ippudo V’s ramen doesn't miss the meat
How the restaurant is setting the standard for vegan ramen.
Before I jump into today’s issue, I wanted to share some resources on how you can help people that are affected by the fires in Los Angeles. My friend
is collecting donations via venmo and buying/delivering much needed supplies. You can find her @chloe-walsh-3 (her picture is just a blue circle). and put together this extensive list of additional places to donate, how to volunteer if you’re local, and more. Here is another list from the LA Times. And if you’re in New York, Archestratus Books is hosting a bake sale on January 25th. Here’s the link to sign up to bake and the sale starts at 10am on the 25th.IPPUDO is a Tokyo-based ramen chain that is known for their pork-based tonkotsu broth. In 2008, they opened their first US location in New York’s East Village and have since expanded across the globe. This past fall, they opened their first vegan restaurant in Brooklyn’s DUMBO neighborhood, and the menu focuses on blending Japanese techniques with seasonal, plant-based ingredients.
I’ve long been a fan of Ippudo so I was pleased to learn that their newest location was going in the same building where I work. But I, like many non-vegan ramen lovers, was a little skeptical that plant-based ramen could be as good as their famous tonkotsu bowl. Recently, the team invited me out to dinner and frankly, I was impressed at how good the ramen was. We tried two soups and a few appetizers and all were delicious, but the “PLA-TON | Tonkotsu” broth was the real star. The broth magically achieved the same deeply rich and cloudy broth of a pork-based bowl, and side-by-side, I’d be hard-pressed to tell them apart.
As if the cold wasn’t a great excuse to get ramen, if you stop in to ippudo V in January, they’re offering a free ramen topping if you order the Pla-Ton ramen. So readers in New York City, it’s time to take a trip to DUMBO!
The Ippudo team is busy working on a few projects, so they answered a few questions about the concept, building flavors with vegan ingredients, and more via email.
Can you tell me a bit more about Ippudo’s decision to open in the US?
IPPUDO is an authentic ramen brand hailing from Fukuoka, Japan—the birthplace of tonkotsu ramen. In 2008, we made a bold move by opening our first overseas branch in Manhattan, New York. By successfully demonstrating that authentic Japanese ramen could thrive in the "center of the world," IPPUDO played a significant role in popularizing this culinary tradition in the U.S. Since then, we've extended our reach to California, opening restaurants in San Francisco, Berkeley, and Los Angeles. Today, we operate more than 300 stores in 15 countries and regions.
After nearly two decades expanding across the US, why did a vegan restaurant seem like a logical next move?
The brand motto of IPPUDO is “To continuously innovate while staying true to our roots.” This motto has guided us in meeting customer expectations, maintaining authentic Japanese cuisine, and pioneering the ramen industry. Choosing vegan and choosing Brooklyn for our new restaurant marks another change – a fresh start after 16 years, pushing boundaries and celebrating the future of ramen.
Ippudo is known for their tonkotsu broth, how do you build similar flavors using vegan ingredients?
As you mentioned, IPPUDO is a renowned Japanese ramen chain celebrated for its authentic Hakata-style tonkotsu ramen. "ippudo V" is our plant-based concept, created to deliver the same authentic ramen experience, but with a stronger focus on health and nutrition. ippudo V has applied IPPUDO’s broth extraction process to plant-based ingredients, resulting in a dashi and umami base comparable to animal-based soups. The flavors derived from our vegan ingredients are not only rich and satisfying but also offer a truly exceptional taste that stands on its own, showcasing that plant-based options can be just as flavorful as their animal-based counterparts.
There are a number of plant-based broths at your other Ippudo locations and there seems to be an overlap with ippudo V. How do you differentiate between them?
At ippudo V, we prioritize locally and organically sourced ingredients, ensuring that our plant-based broth extraction process is as fresh as it gets. By thoughtfully selecting the finest ingredients, we strive to push the boundaries of the ramen experience, promote mindful eating, and champion sustainability. At ippudo V, our egg-free vegan noodles, rich in protein and fiber, are designed to perfectly complement our plant-based broth. The harmonious combination of these ingredients enhances the depth of the broth, highlighting its vegan nature while adding an extra layer of nutrition and flavor.
Do you hope to open more vegan restaurants? How do you hope vegan ramen changes consumer tastes?
To remain true to our motto is to continuously evolve and push the boundaries while remaining true to our authentic Japanese roots and techniques. It also means that opening more vegan restaurants is definitely within the realm of possibilities for IPPUDO’s exciting future. At IPPUDO, we see plant-based cuisine not as a constraint but as an opportunity to explore unexpected combinations; tradition meets innovation, Japan meets the West, healthy ingredients meet savory flavors. By incorporating locally sourced produce with Japanese culinary techniques, we aim to continue the work we began in 2008 in helping to redefine classic Japanese comfort foods such as ramen, and now sushi rolls, and gyoza. Our hope is that consumers will begin to see ramen not only as a comforting dish but as a nutritious option that balances both comfort and well-being.
wondering where in LA is IppueoV's? thank you for posting where to donate.