Confession: I am not 100% pescatarian. People whom I dine with regularly know I don’t consume pork and beef, but still I eat chicken from time to time. That is one of those times I go out of bounds of my pledge for the diet.
Another occasion is when it comes to ramen. Yes, there are pork cuts in the meal (which I do not eat) and the broth itself is made of pork. Hear me out though: noodles.
I just cannot resist noodles.
In one of our little walks around Hong Kong, Chase and I chanced upon this quaint ramen house after touring in PMQ. Hungry but still adventurous, we opted to try this place called Shugetsu Ramen.
Reviewed and Recommended
One of the things that really caught our eye and made us choose this place was its sign that it’s included in the famous Michelin Guide. Foodies know just how significant the guide and its stars are, so being able to find a place completely by accident was just a gem of a coincidence. It’s been given a Bib Gourmand award, which highlights restaurants who have “exceptional good food at moderate prices”.
I checked some reviews from Trip Advisor PH about the place, and it was quite unanimous among visitors that it’s a place worth going to.
The interior is simple, homey and just about enough for a ramen experience. I like that it isn’t a big place that can accommodate a lot of people nor is it overly decorated; it allows visitors to really focus on the food.
About the staff — they are clearly trained to serve foreigners. They’re friendly, attentive and can surprisingly converse well despite the language barrier. Memorable service for the short time that we spent in the place.
Simple Ramen, Simply Tasty
I’ve had my take on tasting different brands of ramen before Shugetsu. For those who can relate, I’m sure you know which ones are savory, salty, dull and just right when it comes to ramen. There are even a variety of spice levels and tenderness of noodles. So many shops, so many types of ramen orders to choose from.
In Shugetsu however, it was pleasantly surprising that the menu was underwhelming than most ramen shops I’ve seen. They are very straightforward with what they offer — they simply want you to taste the best bowl of ramen they can serve. Their ramen bowls are priced at HKD90 (Php 579) on average. You can view the menu here.
Chase had an order of Tsukemen (Dipping Noodle), while I ordered a simple spring onion bowl. The noodles were not too tender and not too raw, very simple in terms of preparation, yet not subpar when it comes to taste.
Look at the abundance of spring onions! And that beautiful quality of egg that goes with the soup. Ramen is always much better with a perfectly soft-boiled egg.
The taste of the broth was pure pork. I have never had a swig of oil and meat so much since I started becoming pescatarian. This was surprisingly enjoyable for a bowl of ramen and I’m convinced that the broth was indeed mixed with sauce that was slow-cooked for about 18 months in their 100-year old baskets. After eating so much noodles in my life, it’s not much of a stretch for me to identify which ones are plain salt and which ones have some real work put in them.
That being said, my body went into shock after the rich pork broth. I guess months and months of no pork and beef does that to your system. I had a cholesterol attack shortly after finishing the bowl, feeling dizzy and nauseous that we had to head back home so I don’t just randomly fall down the gutter in the streets of Hong Kong. Since then, I have stayed away from ramen, in fear of having another cholesterol shock. I have no regrets having Shugetsu Ramen as my last bowl of ramen to date.
Don’t get me wrong however, Shugetsu Ramen is a must-try. If you enjoy eating ramen, you cannot miss this place. If you are not a big fan of ramen, this place might just be the place to turn your opinion around, even just a little bit.
Is it worth visiting? Yes, definitely. On your next trip to Hong Kong, swing by 5 Gough Street in Central for some authentic, Michelin-level ramen experience.
Art/Life 
1 Comment