About
Ramen have been flavour of the month in London for at least the past year, and as a result every other street corner in W1 seems to boast its own ramen bar. Most serve tonkotsu ramen, whose broth is based on long-cooked pork bones. Sasuke’s focuses is on miso ramen, a Hokkaido speciality. Its version is based on months of painstaking recipe testing, and the resulting soup has a rich, savoury depth. The springy noodles are made to order in New York and shipped in specially. Otherwise, garnishes are minimal: a slice of tender chashu pork, half an egg, copious amounts of bean shoots and a scattering of sweetcorn. If you’re still feeling peckish, there are intensely meaty gyoza and crisp, crunchy chicken karaage on the menu too. The décor is as minimal as the menu: simple tables and stools made from blonde pine provide spartan furnishings. The lack of creature comforts and rather hesitant service don’t encourage lingering – but that doesn’t seem to discourage Sasuke’s growing legion of fans who seem to enjoy its Ronseal approach to ramen.