The very first ramen spot in the world to garner a Michelin star, Tsuta, opened its first-ever location in the U.S. on Friday, right off the Brooklyn Bridge in Dumbo.
“It took us over a year to find the perfect location,” said Alan Lo, co-owner of the restaurant. “We look at the Rockefeller Center, Soho, Hell’s Kitchen, St. Marks Place and all over the Lower East Side, but we figured there is no better place than Dumbo to reach both New Yorkers and tourists from all over the world, including Japan.”
The menu has five different types of ramen including two signature truffle ramens from the original Tsuta location in Tokyo. As a Brooklyn exclusive, the restaurant added a vegetarian miso ramen made with okra, leeks, and lotus.
“Our secret ingredient is in our broth” said Makiko Takanashi, also a co-owner of the Dumbo spot. “Every kind of ramen has a secret in the broth.”
The owner’s recommendation, apart from the main dish, is the Japanese edamame. The menu also has gyozas, karaage fried chicken and Kurobuta pork dishes.
All of Tsuta’s ingredients are natural and sourced from different parts of the world including Japanese chicken, Iberico pork from Spain and local clams. Owners are also looking to partner with local beer and sake breweries to supply them with booze. In the meantime, they’re serving up Kizakura’s Japanese-style IPA.
“We looked for the right ingredients for six months,” said Lo. “We didn’t want to cut any corners.”
The first Tsuta opened in Tokyo in 2012 with only nine seats. Three years later, it was added to the Michelin guide — and received the honor for three consecutive years. The shop scored high on each criteria used to judge restaurants.
Today, there are eight other locations around the world — including Japan, Bangkok, Singapore and now, 22 Old Fulton St.
“I love Brooklyn,” said Takanashi. “Our place is a short walk from the ferry, right off the bridge on a beautiful historical street. When I felt the vibe of this place, I liked it.”
