickly I can't remember them. Our tea smelled like genmaicha, although I thought I heard her call it something else. It was wonderfully aromatic, although a little more bitter than I prefer.

A note to parents: the restaurant is very small, so probably not a good place for kids who can't stay in their seats. Plastic cups weren't available, so we had to play keep away with the glasses and tea cups. That said, the staff was really nice to the children and brought small bowls and forks for them.

Parking in the South End is usually a nightmare, although on Sundays, resident parking isn't enforced so you have more options. My friends were able to find a space right across the street from Zai. I'd taken the T assuming that parking would be impossible. The T wasn't too bad - it took about 40 minutes from Porter. The MBTA Trip Planner recommended a later train but I wanted to make sure I didn't miss the bus. Red Line to Park Street then the 43 (Tremont St. opposite Winter St. to Tremont @ Union Park, then walk down Union Park to Shawmut Ave.)

If you go, let me know what you think!

Update 3/24/13: I've been back to Zai several times since my first visit and the menu has changed a little.

• No more onigiri. :(
• No more annin tofu for dessert - they now offer kinako ice cream (vanilla ice cream with roasted soy flour and Japanese molasses).
• Tonkotsu Ramen no longer has beni shoga. They added what tastes like powdered dashi. Added nori. The noodles are also different.

Tonkotsu Ramen minus negi - 3/17/13

Tonkotsu Ramen noodles - 3/17/13

The servers are very friendly. I've ordered the same thing every time ("Tonkotsu ramen, no negi") and today my server remembered my order. I wonder if I'm their only customer who doesn't like scallions?

See my Picasa album for sake, beer & wine, and non-alcoholic beverages.

Everything you need to know about Yume Wo Katare

This page is a work in progress and will be updated when I have new information.

Last updated: 8/16/14

8/16/14: Now that Yume Wo Katare has been open for almost two years (!) and they're on social media I've decided to stop updating this page. It seems they keep making changes to make dining there more interactive and I'm not eating there often enough to keep up with the changes. For a while now they've been critiquing diners' eating performance. If you finish everything in your bowl the staff will shout out, "Perfect!" and other diners are asked to applaud. If you finish all your food but not all the broth you get a, "Good job!" and if you don't finish all your food, you get a "Next time..." I always get a "good job" and have no desire for a "perfect" (I'd rather enjoy my food than be ill),  but some diners have found this offputting. I'm sure it's no fun having everyone in the restaurant know you didn't finish your meal. A friend told me that they just changed things again so you'll now be asked to stand after your meal and say your name and what your dream is. Might be a bit nervewracking for those who have a fear of public speaking!

You can keep up with their changing schedule and procedures on Facebook.

"A bowl of steaming, pure joy."

I've written several posts about Yume Wo Katare, but I keep learning new things so the info is scattered everywhere. I'll try to collect all the pertinent info on this page.

• My reviews: Yume Wo Katare v. Sapporo Ramen: Apples & Oranges, first impressions, original Yelp review, which has been removed for violating their content guidelines (I hadn't read them in a while and didn't know I couldn't review a my friends' restaurant, even though I'd just met them that day). 
• My photos: before & after opening, opening night, after their summer 2013 makeover.

I highly recommend this hilarious All Things Considered segment on jiro-kei: Ramen Jiro Noodles: A Test of Greatness. Some guy in Japan decided through trial and error that the best thing to eat before going to a jiro ramen shop is an Asian pear for breakfast and then nothing else until you eat your ramen.

Yume Wo Katare (夢 を 語れ or  ゆめ を かたれ) [Listen] is pronounced you-meh o ka-ta-re (short vowels, w is silent, Japanese r). It translates roughly to "talk about your dreams."


Yume Wo Katare
1923 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02140

Tel: They prefer not to publish it. Try asking them on Facebook.

Website: http://yumewokatare.com/

Closest T stop: Red Line - Porter Square
Closest bus stop: Massachusetts Ave at Davenport St (directly in front of Yume Wo Katare)
See Yelp for more bus info.

Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 5pm to 11pm
[Note: Other blogs have mistakenly reported their hours as 11am - 2am.]

Closed: Sunday & Monday
Pleas check Facebook where they publish their schedule every month. Since September 2013 they've been closing a few days additional days every month. I gather Tsuyoshi-san has been returning to Japan to hone his ramen craft.

What to Bring

• Your appetite!
• Your dreams
• Friends, family, coworkers, strangers
• Anything to amuse you while you wait in line: book, laptop, iPad, knitting, sketchpad
• Camera (to take a picture of your monster bowl of ramen)
• Warm coat, gloves/mittens, scarves (yes, multiple), hat/earmuffs/earwarmer, coffee/tea/hot chocolate (if it's cold)
• Umbrella (if it's raining or snowing)
• Breath mints/gum (for after - you'll need it if you say yes to garlic)
• Antacids - if you manage to finish your whole meal, you might need it!
• Tissues - You'll receive a plastic wrapped oshibori with which to wipe your hands. Paper napkins are available upon request, but you might find it easier to have your own tissues. According to Ramen Tokyo, it's common for Jiro-kei ramen shops not to have napkins. I'd forgotten that in Japan it's verboten to blow your nose in public, much less at the dinner table.
• Cash!!!

The Rules

• CASH ONLY. Nearest ATMs are Cambridge Savings Bank next to CVS & Sign of the Dove, Bank of America, Citibank.
• No reservations.
• No take-out. Ramen is best when it's fresh, so in order to preserve the quality of Yume Wo Katare ramen, it's eat-in only. However, you can buy pork to take home. See below.
• No sharing, unless you're under 12. One bowl of ramen per customer.
• No taking home leftovers.
• No cell phone use or reading inside the restaurant.

The Food

JUST PORK RAMEN. (For those familiar with ramen, this is Jiro-kei ramen. I consulted with Ramen Tokyo and we believe this is the first Jiro ramen shop in the United States.)

• No non-pork broth substitute.
• No vegetarian option (although some vegetarians have asked for just noodles and veggies and paid the Ramen price - see below under Food Allergies for more details).
• No appetizers.
• No dessert.
• No alcohol.
• No condiments.

Ramen

All ramen comes with:

• thick al dente noodles made in-house. If you want your noodles softer, ask and they'll cook them longer.
• a heaping serving of cabbage & bean sprout mix
• fresh minced garlic
• seabura known colloquially as just abura (pork back fat)
• soy sauce-pork broth

Choose from:

• Ramen $12 (including tax) - 2 thick slices of pork <- Recommended for Jiro-kei beginners!
• Buta Ramen $14 (including tax) - 5 thick slices of pork (Buta means pig)

Toppings (veggies, garlic & abura) are free. You can have as much as you want, but please don't ask for more than you can eat. It's mottainai. You might want to wait until you see what you're dealing with before asking for more! A lot of people are surprised by just how big their ramen is.

Drinks

• $1 - Bottled water
• $2 - Ito En Oi Ocha (unsweeted) - cold in a bottle or hot in a can
• $2 - Ito En Golden Oolong (unsweetened) - cold in a bottle
• $3 - Red Bull!

Procedure

• If there's a line, get in line.  Once you're in line, you're definitely getting ramen. The owner gets updates on the line count and the line is cut off if he's running out of noodles or broth. Please wait on the sidewalk until you're called.

• NOTE: When you're at the front of the line, please wait on the sidewalk behind this line. Do not block the stairs - it's a fire hazard and also just annoying for the folks who live in the apartments upstairs.

• When you get to the front of the line you'll be directed inside to pay for your ramen & drink (see options above). This is when you should ask for extra veggies, if you want them. Update 5/15/13: It seems that you may need to wait to ask for extra veggies. Note that asking for extra will double your veggies.  The average diner probably doesn't need extra veggies. You may have read elsewhere that at this point you'll receive a plastic ramen ticket but they've started giving them directly to the chef to speed things up.

