Gastronome

SLURP
500 Ala moana blvd.
Honolulu, HI
Phone number (808) 524-8466

With our offices at Waterfront Plaza, we are blessed to be surrounded by numerous dining establishments that offer a variety of food choices. But one thing that has been missing at the bustling lunchtime spot is a good ramen joint.

Thankfully, Slurp has “popped up” into the mix within the walls of Vino Italian Tapas & Wine Bar, offering patrons a variety of specialty and classic ramen mixes. Of course, the Metro staff had to stop in for a quick bite. While the menu is only a page long, it was still difficult to decide how we wanted to slurp. The Crab Ramen ($16.95) seemed almost too good to be true, and the Duck Ramen ($14.95) appeared to be an almost exotic choice for lunchtime fare.

Ramen enthusiasts can choose from classics such as shio, miso or tan tan, or from specialty combinations such as oxtail, crab or duck.

“Because we have Sansei and Vino and Hiroshi, instead of just ramen, we opened the door to more innovative (creations),” says executive chef Keith Endo.

The Tan Tan Ramen ($9.95) is one of the more popular bowls and showcases a savory sesame flavor that’s a refreshing experience for your taste buds. For those craving a more local-style dish, the oxtail ramen ($12.95) is the way to go. Aside from featuring wonderful cuts of oxtail, this bowl also hosts a good amount of mustard cabbage and cilantro.

No matter the bowl, it’s always the glorious pairing of broth (which takes two days to make) and noodles that’s essential to every good bowl of ramen. The marriage is all thanks to Slurp’s partnership with Sun Noodle. Endo spent nearly four months perfecting the savory broth, made with roasted pork bones and chicken with additions of red and white miso, among other delicious ingredients.

“The guy from Sun Noodle came down to taste the broth, and he recommended we use (a specific kind of) noodles,” he says. The Hakata-style noodles Endo speaks of are skinny but very resilient, which make for a wonderful dining experience.

Also on the menu are appetizers like gyoza ($2.95/three, $5.45/six) and ramen additions such as a 7-minute egg ($1.25) A hot bowl of ramen goes well with ice-cold water. But let’s get real. Slurp’s lilikoi, lychee and mango sodas are to die for, and the ume seltzer is something that should be labeled as a “must try.” And yes, you can request a strawberry-ume seltzer mix. It’s a thing.

“We also just started doing take out,” adds Endo. While there’s no inkling of Slurp closing its delicious doors any time soon, it wouldn’t hurt to stop in ASAP and taste and see what all the fuss is about.

Slurp is open Monday to Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call 524-8466 for more info.