About Daikaya
Given the American obsession with pig, it’s no wonder tonkatsu-style ramen (translation: with pork-bone broth) is all the rage. We love a good helping of the intensely porky brew, but there’s something refreshing—and arguably more nuanced and less nap-inducing—about this busy ramen shop’s chintan broth, which draws flavor from slow-simmering beef and chicken bones along with swine. That’s not to say the menu’s five broth options run mild. Toasted garlic and soy lend a roasty richness to the soy-centric shoyu variety, while Japanese chili adds kick to the spicy miso version. Springy noodles imported from Japan mingle with bean sprouts, scallions, and ground pork, all delicately smoky from a quick sear in the wok. A meatless version might be the most robust of all: The vegetable soup, which gets the same whiff of fire from the wok, comes laden with Brussels sprouts, snow peas, carrots, and soy-braised shiitakes.
Cuisine: Japanese
Where you can find it: 705 Sixth St., NW; 202-589-1600
Also good: Barley-based mugi-miso ramen; extra toppings of soft-boiled egg and roast pork.
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