• If you're in the first group of the evening you'll be seated immediately. 

• Please wait to be seated. Do not grab the next available seat. When your seat is available, you may be spoken to in Japanese (even if you don't speak Japanese). You should listen for ___ mei sama, douzo. This translates roughly to, "Party of ___, please." The word in the blank will be the number in your party. 

• Once seated, wait eagerly for your ramen.

• When your ramen has been assembled, Tsuyoshi-san will call out "Ninniku iremasuka?" in Japanese. He's asking if you want garlic in your ramen. If you don't speak Japanese, that's okay, simply answer "yes" or "no". If you answer "yes" you'll get a very large serving of fresh minced garlic heaped on top of your already heaping ramen. You can also ask for extra garlic and extra abura at this time, although you may want to see what you're getting into before you ask for it.

• Your ramen will be served.

• Take a picture if you must, but ramen is best eaten quickly, so hurry!

• Inhale. Slurp. Repeat.

• Roll home in a "porky haze." (Customer quote from 10/16/12.)

Other Random Info/Advice

• The restaurant seats 18 - 6 at the counter and 12 at two long tables (they changed the set-up from a large communal table in May 2013). If you're lucky enough to get a counter seat, those are the best seats in the house. You can watch Tsuyoshi-san in action and he'll serve you your ramen.

• If the crowds continue to come at the same pace as they have for the first four nights you can expect a 1-2+ hour wait. If the line is the length of the restaurant, the wait it probably around an hour. If the line is to Dunkin Donuts you're probably looking at 1.5 to 2 hours. If the line is the end of Dunkin Donuts, the wait is probably over 2 hours. Update 5/15/13: I ate at Yume Wo Katare a few days ago and they've changed their procedures a bit and the line seems to move more quickly now, so I don't think my estimates from October 2012 are accurate anymore. It used to be that they would rarely let anyone jump ahead in the queue but now it looks like if you're a party of 1, there's a chance you'll get in faster. How quickly the line moves all depends on how quickly people eat and leave, how many people ahead of you are waiting for their friends to arrive, and how many people ahead of you give up and leave. Note that bad weather sometimes makes the line shorter, but it may not be substantially shorter. I've seen many people wait in the rain and snow.

• Please be considerate and concentrate on your ramen so you can eat quickly and allow your fellow diners to get in and enjoy Tsuyoshi-san's amazing ramen. Ramen is best enjoyed quickly because the noodles get soggy if you eat too slowly. I recommend eating the noodles before everything else. Keizo Shimamoto, inventor of the American Ramen Burger, tunnels into jiro-kei ramen and then lets the vegetables collapse into his broth. In Japan, there's usually no talking, just eating. Tsuyoshi-san can eat his ramen in 5 minutes flat. Please don't dawdle. Thanks!

• If you start to feel ill, don't force yourself to finish. Tsuyoshi-san's ramen is very heavy and they'd rather you enjoy what you ate than be sick.

• There's no wifi. This isn't the kind of restaurant where you can hang out as you can see from the line above.

• Forks are available upon request.

• Kids are welcome! Two high chairs are available.

• Don't plan on doing anything else afterwards except trying to waddle home and digest!

• Drink water before you go to bed or you might end up dehydrated from all the salt.

• Devotees of jiro-kei ramen are known as jirorian (ジロリアン). 

What else can I buy?

• $15 - 500g (17.64 oz) of cha-su pork to take home. Available in very fatty or less fatty. If you like the pork, you can take some home! Please note: a limited number will be available for take home. The number may vary from night to night, depending on supplies on hand. Cha-su should be eaten within 7 days. You do not need to wait in line - just go inside and ask for it at the register.

• $15 - T-shirts - Size M only; assorted colors. Blank on front, text on back. As of May 2013 new t-shirts in English are available. Forgot to check on sizes and price. Colors available: pink, sky blue, black. (August 2014 - The t-shirt info is out-of-date. They've produced at least one if not more than one t-shirt since. If you'd like to buy a t-shirt I'd inquire at the shop about what's currently available.)

