Austin, TX Edition: Ramen Tatsu-Ya

By Candace Nelson - 10:00 AM

Ramen TatsyuThe ramen craze is alive and well in hipster town Austin. And, according to one publication, it is home to the best ramen joint in the country.

Ramen TatsyuRamen Tatsu-Ya is "Japanese Soul Food" with OG ramen: pork bone broth, chashu, ajitama, wood ear mushroom and scallions.

Ramen Tatsyu
Ramen Tatsu-ya is the long-awaited collaboration between local chefs/DJs, Tatsu Aikawa and Takuya Matsumoto. The two of them first met as they were busy making their marks on the Austin scene as hip-hop DJs. After following an eerily parallel timeline, honing their crafts at notable Austin establishments such as Musashino and Second Bar + Kitchen, Tatsu took a leap and moved to Los Angeles. There, he worked in one of the nation’s most respected Kaiseki/Sushi bars, the two Michelin star restaurant Urasawa. 
On his return, he began working with Takuya on birthing Tatsu-ya. “I was craving good ramen after having lived in Japan and LA. I wanted to provide that same quality and authenticity in Austin, the city I call home.” says Tatsu. “We want to educate people on what ramen truly is. It’s the soul food of Japan. The process of broth-making can take an extremely long time in order to draw out the flavors from each ingredient.” A far cry from the 10-cent package ramen most of us know all too well (ABOUT).

A Culinary Equation :: Episode 1 - Ramen from Palate Films on Vimeo.

Ramen TatsyuYou order at the front of the place, and there was a small line. Pick which ramen you want (I went with the original), add "bombs" if you want, and add any toppings you may like - I added naruto maki, which are those swirled fish cakes and brussels sprouts and some parmesan. Because why not?

Ramen Tatsyu
1. Chopsticks only! (Training chopsticks available on request.)
2. Sip the broth first, before digging into your noodles. Allow the steam to waft into your face and savor the smell; feel it run down your spine.
3. Finish all the noodles before they get soggy!
4. Never share your ramen. Never!
5. Slurp! Do it loudly and shamelessly. This aerates the broth and enhances the flavor of the noodles, similar to wine.
6. Add toppings after sampling the original flavors.7. If you’re still hungry after finishing your noodles, but have some broth remaining you can request more by saying “Kaedama please!” (Kae-dama meaning: “Extra noodles!”) (RULES)
Ramen TatsyuAfter a little wait, the bowls for me and my friend Julia were brought out. I thought this was absolutely fantastic. The broth has a really deep, rich flavor, and all of those delicious ingredients just pop. Fresh veggies, deliciously cooked pork belly, crispy sprouts. All of it together was just really, really good. Definitely plan to have a full - but happy - belly leaving here.

Grade: A
Ramen Tatsu-Ya Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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