Came here last night with two girlfriends, we had three different types of Ramen and the chicken Kara-Age. All fabulous and really good serving sizes. Will come back to try a few of the cocktails and other appetisers.
This last week has a seen a whirlwind of flat viewings as I embark on my next quest to relocate. Since my work is now out east, there’s not so much reason to stay in Westminster, plus I’m lazy and love a commute to work on foot. This evening saw me heading to Haggerston for a viewing, and I picked up a bowl of tonkotsu from Tonkotsu East along the way! Warm, rich broths with satisfying carbs in a hurry was the perfect accompaniment. No doubt I would later be having some disappointment when confronted with the realities of the London rental market.
Cool asian pop up at Proud on the canal. A major improvement on the food front now they have outsourced their kitchen. Gorgeous dumplings, so good that I had two servings. The are broths and other forms of dim sum from this Japan themed brand. Great to sit outside in the sun when the weather is good. Also the space next door has exhibitions and talks. Worth a regular visit if you live in the area.
Filipe Passos-Coelho
+4.5
Ramen is one of my favourite Asian dishes. I am a big fan of soups that have loads of ingredients in it, almost like there's not going to be enough broth for all of it. The noodles are made locally and they taste delicious, so we're off to a great start. I had one with pork and the meat was tasty and savoury. The pork belly bits are really enjoyable, I would potentially like them to be a little bit more on the crispy side (due to my Portuguese heritage). The ramen is balanced, and the broth is deep and packs loads of flavour. Naturally, I added some chilli sauce to kick it up one notch and it really hit the right spot. All in all, a simple meal with a lovely blend of ingredients. Wrap it up with a nice calm venue, it's perfect for a casual dinner with friends or a loved one.
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Tonkotsu East is tucked away at a side street just a few steps away from Haggerston Station and serves 4 different styles of ramen, though, you should definitely try out their Tsukemen.
I enjoyed the cozy and industrial rustic interior (like it is popular in East London), with a view directly into the kitchen as well as into their own little noodle factory. Emma and I kicked off the dinner with some cocktails and a serving of Chicken Karaage. A great combination! The chicken was so tender and juicy, so be aware when you share it, because there will be a fight over the last piece!
For the main, we ordered both Tonkotsu as well as Tsukemen. If you don't know, what Tsukemen is (I certainly didn't), it's a type of ramen where the noodles are served cold and separated from the rich and hot broth. It was the first time I had it (it's only served in Tonkotsu East!) and in the beginning I didn't really know what to do, so Emma had to explain: You simply dip some noodles in the hot broth and eat it straight away. The hot broth is more concentrated than the usual ramen broth and sticks to the noodles, when eating. So refreshing! Especially during Summer, when you crave some ramen but don't want to melt away. The Tonkotsu Ramen was also mouth-watering and typically creamy and rich. Comparing it to the one at Kanada Ya, it's less creamy, but just as delicious (because I know some people don't really like milky broth).
The great thing about the Tonkotsu Ramen Bar is the fact that they cater for people who like to share their food. When ordering the ramen we had the option of getting two full bowls or two half bowls for each dish. Perfect, when you want to try different styles and want to avoid the awkwardness of switching bowls mid-dinner.
We ended the dinner with some mochi ice cream, which were a little bit too frozen for my taste.
It's pretty easy to tell from my impressions that I will definitely pay Tonkotsu East a visit again, especially once it gets hotter and I'm craving some refreshing Tsukemen. Definitely recommended!
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Ever since I returned from Japan I have been constantly searching for the best ramen London has to offer. My journey lead me to Tonkotsu East one weekday evening, where me and my friend were seated straight away.
I was beyond elated to see tsukemen on the menu, a dish I have yet to see anywhere else outside of Japan. Naturally we ordered the Tonkotsu ramen, Tsukemen and a side of Karaage. The waiter was kind enough to offer us half and half of each - meaning we wouldn't have to switch bowls or haphazardly try to to pour some of our own dish into the others. The karaage was juicy, and literally left my mouth watering. The Tonkotsu ramen was creamy and is definitely in my top 3. Tonokotsu's tsukemen tasted exactly the same as my first ever bowl. The bowl that made me originally fall in love with the dish. The one I vividly remember ordering via a vending machine (it produced a token, which you then gave to the chef) in a dingy ramen restaurant in Akihabara. It really was an emotional moment for me - to taste something that held such strong memories. I wanted to profess my love for the chef right then and there!
I will be definitely go back to Tonokotsu East whenever my craving for tsukemen rears its head...or you know, if I'm in the area.