• Official Yume Wo Katare CD

Dream Frames

You'll notice that the walls are covered in frames. You can rent each frame to post your "dream" (what you hope/wish for, not what you were dreaming as you slept). If it comes true in the length of time of your frame you win different prizes. Smallest frames are 1 month rental. Largest frame is 10 year rental (pictured above). This is something Tsuyoshi-san started doing at his very first ramen shop in Kyoto, which had the same name. Note: frames cannot be shared. Don't forget to sign and date your dream, leave your full name and email address (in case other customers want to reach you), and come back to claim your prize if your dream is achieved! When you return, you're supposed to point to your dream and announce to Tsuyoshi-san that you achieved it.

• $10 - 1 month: One Ramen or Buta Ramen 
• $30 - 3 months: Yume Wo Katare t-shirt + Ramen or Buta Ramen 
• $50 - 6 months: Custom ramen bowl with your dream written on it and then baked in a kiln + Ramen or Buta Ramen 
• $100 - 1 year: Special Yume Wo Katare clock + Ramen or Buta Ramen 
• $10,000 - 10 years: A hug from owner & chef, Tsuyoshi Nishioka + Ramen or Buta Ramen 

Food Allergies

Food allergies are less common and less widely known in Japan. Like all restaurants they do have MA Food Allergen Certification, but the staff may not be as aware and since they're still learning English, as much as I'd love for everyone to try it, I wouldn't recommend anyone with a severe food allergy eat here unless you're confident with your Japanese or can take a friend who can translate. They posted a number of ingredients on one of their signs but it doesn't cover everything that goes into the broth and the pork marinade.

If you're gluten-free, unfortunately, you can't eat here. Ramen noodles are always wheat noodles and there's soy sauce in everything.

If you can't eat pork due to allergies, religious observance, or preference, you can't eat Yume Wo Katare ramen. The broth is a pork broth and they don't have any alternative broth. Some people have requested to have only noodles & vegetables which they think is nuts since they don't think it's tasty if it's not a proper bowl of ramen. The one vegetarian bowl I saw was dressed up with bonito flakes (fish) and soy sauce. The Muslim guy I talked to on opening night seemed to enjoy his noodles so if you're feeling brave, go for it. You'll pay $12.

Please note that even if you request only noodles & veggies, there will likely be some pork fat in there. Hot water from the noodle wok is ladled into the bowls to warm them. The same ladle is used to get the pork broth, so there's a transfer of pork to the wok in which the noodles are cooked. The same tongs are used to handle noodles, veggies, and pork. So there's no way to avoid the pork. You can only limit your exposure.

Ingredients I know are in Yume Wo Katare ramen:

• wheat
• pork - lots and lots of pork & pork fat
• soy sauce
• cabbage & bean sprouts (cooked together)
• garlic
• corn starch and/or potato starch (used so the noodles won't stick together)
• shiitake mushrooms
• bonito flakes
• mirin
• MSG (Ajinomoto) - I saw a generous pinch thrown in the bowl before serving. I haven't yet found out if it's also in the broth.

There may be other ingredients.

What's definitely NOT in Yume Wo Katare ramen:

• sesame
• eggs

Stuff Near By

If you're freezing your ass off waiting in the 1-2+ hour line, you can get hot green tea in a can from Yume Wo Katare or coffee a few steps away at Dunkin Donuts or around the corner at Panera.

If you decide the line is too long, there are many other restaurants in Porter Square. If you absolutely must have ramen, you can check out Sapporo in the Porter Exchange Building aka University Hall (it's a Lesley University building). There's often a line, but it probably won't be as long as Yume Wo Katare's and it's indoors. If you just want any kind of Japanese food, there are many great options inside the Porter Exchange. Several tiny restaurants: Café Mami (owned by Carlos Garcia whose brother & uncle own Ebi Sushi in Somerville), Tampopo (no website), Ittyo Restaurant (also owned by Carlos) and Blue Fin, a full-size restaurant.

