Dining Pick of the Week: Shoku Ramen-ya

Shoku Ramen-ya

470 E. Windmill Lane, Suite 110, 702-897-0978

There’s a hidden restaurant inside the Henderson location of Bachi Burger: Shoku Ramen-ya. This isn’t the ramen noodles you probably lived off of in college — real ramen is delicate and refined, the broth taking hours, if not days, to prepare. Ramen dishes range from $9 to $11. Five Spice is more sweet then spicy, highlighted by braised free-range chicken and tender bok choy. The tonkotsu has a blend of flavors: chashu (pork), kikurage (mushrooms so tender they melt in your mouth), menma (fermented bamboo shoots), ni tamago (soft-boiled egg) and mayu (black garlic oil). The vegetarian miso is traditional with thinly sliced seaweed and tofu, the fermented soybean broth mixing with kikurage, menma and green onions. The Spicy Miso, featuring chashu, gives a splash of spice without being overpowering, with fried garlic and mayu mixed in. The tantanmen felt like a full meal, with XO sauce complementing the chashu. Rice bowls ($7 to $8) feature kakuni (braised pork belly), tontoro (fatty pork) and natto (soybeans fermented with bacillus). Appetizers include gyoza, pork fried or vegetable dumplings ($6.50); sauteed Brussels sprouts with smoked bacon and sweet soy glaze ($7); takoyaki, an octopus pancake, ($8); bacon takana fried rice with pickled mustard green, garlic and fried egg ($8.50); and calamari, fried squid with fresh herbs, fried garlic, grilled lemon and tomato ($12). Shoku Ramen-ya is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday and Monday, 11 a.m. to midnight, Tuesday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information, visit shokuramenya.com.