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Greatest Hangover Cure!. After heavy night out, what i really needed to get me back to form was a big bowl of ramen. Tonkotsu east by Haggerston station was a saving grace and a great addition to the area. Went with a friend and loved the space which is right under the overground rail line. Staff was friendly and attentive. Ordered the Chicken gyoza, Crabmeat Korokke and we both had the Tonkotsu ramen. The Crabmeat Korokke was great, like croquettes its served with delicious mayonaise. I could eat these for days. The Gyoza came out next but with no sauce, then i realized you had to make your own sauce from the table soya, vinegar and chili oil. This was nice as we like it hot and you can make it how you like. Finally the Ramen came out and tasted fantastic, pork was succulent and delicious, plenty of noodles, seasoned egg just melts in your mouth and an amazing rich tonkotsu broth. All in all the dinning experience was very good and i would definitely recommend Tonkotsu east. Also i notice there are signature dishes only available to certain location which i thought was a great idea. Next time i'll try more of them. Thanks for curing my hangover Tonkotsu East, see you probably next weekend. lol
It was amazing!. Food was amazing , very good service im check out all of the ramen restaurants in london and this is the best one even Tonkotsu in soho dosn't serve that good food maybe is about the chef's so if you like to eat a really great food just visit Tokotsu east.
Tonkotsu East is a spin off of Tonkotsu, the popular ramen joint on Dean Street in Soho, London. Situated on an alley of lock ups by Haggerston it is not the easiest to locate in the dark but it offers a bigger vibrant space over the Soho branch. There are a handful of ramen choices but I was only interested in the signature Tonkotsu on a chilly night. Served in a rich sea salt based pork stock the ramen noodles were bouncy and firm, just how I like them. The stock was rich and deep in flavour which made slurping the ramen even better. The accompaniments of pork belly, soft boiled egg, menma, beansprouts and spring onions added some additional interest but it was all about the ramen and stock. I also ordered salt and sansho pepper squid. Sansho pepper is a Japanese spice which is earthy and tangy with a hint of lemon. However the squid was a little oily which was maybe down to the oil not being hot enough, they were rather average. Its probably easier to get a table without wait
Went to tonkotsu on a rammed friday evening with attendances possibly boosted by an appearance on saturday kitchen. My mate had the highly rated tsukemen: comes with a separate broth in which to dip the noodles, especially thick and rich. Cool restaurant just next to haggerston overground - also has a branch in soho.
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Tucked under the railway arches, this is a busy little place. An open bar kitchen along one side is lined with bottles and bowls, steaming and spitting over the stoves, whilst the back of the restaurant makes a feature of their prized noodle machine. We were shown to a tiny table tucked away at the back and threw ourselves into ordering almost straight away.
Ramen was a given so we decided to share the Tokyo - pork and chicken stock with medium thick noodles, mirin and soy pork belly with the classic soft-boiled egg and menma (bamboo shoots). This came out last, thankfully, as we'd also decided to order some sides to tuck into first that meant we could catch up without splashing the broth all over ourselves (or myself, as it turned out). The noodles had a great firm bite and the pork belly was melt in the mouth good; the only gripe I'd have would be the broth itself. I eat a lot of Vietnamese pho which is packed full of flavours, herbs and spices and is a world ahead in terms of depth of flavour so I felt the broth here was a little lacking and underwhelming, but of course Japanese and Vietnamese cooking are very different from one another.
But broth aside, onto the rest: we chose the prawn gyoza first (which came out last) and loved the perfectly cooked dumplings that split open to reveal the really moreish filling that cried out for its soy accompaniment, then the crab korroke which is described as a Japanese version of a crab croquette (read: crabcake) with homemade tartar sauce. Nicely seasoned and with three huge balls, this was a perfect little serving. Next up, the yellow tail sashimi with jalapeno and yuzo ponzo sauce and I have to admit, this may be the best yellow tail I've had with the expertly thin slices and the bite from the accompanying pickled veg that added that little bit extra. Last up was the salt and sansho pepper squid (always one to order) with lightly fried proper squid (no shop bought rings here) in a tangy lemon batter that could have benefited from something to dip on the side but no great loss nevertheless.
Drinks were pints of kirin ichiban, naturally, and dessert was the creme brulee. Decidedly unJapanese but the note on the menu admits they're bored of green tea ice cream so I applaud them for not taking themselves too seriously at all and I do love a good creme brulee. Our waitress was really friendly and apologetic when explaining a bit of a kitchen backlog and the wait between dishes wasn't too onerous anyway so more than happy to concede to a popular kitchen. Would I be back? For the ramen, maybe not but for the sides, yes. Four out of five.
