Tonkotsu to open ramen bar in Clapham

Ramen specialist Tonkotsu will launch its next restaurant in Clapham in September. Located on the high street, it will be the brand's 17th opening, bringing its signature bowls of ramen, gyoza and its famous chicken kara-age to the southwest London neighbourhood.

Commenting on the opening, co-founder Ken Yamada says: "We’re delighted to be able to bring our amazing ramen with freshly made noodles and bone broth to Clapham! It’s an area of London we love and have been looking in for the right property for Tonkotsu for a while. We’re installing a DJ booth as well, so watch this space for some lively evening events."

First launched in Soho in 2012 by co-founders Ken Yamada and Emma Reynolds, Tonkotsu was at the forefront of London’s ramen craze. Each bowl of ramen is made with Tonkotsu’s fresh noodles crafted in-house daily using mid-century machines imported from Tokyo. The noodles are then cooked to order for precisely 32 seconds in boiling water for that perfect medium bite. The stocks are also handmade by the team via a two-day cooking process.

The menu will feature the restaurant’s signature Tonkotsu ramen – a rich and creamy pork and lardo broth with thin-cut noodles, topped with roast pork belly, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, spring onions, burnt garlic oil and a seasoned egg. Other favourites include the chilli chicken ramen – a chicken and sea salt broth pimped up with Tonkotsu’s Eat the Bits Chili Oil, and the vegan mushroom miso ramen. 

The venue will also serve up freshly steamed batches of the classic pork, ginger and garlic gyoza, as well as shiitake and bamboo shoot, and king prawn versions. Other standout starters include Tonkotsu’s crisp fried chicken kara-age, plus Eat the Bits chilli chicken wings and the vegan-friendly cauliflower ‘wings’.

The drinks menu includes a sake made for Tonkotsu by the Tsuji Brewery in Okayama, and an exclusive beer, Mikan Shimoda Pale Ale, made in collaboration with Thornbridge. The drinks lineup rounds off with Japanese whisky, wines and cocktails, plus low-alcohol options, soft drinks and teas.

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