Ramen with Harmony
I use only the best ingredients in my ramen. This includes organic air-chilled chicken, high-quality pork, crafted shoyu, and fresh vegetables. When possible, I source locally-grown ingredients. Some ingredients such as kombu, katsuobushi, and shoyu are imported from Japan.
Each bowl of ramen contains over 50 ingredients that combine to create a delightful experience for you. Some of the individual components are started at least a week before the final bowl comes together. In Japanese, there is a term called "nekaseru" (寝かせる) which means "to sleep," a concept I first encountered through Keizo Shimamoto. As with people, ramen ingredients need their rest to be their best.
All of this is what Japanese ramen masters call kodawari (こだわり), an uncompromising devotion to getting every detail right, not for recognition, but because your own standards demand it. It is the spirit behind every ingredient choice, every hour of preparation, and every bowl I serve. I am always learning and always improving my craft.
Each bowl is crafted following the five carefully balanced elements of ramen:
- Broth (スープ)
- Tare (タレ), the seasoning of the ramen (shio, shoyu, miso)
- Aromatic fat or oil (香味油 — kōmi abura)
- Noodles (麺)
- Toppings (具材)
These five elements provide balance and harmony to create the best tasting ramen. Oishii! (おいしい!)
Ashley's Story
いらっしゃいませ! My story is simple, yet complex, as is my relationship with ramen. It started with oodles of noodles in a styrofoam cup and evolved into an appreciation of layers of ingredients and flavors combined to delight the palate.
I moved to Maryland in 2015, and graduated from microwaving dinner to experimenting with cooking and dining in actual restaurants. I became passionate about cooking and creating experiences, I just never expected ramen to be one of them. I thought it was just preserved noodles and a suspect seasoning packet.
I was wrong.
In July of 2019, I was searching online where to get dinner, and a ramen shop appeared. It was tucked inside a deli in an industrial park in Annapolis Junction — not exactly what you'd picture when you imagine great ramen. But I'm adventurous, so I took a shot. It changed everything.
That shop was Menya Hosaki⧉ before it opened in its current DC location and before being recognized by the Michelin Guide. At the time, it was a secret hiding in plain sight: extraordinary ramen in an unlikely place, for those who knew to look. I started going every Saturday night. The owner, Eric, introduced me to new ramen styles, like tsukemen and mazesoba. He would share his experiments that may or may not have made it to the menu.
After months of experimenting and testing my own recipes, I presented Eric with a bowl of ramen. He suggested I keep practicing.
So I did. I not only practiced, but I also read and watched videos of ramen masters at work. I especially enjoyed the video “What It Takes to Make 400 Bowls of Ramen From Scratch.”⧉ The video documents Keizo Shimamoto⧉’s one-day pop-up to re-create his (now closed) famous Ramen Shack restaurant. My sensei, Eric, is featured in the video as he apprenticed under Keizo and volunteered for this event.
Eric gifted me a ramen bowl that was similar to the bowls he used at a ramen-ya where he worked. This bowl means the world to me.
I'm not formally trained in culinary arts. I am passionate about learning new things and the ramen community has welcomed me. I've learned so much from those who share their ramen stories including Eric⧉, Keizo⧉, Ivan Orkin⧉, Mike Satinover (Ramen_Lord)⧉, Sho Spaeth⧉, and all of the bowls of ramen I've eaten. I've come a long way from microwaved ramen!
This Ramen-Ya is an expression of everything I've learned about ramen techniques and culture, and the countless bowls I've eaten along the way.
The ramen that changed everything for me started in a deli in an industrial park in Annapolis Junction. Now it's my turn.
-Ashley
アシュリー