Restaurant review: Tsukemen Mitaseimenjo, Causeway Bay - ramen
It's easy to become blasé about newcomers to the ramen scene. But Tsukemen Mitaseimenjo attracted our attention.
With so manyramen shops opening in the city, it's easy to become blasé about the newcomers. But Tsukemen Mitaseimenjo — the Tokyo-based chain that, arguably, originated the craze for ramen across Japan and other countries — attracted our attention.
Having heard that, at peak times, diners usually have to queue for an hour to get a seat at the Causeway Bay shop since it opened in February, we arrived slightly after 2pm to avoid the lunch crowd and were seated in 15 minutes. The interior is minimalistic and features a semi-open kitchen where guests can see their noodles being prepared. The service is a bit rusty, but the staff are friendly and polite.
Besides tsukemen ramen — where the noodles and intense, rich soup are served separately, so you dunk the first into the second before slurping them up — the menu also lists two soup ramen and a nice selection of sides and snacks. We went for the signature tsukemen (HK$78), which also comes as a spicy version (HK$80), as well as deep-fried chicken (HK$38 for five pieces) and Mita-style pan-fried dumplings (HK$48 for six).
There is a lunch set available from 11am to 5.30pm that includes a bowl of noodles and, at a reasonable additional price (HK$18-HK$30), a snack of your choice in a smaller portion, and a drink.
The thick strands of cold noodles had a pleasant, bouncy bite, even after we dipped them in the hot soup. The thick, nori-topped dip was complex and flavoursome, thanks to the slow-simmered bone broth seasoned with a generous amount of fish powder, although maybe too rich and salty for some. The char siu wasn't as enjoyable: the pork was a bit dry and bland.
Both the deep-fried chicken and dumplings were delicious. The chicken was well seasoned and moist, but could have been crisper. The dumplings were juicy and the special sauce, mayonnaise and bonito flakes complemented the flavours. Try the original ones (HK$38 for six pieces) without sauces if you like the dumpling skin crisp.
Verdict: if you can avoid the wait, it's a nice option. It's open until late.
