Adventures in Noodliciousness: Zundo Ramen & Donburi

Like many people who had sustained themselves in their teens and twenties largely on the cheapest, technically-edible objects two coins could buy, I remember well my days filled with ramen noodles. Those versatile, delicious fried bricks boiling in water evoke many a memory.

To eat "true" ramen noodles in an authentic setting is quite a different experience from the ones we Americans remember, and it's the goal of local noodle shops like Over-the-Rhine's Zundo that hope to instill in its patrons a newer, fonder set of memories for Japan's signature, misrepresented foodstuff.

Zundo Ramen and Donburi is a new noodlicious restaurant just west of Washington Park, next to Queen City Radio. Its owner is Han Lin, the same chef who runs the acclaimed Mei Japanese restaurant in Montgomery. Not surprisingly, Mei's ramen bowls are strikingly similar to Zundo's.

There are four primary ramen variants offered: Tonkotsu ramen, with slices of roast pork in a thick pork broth and topped with a soft-boiled egg and green onions; the miso ramen in a miso paste pork broth, pork, egg and onion; the spicy ramen in an electric-red soybean paste pork broth with pork, egg and green onion; and a veggie ramen bowl, with veggie broth, bamboo shoots, lotus root slices and green onions.

Zundo also offers eight impressive rice bowls, called Donburi. Each includes a protein like eel, chicken, beef or pork cutlets. There are also two curry-infused udon noodle dishes.

We stopped by a couple times over the last month, just as another of Cincinnati's hot summers began winding down. The space's long, shotgun style arrangement is common in Over-the-Rhine eateries: a prominent, full bar and open kitchen greet patrons in the front of the house with an ample dining room in the rear.

There are a dozen appetizers on the menu, including a broiled Japanese pork sausage called, Korobuto, as well more familiar fare like edamame, gyoza and shrimp shumai.

We started off with the gyoza pork dumplings and shumai during our visits ($7 each), followed by entrees of spicy miso ramen ($13), tonkotsu ramen ($13) and katsu curry rice ($15). I also ordered a mixed drink called, "Karoshi," ($11) which was their take on an Old Fashioned, with fresh cherries and sake.

Gyoza

Shrimp shumai

The gyoza pork dumplings were easily among the best we've tasted: toasty and herbaceous, good pork flavor and a texture far removed from that "mystery meat" ball you often get in similar preparations.

Our shrimp shumai were solid, but unremarkable compared to any other shumai we've enjoyed at other restaurants. The shrimp was mild and the supplied dab of hot mustard was welcomed. We didn't like that both appetizers arrived in odd numbers (5 and 3, respectively), which meant we had to carefully split the odd remaining item using chopsticks.

Spicy miso ramen

Spicy miso ramen noodles

My girlfriend enjoyed her bowl of spicy miso ramen, so much so that it was her choice on our second visit. It featured a cauldron of hellfire-red bean paste with a delicious marinated, soft boiled egg and slices of pork. She wasn't fond of the tall, top-heavy soup bowl, which seemed to want to tip over a couple times as she moved it.

The tonkotsu ramen sported a delightfully rich, unctuous pork broth and generous hunks of roasted pork belly and that same marinated, soft boiled egg. My katsu curry udon on our second visit was a pleasingly heavy but mild curry sauce over thick wheat udon noodles, topped with a sliced cutlet of crispy, breaded pork. It also came with a cup of hot miso soup, the perfect answer to a chilly autumn evening.

Tonkotsu ramen

Katsu curry udon

We both got a kick out of the ridiculously oversized, wooden spoons that come with the noodle bowls. But silly as they looked, they proved to be quite remarkably effective at allowing us to scoop up and slurp any remaining broth.

The only downside of either evening was my mixed drink, which was unfortunately full of ice and lacked much alcohol or flavor. For $11, I expected a stronger and more thoughtfully prepared cocktail.

Huge soup spoon!

We also weren't especially thrilled by Zundo's cheapy wooden chopsticks. The chopsticks have a very short profile and a sticky sensation that make them seem out of place for such a trendy place.

Zundo succeeds in redefining for Americans the true meaning of the word, "ramen." Its dishes are hearty, satisfying and quite unlike the stuff you made for yourself on your hot pot in college.