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For me, Tonkotsu East just revolutionised going out for ramen. For just 50p extra, you can split one bowl of ramen between two so that you can still go all out on sides. Because, let's be honest, half a bowl of ramen is delicious but about halfway through, you can get kind of bored.
So - the ramen itself. Noodles are stretched on site by day, you can watch the process through a window in the restaurant. The tea stained egg was perfect, medium boiled with a bright orange, slightly soft centre. And even with a half portion, you still get two generous slices of pork.
And onto the sides. We had pork gyoza, which, I was pleasantly surprised to find, were on the large side (I would happily just eat dumplings for the rest of my life). Wafer thin wrappers just about held onto their porky filling. Chicken kara-age was wonderfully moist Japanese style fried chicken. Not too greasy and lightly covered with crunchy panko breadcrumbs. Finally, we had yellow tail sashimi, so perfectly dressed there was no need to season with soy sauce.
Finally, I would recommend washing all of this down with a Kirin Ichiban on tap.
Also! Just a side note but they do this chilli oil which is totally out of this world. None of the food requires it, but all of it will welcome it. It's not too hot, but has a sort of smokey warmth to it. My friend took a jar home for her house, it's that good.
Here in Tonkotsu, they make their own noodles. There is a large machine in a room at the end of the restaurant with glass divider that is see through. If you come for early lunch, you will be able to see the noodles in the making where a man operates the machine and make sure the noodles come out the way they are suppose to be, silky smooth and bouncy.
We have tried the Tonkotsu, Tokyo Ramen, Chicken Karaage and Tsukumen.
Tonkotsu was I thought slightly too salty for my liking thought my dining companion liked it very much. The Tokyo Ramen was by far my favourite. It has soy sauce base broth, so it is lighter than its Tonkotsu counterpart that has richer and thicker broth. The egg is as usual, cooked to perfection. Chicken karaage was very crispy and tasty, I strongly recommend you try. Lastly, the tsukumen seems to be popular amongst my Japanese friends. They always get excited when they saw tsukumen on the menu. It was nice but not my favourite.
More photos and full review on my blog.
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When Tonkotsu East opened on (nearly) my doorstep in Haggerston, I knew it would be difficult not to make it a weekly habit to stop by. I've been a few times now and have been pleased with the consistency of good service and good food - something that often fades after the initial hype of newly-opened restaurants dies down.
But this certainly isn't the case at Tonkotsu East: their ramen noodles, handmade on the premises, are slightly wider and chewier in texture than other noodles I've tried but nevertheless cooked to al dente perfection. I've ordered the tsukemen ramen each time I've visited - a separate bowl of ramen that is meant to be dipped (not mixed!) into the rich bowl of broth served separately on the side. The result? Ramen heaven.
The gyozas are also not to be missed - easily the best I've had in London. The wafer-thin wrapper means that the delicate flavours of the filling shine through (a doughy, thick wrapper is a huge mistake often made in other restaurants). So very delicious.
Good broth and texture of noodles. A bit too much meat and egg was a bit over cooked for my taste.
I stumbled upon this place looking for a quick bite but I wish I had more time to sit and enjoy more food.
I only ordered the prawn gyozas which I fully regret; they were so beautiful I was tempted to try everything else on the menu! There were chilli prawn pieces, with a light chilli and lemongrass flavour and they were ever so slightly grilled.
The venue it's self is intimate and casual, perfect lighting for the mid summer evening catch ups.
I'd definitely head in there again and make sure I try more.
Gingle Lists Everything
+4.5
A jewel sits afloat a bath of porky-brothy goodness.
I am, of course, referring to the medium boiled egg, which Tonkotsu do so well. The perfect consistency for me, and such an amazing flavour.
This continues with the tonkotsu itself - a rich (but not overwhelmingly so) pork broth with mounds upon mounds of noodles hidden within and a generous amount of really well flavoured pork. I didn't manage to finish it all in fact, something I sorely regret. The beansprouts and spring onions garnish give it some welcome crunch. It's a beautiful dish.
And so is the venue itself - the opposite of the original Tonkotsu, this one is light and airy instead of deep and woody. It was a gorgeous space to be in.
They have only two choices of the ramen in their Eastside joint - mushroom miso or pork tonkotsu, but they have a whole host of starters. We tried their crab croquettes which tasted nice but were a bit too squidgy for me - gyoza or the tried and tested chicken kara'age next time I think!
