Check Out These Ramen Events in March
From Santouka setting up shop direct from Tokyo, to the destination-worthy Ganko Ittetsu Ramen joining the scene, to Pagu opening in Cambridge with a revival of chef Tracy Chang’s Guchi’s Midnight Ramen, gone are the days when Boston had a dearth of deeply savory noodle bowls. And now, it’s not just the ramen shops that are getting in on the fun. The internet says March is National Noodle Month, and local chefs are not letting it slip by.
From New York City ramen masters coming to town, to a beer bar trying its hand at riffs on the Japanese classic, noodle around these can’t-miss slurpfests this month.
Little Big Diner CHICKEN SHIO RAMEN. / PHOTOGRAPH BY JIM BRUECKNER for “Restaurant Review: Little Big Diner”
#LBDNoods Selfie Contest
Typically, if someone asks for a nood selfie, we’d advise taking caution sharing it online. But this is a different case: Throughout the month, reigning Best of Boston ramen purveyor Little Big Diner has prizes on deck for your best noods—as in, slurping selfies from the Newton spot. To win one of three, $25 gift cards, tag your public social media photos #LBDNoods. The team will choose the winners in April.
Little Big Diner, 1247 Centre St., Newton, 857-404-0068, littlebigdiner.com.
The bar at Hojoko. / Photo by Jared Kuzia for “At Hojoko, It’s East Meets West Meets East Again“
O Ya Turns 10
It’s been 10 years since Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ favorite restaurant opened in Boston—a decade of chef Tim Cushman’s surprising and delightful omakase, a decade of diving into Nancy Cushman’s outstanding wine and sake lists. The husband-and-wife duo followed up the exquisite and still playful O Ya with an equally hospitable, but just a bit more wild, izakaya in 2015. To celebrate its big sibling’s 10th anniversary, Hojoko is throwing down with a karaoke party tonight. There will be $6 Suntory Toki cocktails, $3 beers, and late-night bites, including the umami Funky Chicken Ramen.
Thursday, March 9, 10 p.m.-1 a.m., Hojoko, 1271 Boylston St., Fenway, Boston, 617-670-0507, hojokoboston.com, Facebook event.
Ivan Ramen Triple Pork Triple Garlic Mazeman. / Photo provided
Late-Night Ivan Ramen
If the lengthy line outside Uni on Monday night deterred you from visiting chef Ivan Orkin himself, you’re not completely out of luck. The New York City-based ramen master has lent a recipe to the Back Bay spot’s late-night menu all month long. Ivan’s Triple Pork, Triple Garlic mazeman, what Uni chef Tony Messina calls “a big bowl of umami,” joins the restaurant’s noodle bowl, select maki, nigiri, and more izakaya fare every weekend this month.
Every Friday and Saturday in March, 10:30 p.m.-1 a.m., Uni, the Eliot Hotel, 370 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, 617-536-7200, uni-boston.com.
Ramen at Olde Magoun’s Saloon. / Photo provided
Rock’n Ramen
Olde Magoun’s Saloon is better known for its beer list stocked with German, Belgian, and American standouts, but it also keeps the pub grub menu pretty interesting. This month’s Wednesday feature: Not your typical noodle bowls. While there is a 12-hour chicken broth with tofu, mushrooms, and a soft-cooked egg, there are also fusion riffs like chicken and ramen waffles, a char-grilled ginger-and-garlic-pork burger on a miso-glazed ramen bun, and even a salted caramel ramen cake. Chef Howie Haywood told Scout Somerville it’s his lack of knowledge—but love–of ramen that fuels the creative menu. Sounds fun, at least.
Every Wednesday in March, 5-11 p.m., 518 Medford St., Somerville, 617-776-2600, magounssaloon.com.
Nakamura Ramen Pop-Up
Shigetoshi “Jack” Nakamura opened the buzziest new ramen-ya in New York City last year, after more than a decade in Tokyo restaurants, and operating Sun Noodle’s now-defunct Ramen Labs stateside. This month, the chef is shipping up to Boston. Oisa Ramen maven Moe Kuroki, and the chef she calls her sensei, Shōjō’s Mark O’Leary, are helping him out in the kitchen at BLR by Shōjō (née Best Little Restaurant) while Nakamura is preparing two bowls, his torigara shoyu ramen ($15); and a Boston special: spicy seafood miso ramen ($20), chockful of fresh Wulf’s Fish, created especially for this event. It’s walk-in only, and the soup’s on until it runs out.
Tuesday, March 21, beginning at 6 p.m., BLR by Shojo, 13A Hudson St., Boston, MA, 617-338-4988, blrbyshojo.com, Facebook event.
Moe Kuroki of Oisa Ramen. / Photo via Caroline Hubert Videography
Oisa Ramen Dinner
Moe Kuroki admits Nakamura Ramen will be a tough act to follow, but she’s going to do it a week later during her regular monthly appearance at Brassica Kitchen. The Fukuoka, Japan, native started her pop-up Oisa Ramen after more than a decade living in Boston, to give herself a taste of home. For this month’s event, the main event of the four-course meal features lobster, Kuroki’s favorite local food. “I hope this bowl will bring the comfort as a bowl of tonkotsu ramen does for me,” she says.
$45, Monday, March 27, seatings at 6 and 8 p.m., 3710 Washington St., Jamaica Plain, 857-234-6436, oisaramen.com, Eventbrite.
