about this ramen: we always balked at the idea that a vegan 'tonkotsu'-style ramen could come close to matching the decadence of a proper, long-simmered pork bone soup, but this substitute blew our minds when we first tried it. this bowl comes with a healthy but gentle dose of our house rayu chilli oil and sunset powder spice blend- for a little kick and a hit of sesame. the name, sunset red, is a nod to keizo shimamoto’s legendary nyc shop ramen shack, which I was fortunate enough to visit in 2019 just before it closed.
Jay Rayner, The Observer: "the revelation is the vegan version of the tonkotsu that, given its analogue’s origins in the boiling of bones, sounds like a contradiction in terms. Here, though, is the richest of savoury broths, given its creamy, slightly sweet edge by the addition of oat “milk”. It’s topped with paving slabs of tofu that have first been marinated then deep fried to give a crisp shell. It’s a big old bowl of deep care and thoughtfulness."
contents: rich kombu + shiitake dashi with oat milk + shio tare; house rayu chilli oil w/ sunset powder; handmade thin hakata noodles; organic tofu chashu; kikurage mushrooms; + spring onion. seasoned ajitama egg not included but available seperately. view the images to see more.
allergens: GLUTEN, WHEAT, SOYA, SESAME, LUPIN
Let customers speak for us
This ramen is as good as any I’ve experienced, even in Japan! I will buy again.
The best ramen I have ever had other than in Japan. The depth of flavour of the broth is exceptional and the pork and the egg. Perfect!!
Usually i think of ramen anywhere outside of japan as being a replica or something that's close to, but not quite the same as what i love. Not this!
Can't wait to try the others now! I absolutely recommend this to anyone who wants to try not just a good ramen kit that's easy to make at home, but also one that is just as good, if not even better than some i've had whilst i've been in japan!
Recommend getting the egg to go with, too.
Loved it.
Top quality ramen as ever. Excellent spicy broth
Good for meat eaters, veggies & vegans!
I just had the vegan tantanmen ramen whilst my wife had the ‘ordinary’ version (and neither are ordinary). I’m not a vegan, and my first tantanmen was the meat one, but I like to try things so have had this (and other vegan Matsudai ramen dishes) a few times. They’re good.
Tantanmen is s ‘different’ ramen, topped with seasoned, saucy, spicy minced pork. Think ‘spag bol’! Ouch, I’ll be vilified for that, but hey, it’s noodles & a minced meat sauce, you know what I mean! For the vegan one minced mushrooms replace minced meat (I think, I don’t memorise the details, I just enjoy). I really don’t think you’d know the difference.
This trying vegan Matsudai started with Tonkotsu, which is all about long slow cooking of meat bones and ‘tendony bits’ to make a madly rich broth that’s more like jelly if left to go cold. How can anyone seek to replicate that? I had to try it. The secret is is oat milk to add richness. That led me on to Tantanmen and some others. Tantanmen is my favourite Matsudai vegan. Why do it? Why try it? Why not. I’m not a ‘preacher’, I’d scoff down bowls of last years Christmas special (Turkey Paitan Ramen) in a second, but I love firm tofu, crispy tofu, and all sorts of mushrooms, and we all eat meat free meals without noticing (pizza margharita?) so why not try!
Important notes:
Matsudai kits arrive perfectly, on time & cleverly chill packed.
They’re VERY easy to ‘assemble’
All the hard work by Matsudai, and all the trimmings make the end result look Tokyo restaurant quality (and make me look like a real chef).
Over order: You can freeze the kits,
Ramen so good, I would eat it everyday!
Second we’ve ordered from you guys and we’ve recommended to so many people! Love your noodles. Thankyou
When I was seeking this out, I knew deep down what I need is a supply of good creamy pork bone broth. This did not disappoint. The extras were also great especially the nice and fatty cha shu and tasty noodles. The toppings I find more something I can arrange myself but the broth is the star of the show and what will bring me back.
So easy to serve because Matsui do all the hard work. All the little trimmings make it look great, Japanese artistry, so I look like a masterchef.
It’s great to try various specials (like the Christmas turkey Paitan ramen or Korean brisket ramen) and the Shurunashi Mazesoba did not disappoint. Ramen can be light, heavy, rich, spicy, delicate, it’s a world of discovery. Subscribing to mails is a must, this is how you learn of specials, new adventures. These kits ALWAYS arrive on time, chilled because of clever packing, and complete, good to go. Matsui make me sad I live hundreds of mikes away, so cannot visit the restaurant, but the kits let me experience seriously good ramen.
