Sapporo is the capital and largest city of Hokkaido, the (huge) northern island of Japan. According to Wikipedia, Sapporo is known to non-Japanese folks for having hosted the 1972 Winter Olympics, but I did not know that. What I know about the region is that local specialty seafood is supposedly a bragging point even for an "islands" nation. As for ramen, Sapporo has named their own style.
Enter Ren's Ramen, a shop in Wheaton, MD supposedly owned by Taiwanese folks. I cannot speak for how true to Sapporo style Ren's makes their bowl since I have only taken a two-week vacation in central Japan. If I may digress a bit: I can hardly claim that I know ramen, let alone recognize local specialties throughout the entire country. For perspective, consider the innate expertise with which an American foodie, having grown up eating burgers, might dissect the intricacies of a "bun and patty" (dissect by eating, of course). I want to be able to examine a bowl of ramen at least as capably as I can examine a burger (again, examine by eating).
Nevertheless, having finished a bowl at Ren's, what I can speak to is my approval for their broth. Of the three broths Ren's offers (miso, tonshio, shoyu), I ordered miso, which is the specialty of Hokkaido ramen. When Ren's describes the complicated broth preparation in my bowl, boasting of "depth and body," they do not exaggerate. The broth was exceptional among those found at ramen shops I have visited in the Metropolitan DC region.
As for other aspects of my meal:
- The noodles were a pleasing consistency, although quite different from my favorite ramen-variety noodles at Daikaya (which also serves Sapporo style).
- The bean sprouts were a nice addition, but they are more of a Southeast Asian food item. Think Vietnam, Thailand, Southern China, Taiwan, etc. I am not sure bean sprouts fit in a ramen bowl hailing from a region at least 1,200 miles (2,000 km) north of Southeastern Asia. Still, I offer that observation up for a second, more knowledgeable opinion.
- The soft-boiled eggs were prepared just right, and the single slice of roast pork was tasty. I would have ordered extra slices of cha siu or their stewed fatty pork, but I was short on cash...
- And that is a really key point: they only accept cash and they do not have an ATM handy! With a standard compliment of add-ons as is the way of ramen shops in America, expect to pay up to $20 including tax and tip. $25 if you plan to splurge, and that does not include drinks (I am a cheap Asian...I am there for the food, not the drinks).
Overall, I highly recommend Ren's Ramen, although it is about a 30-minute trek on I-495 North for those in Northern Virginia. Happy slurping!