While you're in Porter, check out Miso Market, the only Japanese grocery store in Cambridge. It's only 300 feet away from Yume Wo Katare. (Unfortunately, Miso Market closed on 8/30/13.) You can also go shopping at Tokai, a Japanese gift shop inside the Porter Exchange.

Other Reviews

• Ramen on Steroids @ YumeWoKatare Porter Square Boston MA
• Newest Ramen Player in Boston... Welcome YumeWoKatare! / Video of the line on opening night.
• Japanese Ramen noodle's in Boston @ Yume wo Katare (夢を語れ)
• MC Slim JB's Yelp review - A real food critic's review!
• Yume Wo Katare will make your wildest dreams come true
• Buta Ramen at Yume Wo Katare - MC Slim JB's Boston Phoenix review
• Yume Wo Katare - I Dream of Ramen

Also check out WBUR's segment: Porter Square Ramen Shop Wants To Make Your Dreams Come True

History

The very first jiro-kei ramen shop is Mita Honten (三田本店), which means Mita Head Office. From Mita, several other shops were born, including one originally known as Maruji. After a branding fight with Maruji's "father," Mita Honten, the name was changed to Fujimaru. Tsuyoshi-san apprenticed at Maruji for three and a half years before moving to Kyoto in October 2006 to open his first ramen shop called 夢 を 語れ (Yumewokatare). So, in the lineage of jiro-kei restaurants, all of Tsuyoshi-san's restaurants are "grandchildren" of the original restaurant. [Source: Naomi Nishioka] In 2008 he dreamed of opening a ramen shop in America. Five more ramen shops followed before his dream came true:

• March 2009: Kyoto 地球規模で考えろ (Chikyū kibo de kangaero) - Think Globally
• August 2010: Osaka 歴史を刻め (Rekishi wo kizame)
• September 2010: Tokyo その先にあるもの (Sono saki ni arumono) (closed 2011) - What Lies Ahead
• April 2011: Osaka おもしろい数へ (Omoshiroi hou he)
• October 2011: Hyogo これが好きだから (Kore ga suki dakara)

[10/16/12: Consulting with friends on translation of names. Will update once there's consensus on each one.]

This year, they sold the five ramen shops to each of the managers so they could open Yume Wo Katare Cambridge!! By 2030 he'd like to have ramen shops in all 195 countries!

Naomi & Tsuyoshi Nishioka

Why I know so much

I met the Nishiokas the day before Yume Wo Katare opened. I wandered in with a Tewassa brochure in hand (so I wasn't just some crazy person off the street) to introduce myself and say how excited my friends and I were about their restaurant. I happened to arrive just after Naomi-san's English conversation partner, who invited me to help with the afternoon's English lessons which were mostly about what customers might ask and how to respond. We discovered we had friends in common and I ended up helping with signage and hanging out talking to the guys who had come from Osaka to help with the shop opening. I stayed so late I was able to take part in a dress rehearsal, so I got my first bowl of Yume Wo Katare ramen after midnight. Wanting to see what opening night was like, I offered to come back the following day and help with English-speaking customers. 

I'm not receiving any monetary compensation for writing about Yume Wo Katare. I'm also not speaking for them in an official capacity. I'm just writing for fun and as a public service for other ramen-lovers. I photograph and write about what I'd be curious about.

Yume Wo Katare opens today @ 6pm!

Please see my Everything you need to know about Yume Wo Katare post 

for more information.

I just got back from a long day at Yume Wo Katare and my first bowl of ramen! They passed their inspections and will open today (Friday) at 6pm. Photos from the past couple of days.

My first bowl of Yume Wo Katare ramen!

