Ramen is a wild craze in Montreal, with new ramen spots opening up all the time. We definitely aren’t complaining, as we love this hot and hearty soup. With the weather getting colder and colder, it’s the perfect meal to warm you up. Not only does it give you that happy full feeling inside, but it also tastes absolutely delicious and full of flavour. The most recent addition to the ramen craze is Tsukuyomi in the Mile End.
Before we talk about the ramen, let’s talk about their appetizers. Like most ramen spots, Tsukuyomi offers appetizers to complement your ramen meal at an amazing price. You won’t break the bank, even if you decide to try all of them! A fan favourite, the edamame beans are a staple. Served with the perfect amount of salt, these are a healthy snack to munch on while waiting for your ramen.
If you’re more adventurous, definitely try the Takowasa, wasabi flavoured octopus served with spinach and nori seaweed. Be warned, you really have to like wasabi to enjoy this dish, because the wasabi flavour hits you in the nose. To eat this dish, grab a piece of nori, add some spinach, and add the wasabi octopus to make a little wrap. Warning #2, don’t put too much wasabi octopus! It’s quite spicy so you don’t need too much to get a good amount of flavour.
A great little surprise dish is the goma-ae, which is boiled spinach with a sesame paste sauce. The sesame flavour is very prominent and pairs beautifully with the cooked spinach. We would have liked a few extra servings of this dish!
Finally, the mini chasu-don dish is great. It’s a cross between a bibimbap and a poke but made with braised pork on a bed of rice. Served with a miso boiled egg, green onions, and ginger, this dish is hearty and perfect for cold weather. Tsukuyomi should consider serving it in a bigger portion as a main meal!
Now for the ramen. What you’ve all been waiting for. Tsukuyomi makes their own tonkotsu broth in-house. This particular tonkotsu broth is made by boiling pork leg bones and back bones for 12 hours. The lengthy boiling is necessary in order to break down the fat, marrow, calcium, and minerals to develop that milky white broth we know and love.
Tsukuyomi specializes in tonkotsu broth and has 3 options for protein add-ons: the traditional pork (or chasu), braised chicken, or veggies and tofu. All are served in the pork-based tonkotsu broth. There is a vegan broth option available, however, made with shiitake mushrooms and kombu.
Something that makes Tsukuyomi stand apart from the rest is their noodle selection. They offer the traditional thin noodles but they also offer thick-cut noodles, something you won’t find in every ramen spot. The thick-cut noodles are something special, definitely a must-try for the ramen lovers out there!
For something sweet, try their kocha milk tea during or after your meal. It’s a cold black tea with milk that is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.
For your ramen needs in the Mile End, look no further than Tsukuyomi! You won’t be disappointed.
5207 boul. St-Laurent, Montréal, QC H2T 1S4
(514) 273-8886
Photos by Dahlia Merlo (@dahllii) and Tsukuyomi.
