Tsurumen Davis — Restaurant in Somerville

I've been eating at Tsurumen for the past 2.5 years. Their ramen bowls are works of art. I frequently dislike ramen broths that are too porky, so I really like that all of Tsurumen's broths are chicken based. My favorite has to be Formula 1995 which was a shoyu based broth with chicken shiitake wontons. The wonton skins were thin and the broth was so delicious. I've also tried the spicy paitan, a Sakura shio special, the Formula 2005 (clams), the shio shiso wonton ramen, and the spicy miso beef ramen. I'm not a huge fan of chashu in general so I really like it when they have a special topping like wontons on the ramen, and I swap out the chashu for an onsen egg.

My only complaint would be that the ramens are quite pricy (the ones I like are usually $22-26), so I only have them on special occasions. It is tax and tip included though, so it's not that much steeper than other Boston restaurants. Compared to its nearby fellow ramen shop Yume Wo Katare, the price is higher and the portions are smaller, but I would say that the two shops serve very different bowls of ramen.

During the beginning months of the pandemic, Tsurumen had an amazing ramen burrito menu item (Makitate) for $10. I'm really sad that they stopped selling it because its price made it something I would be willing to eat at least once a week. We've made copycat versions at home which have been pretty delicious, but I still dream of the day when Tsurumen brings...

I’ve been going there since the beginning of 2023 and it’s a must. The noodles are fresh and always cooked to perfection. Also. I think they changed the format/recipe of the noodles slightly recently as you can see in the first picture compared to the others, but it is still really good! I liked the thicker noodles tho. About the chashu pork… it is the best i’ve ever had, very soft and flavorful. The broth is impeccable. I’ve tasted the Spicy paitan (2024), Classic (both in 2023 and 2024), Yuzu (2023-4?) and their curry and duck specials (2023). My favorite will always the curry one. The broth was soooo rich and thick. In matters of taste, you can never go wrong with this place.

Additionally, the venue is small and you often have to wait a bit over weekends or when they launch specials due to the limitation of the space. It is very cozy regardless and they offer water, chopsticks, forks, soup spoons, and some seasonings in a self-service spot in the back of the dining area. You can also eat by the counter, which i’ve done many times when I was alone and you can see the food being done there too. The staff is lovely and the service is fast. If you like your ramen with a drink, they have a matcha soda which I...

After coming back from Texas, I needed a bowl of ramen so I took my kid and went to my go-to spot, Tsuramen. Tsuramen is the best bowl of Ramen you will find around Boston. I've been coming here for years, and it's always consistently delicious. If I lived closer, I would eat here once a week.

I ordered my usual, Spicy Paitan with an Onsen egg, and ordered the Shio Classic with toppings on the side for my kid.

The Spicy Paitan had a nice creamy texture, and layered depths of flavor. The balance of salt was just right, and the spice level didn't overwhelm the broth. The noodles were bouncy with a nice chew as usual. The Char siu was thinly sliced and was really tender after soaking in the broth for a minute.

The Shio Classic has a nice clear Chicken Broth but it was very flavorful. My son couldn't stop drinking the soup! I also appreciated the staff separating the toppings for him.

Tsuramen's interior space is nice and simple with a few tables, and a counter space where you can watch the chef craft your ramen. The staff was great! They were friendly, and accommodating.

There are some decent spots to eat Ramen that are closer to me, but I feel that it is always worth the drive...