Mist
I'd always thought of ramen as a street stall kind of food. In Fukuoka, Yatai (street stalls) line crowded streets with nothing more than a short hanging curtain separating the stall from busy pedestrians. There's definitely something romantic about trying one of these ramen stalls, particularly in the winter where the hot steam from the central pot keeps the crowded of huddled diners warm. But frankly, the backless wooden stalls get uncomfortable after awhile as the sound of traffic becomes less charming and more annoying. There's an increasing trend in Tokyo to take traditional street food, enhance it, and escalate it to the fine dining level. That's exactly what Mist does. Located in on the third floor of Omotesando Hills, Mist occupies a small restaurant space paneled with granite and wood. It's very modern. Behind the stainless steel kitchen lies scales and thermometers ensuring that every step along the way, from shaping the noodles to plating the soup, results in perfection.
Mist Ramen, Tokyo - Chef weighs noodles
Chef carefully weighs and measures quantity of ramen
Mist Ramen, Tokyo - Pork ramen
Pork ramen - A dark brown broth garnished with deep-fried strips of onion, fresh scallion, and chives. The broth was nicely salted and had a strong taste of pork. The bundle of fresh scallions adds a spicy freshness and subtle crunch to each bite. Really delicious.
Mist Ramen, Tokyo - Pork ramen with miso broth
Inside of Kitchen - The open kitchen where diners can watch the exacting procedure with which their soup is prepared.
Mist Ramen, Tokyo - Kitchen
Pork ramen with miso broth - A bit lighter than the standard broth and garnished with a soft-boiled egg. The egg is served with a runny yolk but it cooks slowly in the broth as you eat.
Mist Ramen makes a great lunch of midday snack, particularly on cold winter days. It's sort of a sanitized version of the traditional soup making it really foreigner friendly. It also happens to be delicious. I've brought a lot of people here over the years and have only received positive feedback.
