Tori Potage Ramen (鶏ポタラーメン THANK - Tori Potage Ramen THANK in Daimon)

Those of you who've been in Japan for awhile know that Japanese people are always into new trends. One Ramen trend that seems to be catching hold is Tori (chicken) Potage Ramen. Chicken is nothing new in Ramen. It is a standard ingredient in orthodox Shoyu or Shio Ramen bowls. Usually the broth is a clear golden color, kind of like Swanson's Chicken Broth

These days there seems to be a number of Ramen shops serving a thicker potage style broth. Potage is a French word referring to a mix of meat and vegetables boiled together to form a thick soup. This usually requires a longer cooking time to break down the bone marrow. The same theory applies to Tonkotsu soup, which is why the soup is cloudy.

There are two shops that have emerged as leaders in "Tori-Pota". Sasarindo in Setagaya and THANK in Daimon. Both shops opened in 2012 and have quickly carved out solid reputations. Today I checked out THANK.

The owner of THANK previously worked at the now closed Ramen Zero. Zero was famous as a "Mukacho" (無化調) shop, which means they use no artificial ingredients. THANK carries on this tradition and only uses top grade chicken cooked with five different vegetables (I tasted carrots and potatoes, but I've been known to be wrong). THANK uses shio tare which contains scallops, dried shiitake, and konbu dashi. You can choose from three different levels of soup thickness.

Standard toppings are nori, fresh menma, steam roasted chicken chasu, and chopped scallions. Half-boiled egg is extra. The noodles are thin like Tonkotsu noodles,  and are produced from 100% Hokkaido flour. You can choose how firm you want them to cook it. Extra noodles are available for 100 yen, or you can add rice (100-150 yen) and create a ramen risotto. THANK also has curry powder on the table, which you can add to your liking.

Overall, pretty tasty. It was a little hard to find, but the best places always are. Definitely a bowl I will recommend with confidence.

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