New ramen bar to offer free food in March

A ramen specialist has announced the opening of their first restaurant in Wales this spring and are offering free ramen to celebrate.

Located in the heart of Cardiff city centre on the High Street, Tonkotsu will bring its signature bowls of homemade ramen, gyoza, and chicken kara-age to the city.

To celebrate the opening of their first Welsh restaurant, Tonkotsu are offering a free ramen to any customer who signs up to their Kurabu (Japanese for “club”) before March 15.

First launched in Soho in 2012 by co-founders Ken Yamada and Emma Reynolds, who still run the business together, Tonkotsu was at the forefront of the UK’s ramen craze.

Emma says: “We can’t wait to open our doors in Cardiff, the countdown is on! We’re looking forward to welcoming in the locals and what better way to celebrate than with some free ramen.”

As with all Tonkotsu’s restaurants, the heart and soul of their Cardiff restaurant will be its comforting bowls of ramen. Each bowl is made with Tonkotsu’s fresh noodles crafted daily using mid-century noodle machines imported from Tokyo.

The noodles are then cooked to order for precisely 32 seconds in boiling water for a medium bite. All Tonkotsu’s bone broths are handmade over a two-day cooking process for maximum flavour.

The menu at Cardiff will feature the group’s signature Tonkotsu ramen – a creamy pork bone-broth enriched with lardo, with thin-cut noodles and topped with roast pork belly, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, spring onions, burnt garlic oil and a seasoned free-range egg.

Other favourites include the Chilli Chicken Ramen – a chicken and sea salt broth with Tonkotsu’s Eat the Bits Chili Oil – and the vegan Mushroom Miso ramen. All ramen can be customised with extra toppings such as kimchi or the spicy scotch bonnet ‘hot shot’.

Tonkotsu Cardiff will also be serving up freshly steamed classic pork, ginger, and garlic, as well as shiitake and bamboo shoot, and king prawn Gyoza. Other standout starters include Tonkotsu’s crisp fried chicken kara-age, Eat the Bits chilli chicken wings and the vegan-friendly cauliflower ‘wings’.

Like its sister restaurants, Tonkotsu Cardiff will offer a range of smaller-sized ramen to give customers more choice of (portion sizes and) price point. The smaller size, of which a limited range has always been available as part of the lunch deal, has now been expanded to include all ramen on the menu and is available throughout the day and evening.

The drinks menu includes original sake made for Tonkotsu by the Tsuji Brewery in Okayama, an exclusive beer Mikan Shimoda Pale Ale made in collaboration with Thornbridge and Tonkotsu’s own small-batch gin.

The drinks line up is completed by a selection of Japanese whiskies, wines, and cocktails, plus low-alcohol options, soft drinks, and teas.

The team at Tonkotsu are working with Cardiff-based illustrator Suzanne Carpenter to create a largescale mural inside the restaurant. You can find her on Instagram at @illustrator_eye.

As well as plenty of space to dine-in, Tonkotsu will also be available for delivery and for takeaway via its own Click and Collect service.

The free ramen vouchers will be sent out after the restaurant opens. Visit the Tonkotsu website to sign up: www.tonkotsu.co.uk.