Hiroshi Hiraoka, one of the most respected ramen chefs in Japan and the chef-owner behind Sapporo’s Japanese Ramen Noodle Lab Q, is heading to New York City this month for a series of limited-time pop-ups at two Manhattan restaurants. The events will bring his refined “tanrei” style ramen, rarely experienced outside Japan, to diners at Towa in Flatiron and nonono in NoMad.
If you’re more familiar with the rich, porky bowls typical of tonkotsu ramen, tanrei is a different beast entirely. The style is defined by a crystal-clear broth and delicate balance of flavor rather than heavy richness. Hiraoka’s version is constructed with premium ingredients like Hokkaido pork bones, jidori chicken and kombu, plus special soy sauces and house-developed noodles.
First up is an elegant collaboration at Towa, where Hiraoka will join chef Masaya Shirai for a special “ramen-kaiseki” tasting menu running March 21–22 and March 28–29. The multi-course experience will feature two different types of Hiraoka’s signature ramen (one warm and one chilled) woven into the progression of dishes. Prices are $125 per person at the sushi counter and $75 in the dining room.
Photograph: Courtesy of Japanese Ramen Noodle Lab Q
The visiting chef’s resume explains the excitement. Hiraoka founded Japanese Ramen Noodle Lab Q in Sapporo in 2014 and it quickly became one of Japan’s most revered ramen destinations. His work has earned national recognition, including a win on TV Tokyo’s World Ramen No.1 Championship, a feature on the documentary series Jōnetsu Tairiku and a place on Tabelog’s Top 100 Ramen Restaurants list for eight consecutive years.
After the Towa collaboration wraps up, Hiraoka will continue his New York visit at nonono, Hand Hospitality’s yakitori and ramen izakaya. From March 30 through April 4, guests can order his ramen a la carte during lunch and dinner service. The pop-up is also part of a bigger transition for nonono, as Hiraoka is working with the team on a refreshed ramen program that relies on the chicken-based broths. The dishes developed during the collaboration will remain on the menu after the chef returns to Japan.
Basically, if you miss the pop-up, you’ll still get a taste of what he started—but the chance to try ramen from one of Japan’s most acclaimed masters while he’s actually in the kitchen is a much rarer opportunity.