The shop was packed when I arrived. Ten guys from Osaka flew in to help with the opening - they're only here today through Sunday and then they fly back to Osaka because the shop is closed while they're away. Someone from Thrillist was taking pictures, although it seems they haven't posted anything yet. All day long people were stopping by to see if they were open since the lights were on and there were so many people inside.

Tonight was a trial run of ramen for staff and friends. 

First group eagerly awaits their ramen.

So, how was my first bowl of ramen? Delicious, but overwhelming. The flavors are really strong - a lot of salt and fat. Since I'm helping out, they permitted me to have a half size order and I couldn't finish it. At Pikaichi I can usually eat everything AND drink the broth AND have a small bowl of curry rice, but not here. I ate all the noodles, pork, and cabbage but left most of the bean sprouts and broth and bits of seabura. It didn't help that I'd eaten dinner with Naomi-san at Christopher's several hours earlier, followed by several lobster claws (they made lobster to celebrate). The pork is delicious - both salty and a little sweet. Yume Wo Katare's noodles are thicker, somewhat like Okinawa soba. I must confess to being partial to skinnier ramen, but really, I'll eat any kind of Japanese noodles. The vegetables were crunchy and fresh. I'm sad to report that I couldn't really taste the seabura, possibly because I'm a little congested. I didn't get any fresh minced garlic, being allergic to it. I think there is some garlic in the broth so someone with a severe garlic allergy might not be able to have their ramen. I think most ramen shops have some garlic in the broth - either garlic oil or bits of garlic or both.

Everyone takes a picture of the first bowl of ramen.

The men, however, wolfed down ridiculously large bowls of ramen in record time. Much slurping, very little talking. The largest bowl of ramen I've ever seen disappeared into one of the skinnest guys I've ever seen. I suspect that you need to be starving or Japanese to make it through a whole bowl of their ramen. (One of my white friends once joked that he thought my ability to inhale a big bowl of ramen at Sapporo must be genetic because he struggled to get through his. After discovering he could order a smaller size, he could eat the whole thing.) Someone was telling me that Tsuyoshi-san's ramen is addictive - he said you're eating and eating and even if you start feeling a little sick because you're too full, you just keep eating because it's that good. This definitely isn't the kind of ramen I can eat every day or even every week.  Maybe once a month. Or two. I usually leave Sapporo hungry and Pikaichi is perfect with a side of curry rice, but Yume Wo Katare is more than I can handle for one meal.

The first bowl of ramen!

The largest bowl of ramen I've ever seen.

The last bowl of ramen was for Tsuyoshi-san himself.

Last bowl of the night.

Tsuyoshi-san finally eats.

Some things I missed in my last post:

* CASH ONLY - Nearest ATMs are Cambridge Savings Bank next to CVS & Sign of the Dove, Bank of America, Citibank.

* You pay first and receive a ramen token, which will be picked up from you when your ramen is delivered you are seated.

* There's MSG in the ramen. Japanese love their MSG (Ajinomoto). I saw Tsuyoshi-san throw a generous pinch of MSG into each bowl. I didn't have a chance to clarify if there's also MSG already in the broth. I'll try to find out.

* Although there's no take-out for ramen, you can buy the pork to take home - 500g (17.64 oz) for $15.

* The restaurant seats only 16 - 10 at the large table, 6 at the counter. If you can get a counter seat, those are the best seats in the house. You can watch Tsuyoshi-san in action and he'll serve you your ramen.

* Their posted hours are 6pm to 10pm, Tuesday through Saturday, but Naomi-san told me they will only serve 100 bowls of ramen each night so if it's a slow night, they could be open late. I imagine if it's a really busy night, they might close early. 10/21/12: So I've been wondering if Naomi has just said 100 before they knew how popular they would be. They've served over 100 bowls of ramen every night. Friday 10/20 was 169. They ran out of noodles and had to make more. I think usually the line would be closed if they were out of noodles, but there was a big group of 19 that got in after they were officially closed for reasons which I didn't understand due to the language barrier.

