Tucked into the lane opposite The Weave on Wuxing Lu, you’ll find Yatai Ramen (南波碗屋台拉面), a permanent ramen stall that feels like it was plucked from a Fukuoka curbside and dropped right into Shanghai.
About Yatai Ramen
The narrow alley it occupies contains a handful of other Japanese ventures: a casual nabe-ya (nabemono and other stew dishes), a gelato shop, and a soon-to-open restaurant promising a creative Japanese-Taiwanese-French menu. All share backing from the team behind burger place Grinder over at Mix320.
The ramen operation is built around a proper yatai, iconic wooden street carts with counter seating. Should you prefer not to squeeze alongside strangers, there is additional seating along the lane.
Behind the bowls is Tsukasa Higashi, a Japanese chef who approaches ramen with a creative spirit rather than a classically trained ramen master. This is his first attempt at a ramen-centric joint. As such, his broths are a mix of both worlds — traditional and divergent.
On The Menu
The Er-Lang Ramen (¥58) is one of the more classic bowls. It’s a tonkotsu pork bone-based broth served with thick egg noodles, a heap of bean sprouts, a soft egg, and extra thick-cut chashu. The broth is deeply flavorful, it’s richness hovering at a medium so as not to overwhelm. My favorite ramen on the menu.
There is the Butter Miso Corn Pork Bone Ramen (¥48), a style native to Hokkaido. It arrives with grilled corn that’s been glossed with butter, and possibly, an extra dose of butter within the broth. The result is a distinctly buttery broth, surprisingly rounded rather than greasy.
The menu offers other variations, including a tonkotsu blended with seafood stock and a few localized varieties of noodles like the Shanghai Spicy Pork Noodles (¥46).
The Shanghai Spicy Pork is their take on dan dan man. It features cubes of spicy braised pork, bamboo shoots, egg, bean sprouts, and an unexpected topping, sesame seaweed. The heat is mild, while the seaweed contributes a roasty, umami depth, an unusual but welcome twist.
For something a little more different, there’s the Shanghai Spicy Pork Bean Curd Noodles (¥52), which incorporates soy milk into a tonkotsu base, topped with shaved parmesan. It’s creamy and substantial, though less intense than the Er-Lang; the soy milk thickens the broth but reduces its richness.
A short list of kushiage (fried skewers) are available as snacks, starting at ¥6 a stick. The mixed platter (¥42) includes one stick each of mushroom, lotus root, eggplant, chicken, pork belly, and beef. And for drinks, there’s Sapporo draft at ¥28 a glass as well as other bottled drinks.
I wouldn’t say its “the best” ramen shop in Shanghai, but it has its merits, see: Er-Lang Ramen. New broths and noodle varieties to be added regularly. Only open during evenings, the cozy space also has a unique charm unlike any other downtown ramen spots. Good spot to have a feed and then stay for a drink.
P/S: Gelato Nishiogi, also in the lane, is worth stopping into. The matcha-pistachio and tofu white tea jasmine were pretty good.
Yatai Ramen 南波碗屋台拉面
Click here to view the listing.