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Finally, a place dedicated to ramen in East London! Now there is no need to go all the way into Soho for a quick bowl. If the past year was about testing the market for ramen the coming year will be about expansion beyond central London and Tonkotsu East is the first one of the few that are all based in Soho to take the step. This also means that ramen is here to stay.
I have been to Tonkotsu (the main branch) before and remember it as a tight space serving good ramen. Space is something that the Tonkotsu East branch has plenty of though, in one of the railway arches close to Haggerston Overground station. The ramen machine has been moved here as well from Soho and is standing proudly in the ‘showroom’.
Pumpkin Korokke - The pumpkin mash inside the balls was quite nice and straightforward. The tartar sauce definitely lifted the dish.
Salt & Sansho Pepper Squid - The fried squid is definitely one of the best ones I’ve had this year. The light touch of salt and Sansho pepper was simply delightful. The squid didn’t feel dry or over-fried either. Compared with Flesh & Bun’s fried squid this one has just about the right amount of salt and you won’t feel tired of eating it.
Now the main reason to come here, the ramen. Tonkotsu, the name of the restaurant, is a type of ramen using pork broth sometimes with some chicken stock added to it. Since this is what they’re known for I ordered a bowl of Tonkotsu. Like last time I was not disappointed. The thin noodles were firm but could be a bit more bouncy. The broth is rich and is from what I can remember better balanced compared to last time. The egg was well cooked with half runny yolk with the right amount of saltiness.
I think I still prefer Bone Daddies because of two reasons, more concentrated broth and bouncier noodles. Bone Daddies also offered two egg halves instead of one, but they were too salty compared with Tonkotsu East.
Today neither of us were hungry enough for dessert after food and beer. Of what we had I would say that Tonkotsu East serves some wonderful bowls of ramen which are worth a small trip for those living around Dalston/Haggerston/Shoreditch. It definitely raises the bar for food in the area and adds to the diversity. Thumbs up!
For full review and photos visit http://www.driftingepicure.com/2013/12/18/tonkotsu-east/
This is a nice casual lunch/dinner place for a standard ramen. Flavours were good, the presentation was lovely. But I wouldn't recommend the happy hour cocktails personally, they're very small and maybe not my style as I prefer sweet drinks. Service was excellent, with the server being attentive and kind.
Nice food, good atmosphere. I really like that the noodles are made fresh on site. A bit pricey though
Came here for my birthday and was not disappointed!
We started with a few cocktails which were really nice and strong! A lot of different tweeks on classic cocktails.
The food was delicious. The flavours were incredible and everything complimented each other nicely!
The chilli wings were some of the best we've tasted. The chicken was falling off the bone!
We also enjoyed watching the staff make the noodles in the back - really made the atmosphere.
We were served by Rodrigo and Masuma who were very attentive and friendly.
They even offered me a complimentary bottled of prosecco as it was my birthday. Greatly appreciated!
Thank you for looking after us and we will definitely be back!
First time here, really wanted to try as they make the noodles fresh. The atmosphere outdoors is nice, with heating & the service was wonderful, waitress was attentive and very kind!
The food was excellent, best ramen - great balance of flavours, good portion size and the presentation was beautiful!
Would definitely recommend to come again :) Thank you!
I am in love with the way they make ramen here, one of the best ramen I have ever had also fried chicken is amazing! Interesting interior too!
This was my first time here and I will most certainly be visiting again. The food was absolutely delicious and their lunch time deal is great value. The homemade noodles were perfect, not too hard or soft. The broth was full of flavour and the pork was super tasty and soft. I can’t wait to visit again. The staff were all super helpful and our food came at the speed of light.
great place for some lunch, enjoyed the food and seeing noodles being made in the back. they have vegan choices.
Had a great lunch here on a Saturday early afternoon. Friendly service, attentive service, efficient. Really tasty food. We had two different types of ramen, pork gyoza and a kids bento box. Prices are quite fair, portions were than ample. Nice ambiance overall. They provide crayons and paper with images for colouring in. I always appreciate when restaurants have drawing supplies for kids. We had a great experience and would happily return here for another meal.
Best ramen I have had in a while! Managed to amend my ramen slightly for a different broth. The plain ramen was a bit disappointing and needed a lot of extras to make it tasty but the chili pulled chicken was on point, would recommend!
Wonderful food & service! The broth, homemade noodles, and pork are delicious. I also really enjoyed the katsu prawn appetizer. My friends had the Tokyo bowl and the chili chicken bowl, and I had the tonkotso bowl. All were flavorful - the perfect end to a cold day. Highly recommend!
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