Central, Hong Kong｜Shugetsu (Central)

One of the most controversial (if not the most) ramen shops in Hong Kong. People are divided by its signature tsukemen sauce; for some, the sauce is just simply toooooo oily and salty. For others like me, we find the sauce absolutely captivating and unforgettable. The poignant soya sauce from Aichi prefecture which reveals Shugetsu's origin, accented with a tinge of vinegar and grilled char siu, blends well with the thick, chewy noodles that Shugetsu uses for its tsukemen. Shugetsu offers its tsukemen in different sizes, from 100g to 300g, which is much more generous compared to other ramen shops in Hong Kong. There are also different sidedishes at Shugetsu; and the oden items are definitely of exceptionally high quality. Shugetsu occasionally offers limited edition noodles (such as vegetable miso tsukemen, cold salad tsukemen), but nothing beats the original signature tsukemen which to some is just too salty and oily, but to many, just heavenly good.

Enjoy traditional Tsukemen in Michelin restaurant. It was surprising and even the most delicious Japanese restaurant in Hong Kong. Can’t stop dipping the noodles in the favoured soup. Love the saltiness and richness of the dipped soup. There were some sliced pork , green onions and garlic in dipping soup. The noodles itself were delicious and had a good texture. For the side dishes, I added a few pork belly and the noodle was with a signature coddled egg. Perfect dining experience.

Visited during a weekday night around 7:30 and the wait time wasn't too bad. We were seated after around 10min or so. I'm not usually a huge fan of Tsukemen, but since this is their specialty, I felt that I had to order one, so I got the Grilled Kurobuta Pork Belly Tsukemen. The noodles were cooked perfectly and the sauce was very flavorful. Some issues I've had with tsukemen in the past was that often times the noodles would either not be able to absorb the taste of the dipping sauce or that it's overcooked and absorbs too much of it. This had a perfect balance between the two. The pork belly was also crispy but tender and it had just enough fat to melt in your mouth but not feel too excessively greasy. I also ordered the gyozas but they were pretty typical, so I don't have much to comment on that. Overall, while the meal was a little pricier than what ramen would normally cost, the quality of the food definitely made it worth its price.