This comes from our 2017 Cheap Eats list, our guide to inexpensive ethnic dining in the region.
Shio
Ren’s Ramen nails its salt-accented Sapporo-style broth with the perfect proportion of umami to pork. 11403 Amherst Ave., Silver Spring; 301-933-3725.
Shoyu
Soy-sauce-scented ramens can taste one-note, but Haikan’s bowl is multilayered and nicely balanced, thanks to the chintan, a stock made from chicken, pork, and beef. 805 V St., NW; 202-299-1000.
Tonkotsu
The richness of Hanabi’s broth induces extreme porcine pleasure and can be ordered with extra pork—not that it needs it. 3024 Wilson Blvd., Arlington; no phone.
Vegetarian
Dear Momofuku CCDC, your hozon ramen, with its fermented chickpea base and fried-chickpea toppers—not to mention the springiest noodles in town—is absolutely killer. 1090 I St., NW; 202-602-1832.
Nontraditional
Sacrilegious as it sounds, the Monterey Jack that melts into the DC miso bowl at Sakuramen makes a perfect pairing with pork belly. 2441 18th St., NW; 202-656-5285.
This article appears in the July 2017 issue of Washingtonian.
Kristen Hinman has been editing Washingtonian’s features since 2014. She joined the magazine after editing politics & policy coverage for Bloomberg Businessweek and working as a staff writer for Voice Media Group/Riverfront Times.
