Ryuji Drops In on SUSURU's Ramen Shop "Kita no Shoyu Chiho" and Gives His Unfiltered Verdict

Besides SUSURU, several influencers, including Biwako-kun, were inside the shop. According to the shop, it happened to be a time slot set aside for serving influencers. Seeing the kitchen equipment and how the shop was being run, Ryuji said "they're seriously going all in" again and again. According to SUSURU, the shop is operated together with an existing ramen shop, but as far as branding goes, it's fair to think of it as "SUSURU's ramen shop."

Asked what concept the ramen was built around, SUSURU answered that what matters most in ramen these days is "liveness." Rather than simply packing umami into the soup with dried ingredients and the like, the idea is to stir-fry the toppings right before serving to bring out their aroma, add a final layer of umami, and finish the bowl on the spot.

There is also a shop that served as the inspiration. A local Sapporo, Hokkaido chain called "Toru" has a shoyu ramen served only at one particular location, and SUSURU loves it because it's very salty and delicious. SUSURU explained that this ramen began as an homage to it. Ryuji replied, "You do love the salty stuff," and SUSURU agreed that it falls into the salty category. Ryuji saw this ramen as an arrangement of "Sapporo shoyu," taking the method used for Sapporo miso ramen and swapping in soy sauce.

The cooking starts by stir-frying a generous amount of garlic. Ryuji was surprised by how much there was, but it was apparently for three servings. Next comes the ground meat, with umami seasoning and other ingredients added to layer on even more umami. On the sequence of infusing the oil with garlic aroma before frying the ground meat, Ryuji remarked that it's a technique Ryuji often uses too, "a familiar one." Ryuji also noted that the wok was surprisingly heavy and said it must be pretty tough for a ramen shop to do this over and over every day.

Bean sprouts are added and seared well, then the shoyu soup is poured in and allowed to sizzle. SUSURU said it releases a lot of aroma and explained that applying heat right before serving changes the flavor dramatically. Ryuji agreed, noting that surprisingly few shops in Tokyo make ramen this way.

The soup itself is said to be a very simple one made from pork bones and pork. Back fat is added to it, aiming for just a slight amount floating on the surface of the finished bowl. Once the fat goes in, it emulsifies lightly, giving the soup a slightly cloudy look. The bowls are warmed in advance, and the shoyu is finished by cranking the heat up all at once. SUSURU said it's best served piping hot.

Chashu also came up between steps. SUSURU revealed that pork belly is very expensive right now and that making a single roll of chashu costs about 2,000 yen.

From the first bite, Ryuji kept repeating "this is so good" and "I can't believe this is a shop opened by a YouTuber." Ryuji described the chashu as so tender it fell apart before it could be picked up with chopsticks, and the noodles as distinctly Sapporo-style. The others at the table chimed in one after another, saying the ground meat was great, the seasoned egg was delicious, and the bean sprouts had a nice texture.

What surprised Ryuji was the saltiness. Ryuji had expected it to be saltier, but it wasn't that salty, and Ryuji speculated that applying heat had mellowed the soy sauce, bringing out roundness and umami. Ryuji also praised the fact that it wasn't greasy and didn't rely entirely on oil for flavor. After adding white pepper to change up the flavor, Ryuji raved, "White pepper is genius," and said it would definitely go well with rice too.

Ryuji went even further, saying it was "30 times better" than a certain rich tonkotsu-style ramen eaten previously, "150 times better" than expected, and possibly the best ramen eaten recently. One of the others at the table remarked that it's rare for Ryuji to praise something this much. Ryuji admitted that despite intending to find something to say, there wasn't a single thing to complain about.

The special ramen costs 1,500 yen. For the time being, this ramen is the only item on the menu, though SUSURU said a spicy option might be added in the future. SUSURU is also considering offering something like a chashu rice bowl. The shop opens on March 25, and SUSURU intends to keep things in this format for a while.

After finishing the bowl, Ryuji reflected that it was truly delicious with no flattery involved, and almost wished there had been a bit more to nitpick. While noting some doubts about a past ramen SUSURU had been involved with ("Buta Muso"), Ryuji said that this time SUSURU was seriously making it properly. Ryuji closed the video with surprise: "SUSURU is serious about this. Really, truly serious."