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After our college life with Cup Noodles and those crunchy squares of Top Ramen (which by the way we totally ate dry, sprinkled with that little silver packet when we were too lazy and drunk to cook them), our ramen obsession has become a full-on disorder, and we know we’re not alone. Philly has no Momofuku to speak of, so we send palate-about-town Collin Flatt on a mission to find them all. A hellish experience, to be sure. 

After breaking down each bowl by availability, price, style and ingredients, scores will be awarded on The Slurp Scale.

First up, Old School Iron Chef Morimoto and his Shoyu Ramen.

Morimoto has always been a great experience for me, but it’s hard to find dollar value dining here. Like Vetri, there’s so much pressure on both diner and chef alike for an ethereal experience because of the price tag. But the few meals I have had were nothing short of spectacular, and the man is a legend, an icon, and most importantly, a classicist of the highest order that respects tradition and quality.

When his new lunch menu was whispered about, the addition of a ramen bowl perked my ears and kicked my salivary glands into high gear. Let’s get at it.

Availability: Lunchtime! 11:30-2PM sounds like Ramen Hour to me. The concept of noodle soup should always be during midday, because it’s great for efficiency, convenience, and sustenance without the pretense of high-end presentation, complexity and challenge. Not to say that ramen can’t be beautiful, but it’s wheelhouse is not worrying about being the prettiest girl on the dance floor.

Price: $14. I could deal with this being a dollar or two cheaper, but when I saw the price tag alongside the restaurant’s name, I imagined being treated to a tiny cup.

Not so. As you can see above, it’s a large bowl teeming with lots of high quality ingredients. For every dish at Morimoto that is small and precious, this is the the big and slow older brother. Looks can be deceiving, though, as the experience is still doily-style delicate.

Style: Well, it’s called Shoyu ramen, but traditionally the Shoyu broth is brown and clear, a soy-based sodium attack. The milky white broth present in this version is about 50-50 rendered pork neck, known as Tonkotsu, which creates a hauntingly deep flavor, finished with a clear broth to keep the overall consistency very light and balanced.

Ingredients: Pork Belly! Yesssssssss. Pork belly has definitely bordered on the Overused Ingredient Of The Minute, but in a savory noodle soup, there’s no better choice. It’s rusticness and complex layers of salty and sweet fat marbling absorbs the best qualities of its aqueous home.

A soft-cooked egg is always a welcome sight, and no ramen bowl is complete without one. Morimoto’s soft egg was perfect, with only the tiniest amount of runniness and a yolk that seemed suspended in time between liquid and solid. Nori and pickled ginger round out the short cast of characters.

Overall Score: 4 Slurps (Out of 5)

This bowl straddles the line and styles of a few different traditional ramen offerings, but brings out the best in each. The value is very high and the portion is immense, in line with neighborhood Pho houses. All of the elements in this lunchtime masterpiece work together for the greater good of your goddamn tastebuds and are a paint-by-number illustration of balance.

The only thing keeping Morimoto from getting a perfect score is overcharging by $2 in a recession economy. That being said, I hope this becomes a stalwart addition to their midday menu, as I’ll be going back quite often.

– Collin Flatt

Morimoto, 723 Chestnut St.  (215) 413-9070