* I was mistaken about the cost of the small frame rental for the wall of dreams and I neglected to mention 2 other sizes. $10 for 3 month frame, $50 for 6 month frame, $100 for 12 month frame, $10,000 for 10 year frame.

* They are hiring waitstaff. Hours are 5:30pm to 11pm, Tuesday through Saturday. Pay is $8/hr during training and $10/hr after you're trained. Fluency in Japanese is required. Please inquire at the restaurant. I realize most people reading this probably aren't fluent in Japanese, but perhaps you know someone who is who's looking for a job!

I think I might finally be done digesting my ramen and can go to sleep!

Food Allergy Resources

Today I found this wonderful English language Japan blog called Surviving in Japan. Now that I have extensive food allergies, I've often wondered how I would eat if I were to visit Japan. Surviving in Japan has a really detailed guide to reading food labels for allergy information. There's also a fantastic general guide to reading food labels. While foreign food sold in the United States has to have English labels, once in a while I come across an item at the store that doesn't have an English label. I'm not sure I'll want to print the guide and carry it out for those rare times when I might need it, but it's nice to know it's available if I change my mind or if I ever go to Japan again.

Other Japanese allergy resources, which might even be helpful in the US if you want to go to Japanese restaurants with waitstaff who don't speak much English:

• Free printable allergy cards in Japanese from Just Hungry
• How to cope with food allergies in Japan from Matador Abroad - very comprehensive, includes a list of common responses you might get when telling someone about your food allergies (page 2).

Pikaichi: A Taste of Japan in Allston

Update 11/15/13: Prices listed below are not correct as they raised their prices earlier this year. The increase wasn't much so everything is still quite affordable and cheap compared with a lot of other Japanese restaurants in Boston.

Pikaichi, located at 1 Brighton Avenue, Allston, MA, in the same building as Hong Kong Supermarket (formerly Super 88 Market), is a Japanese restaurant specializing in ramen, curry (karē), and donburi. It's basically a little piece of heaven.

Pikaichi took over the space where Ken's Ramen House used to be. José Garcia told me that when Ken decided to move back to Japan, he sold the business to Taka & Ritsuko Akatsu, the former owners of Café Mami, who in turn sold their business to José's brother, Carlos. Yes, the restaurant dishing up Japanese comfort food is owned by a Guatemalan. :)

I never went to Ken's, so I won't be comparing Pikaichi with its predecessor. What finally got me over there a few weeks ago was a friend from Japan telling me she'd been there for the first time and felt like she'd just been to Japan. It's been so long since I was last in Japan that I don't actually remember if I had ramen and if so, what it tasted like, but I know a good bowl of noodles when I taste it.

The first thing you'll notice (probably at the same time as you take in the amazing smells) is that the staff are very perky and you'll be greeted enthusiastically with a loud irasshaimase!  I was a little surprised the first time I went since you don't hear that at too many Japanese businesses in Boston.  They play only Japanese music (seems to be all J-pop and rap) and the waitstaff speak in Japanese, although some of them can speak English fluently, so if you have questions about the menu but can't speak Japanese, there should be someone there who will understand. I can see why my friend felt like she'd been to Japan.

So far I've only eaten ramen there on days that weren't ridiculously hot, but they're well air conditioned so you could comfortably have a bowl of ramen on a 90 degree day. Pikaichi's noodles comes from Sun Noodle (they have a factory in NJ but are a Honolulu-based company). Here are pictures from a visit they made to Pikaichi. According to the signs on the tables, Pikaichi serves 6 oz. of noodles (5 oz. is industry standard).

I always get the Tokyo Shoyu Ramen with corn ($7.99 + 50 cents). It's the best ramen I've had in Boston. Maybe some day I'll branch out and try one of the other varieties, but I really like shoyu ramen.

Tokyo Shoyu Ramen with corn & half egg, no scallions + small curry rice.

