There’s something immensely comforting about noodles. Home cooked stir fry, snaffled from the takeaway or deep bowls of ramen or pho. For me, noodles are go to when I’m sick, full of spice when a cold has me in it’s grips, recovery after spin when my legs are like jelly, or well, just because.
And when Shoryu Ramen opened on Piccadilly I had two thoughts – firstly why Piccadilly? And secondly, in a Homer Simpson type drawl, ummmmmm ramen.
In truth, after experiencing a nibble or two at the launch, I knew it was going to be good. And walking in at 6:30pm on a Monday evening to find it packed, it seems I was right.
For the uninitiated, ramen is Japan’s fast food. Easy to produce in big quantities, filling, and relatively speaking, cheap. The staple in Shoryu is big bowls of tonkotsu – a rich pork stock, with noodles and topped with sliced pork, egg and spring onions. There are variations on this theme, and don’t worry, there’s a vegan option making the most of miso and tofu, and gluten free options too.
If noodles aren’t your thing, I’ll try not to judge too hard, and simply say that there are bao buns, jumbo hakata yakitori (grilled meat and fish in a soy glaze) and tempura if that’s more your thing.
Drinks wise, there’s everything you’d expect – wine, beer, softs, and of course sake, shochu and cocktails. The cocktails are rather sweet, full of fruit and layers of flavour. Though we started with a Kiwi Midori (kiwi fruit, Bombay Sapphire gin, Midori liqueur, Josen sake and soda water) and the Karou Lavender (cucumber, lime, Jinzu gin, Josen sake and St Germain liqueur), next time we might have them as an alternative to dessert.
From the side dish menu we took advantage of their Monday offer – two bao buns for the price of one – and opted for the grilled halloumi and shimeji mushrooms. I’m a sucker for halloumi and this was charred, chewy and squeaky, just what I wanted. Mr GFB opted for the Kushikatsu – soft tender belly pork pieces which alternated with onion on a skewer, and deep fried in panko breadcrumbs. Generously we split them between us, I’m pretty sure Mr GFB regretted this, but I took full advantage as they were bloody delicious.
When it came to the ramen it was a challenge to choose, but for me the temptation of kimchi led me to seafood and the (aptly named( Kimchi Seafood Tonkotsu with kimchi broth, prawns, scallops, squid, nitamago egg, kikurage mushrooms, nori seaweed, spring onion, seasoned beansprouts, sesame, fried shallots.
Mr GFB was led by his case of the sniffles, and his determination to kill it with garlic, to the Dracula Tonkotsu with it’s caramelised black garlic mayu and garlic chips.
And here are things to bear in mind with Shoryu. Firstly, don’t be afraid to ask for a fork. Mr GFB is a bloody whizz at chopsticks, but I have all the hand to eye coordination of a sleepy toddler, and both he (and my dad, and friends, and previous boyfriends) have given up trying to teach me. There’s no shame in being a bit of a heathen.
Secondly, they’re working in a small space. You can see into the kitchen and it really is rather small to produce the amount of food to the quality that they do. To do so, they make things easier for themselves, so the bao buns are made and reheated. This means they’re a little chewier than if they were made fresh, but it’s barely noticeable. Also the meats and toppings might be warmed by the broth, but some bits might be a bit cold. Genuinely, I don’t care that my egg was a little cool – texture and taste wise, it was bloody perfect, so it’s a non-issue. My seafood might not have been searing hot, but again, it wasn’t overcooked, so again, not an issue.
In fact, I cared this much about that:
Because what I had was tasty, filling, actually good for me (no really, broth is a ‘super food’ and incredibly nutritious) and I’m always left at the end with the feeling of fullness, but still a craving to have another bowl please, thank you. And to me, that’s the perfect sign of a good meal.
Of course, we couldn’t leave without trying dessert.
The matcha and adzuki rolled cake had a light fluffy sponge and dense cream and, unlike other adzuki bean dishes I’ve had before, wasn’t overly ‘beany’. It didn’t have that green legume flavour that I find offputting. The Yuzi cheesecake was light, citrussy with a smack of savoury from the black sesame seeds and in the end, was probably our favourite dessert option.
Overall, Shoryu, I’m a bit of a fan. Your food is filling, tasty, and won’t have you walking out feeling like you haven’t got value for money. Your staff are great, and the fact that it was full to the brim on a Monday night just goes to show how popular you’re proving. Sure, you’re not in the prettiest spot, particularly given current local issues hitting the headlines, but you’re perfectly placed for a quick bite on the way home, or an impromptu date night. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if you go for a second site (though not the Trafford Centre, please).
Yeah, I’ll be seeing you very soon.
This meal and accompanying drinks were supplied for free by Shoryu Ramen. As ever, this doesn’t guarantee a positive review (if anything, I tend to be a harsher critic).
Good food, fast, tasty and really great service. We like it here.