I also love that you can add a rice bowl of curry rice to an order of ramen for $1.99! (You can also add a small bowl of cha-shu don for the same price.) Note: the small curry rice is only available in regular. When I requested medium hot, they brought me a bottle of Sriracha and said I could mix it for the right flavor!

Today I tried the Tatsuta Curry Rice ($8.49). All curry and donburi come with a bowl of miso soup and at lunch Monday-Friday, a free small salad that has mixed greens, corn, and house dressing which I think involves sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, and some other stuff. (You can also add a free small salad or bowl of rice to an order of ramen at lunch Monday-Friday.) It's nice to have some veggies and the dressing is tasty, but the salad is just okay. I can't comment on the miso soup because I'm allergic.  (I know, how sad is it to be Japanese and be allergic to soy? I developed the allergy in my 20s. Fortunately I'm still able to have soy sauce and other soy products without incident, just not edamame, tofu, or soy miso. There are companies in the U.S. that make non-soy miso but you'll never find them in an authentic Japanese restaurant. The thing I miss most is inarizushi. :( If you have dietary restrictions or allergies and are going to Japan, Just Hungry has a great set of food restriction/allergy cards you can print and carry with you.)

Tatsuta Curry Rice with miso soup & free salad

Pikaichi's curry is delicious. The medium hot is rich and spicy without being overwhelming. There's no burn, just a nice kick. The regular has the same rich flavor but no kick to it, so unless you're really spice-averse, I recommend medium hot. I haven't tried hot since I expect it will be too hot for me. I grew up eating curry at home which my mom made fairly chunky with potatoes, carrots, and beef (no onion for me). In restaurants it tends to be more about the sauce with only a few bits and pieces. You'll find some very cooked down onions and a few small pieces of chicken and/or beef in the sauce and that's it. A plain curry rice might not satisfy if you're a big eater since it's just a lot of curry sauce and one serving of rice.

I've gotten a curry meal twice and find that the rice to curry ratio is off and I always need more rice. I've asked for extra rice both times and not been charged for it. I had expected to be charged for it because it's on the menu as a side ($1.50), but maybe that's if you're just ordering it with ramen.  

The chicken tatsuta was delicious and juicy. It was tasty on it's own, but overwhelmed by the flavor of the curry.

Tatsuta Curry Rice

A note on daikon. I had a love/hate (mostly hate) relationship with daikon when I was a kid. If prepared incorrectly, it's very bitter, and not at all tasty. I tended to like it overcooked in miso soup. I only recently learned that daikon is served with greasy Japanese food to aid digestion. That's why it's in the tentsuyu (dipping sauce) served with tempura. So the bright red fukujinzuke on your plate isn't just there for decoration. Eat up!

Gochisousama deshita!

I was taught that after a meal, you should return disposable chopsticks to the wrapper (if you didn't already make a chopsticks rest out of it). This is confirmed by Etiquette Scholar but according to JREF, it's controversial. (For more chopstick etiquette, see Just Hungry's guide.)

I think the most disappointing item I've had at Pikaichi was the Cha-shu Salad ($4.99), but it wasn't that it was disappointing, it just wasn't amazing compared to the other things I've had. It's a very basic appetizer-sized salad with mixed greens, corn, cha-shu (Japanese char sui), scallions (which I skipped), and house dressing. I also suspect their takoyaki ($5.49 for 6) are of the frozen variety, but I didn't care. They were warm and delicious and the tako chunks were a decent size.

I got their ridiculous sundae ($4.99) once. Two scoops of vanilla ice cream, flan, chocolate syrup, frosted corn flakes, and frozen raspberries. I must have looked really cold while I was eating it because one of the waitstaff came and asked me if I was cold and did I want some hot water. Lol. For some reason I had expected the raspberries to be room temperature so the frozen raspberries were a nice touch. The sundae was way too much sugar for me all at once but it was delicious.  

Note that they close between 4:00 - 5:00 PM so their staff can eat dinner and have a break.  My friend and I didn't know this and showed up at 4:45 PM once, so we went shopping in the market to kill time.