When I arrived at Shoryu I was not the happiest bunny: on the walk to the tube I was caught in the biggest downpour I think London has had for quite some time. I sprinted to the tube, but when I got there I had water pouring off my face, my glasses were making me blind (not what glasses are meant to do), my hair needed wringing out... I was doing a pretty good impression of a drowned rat. When L arrived everything was okay again - I hadn't seen her smiley face for far too long, a good distraction from my rat-like appearance.
Cocktails were ordered, and then we noticed that it was 2 for 1 hirata buns. Because it was a Monday. Hoorah! This is the most exciting thing that has happened in my life all week. And then it was even more exciting because we could mix and match with flavours. Wahoo. One prawn tempura and one pork belly please. Mondays are the new Friday.
The ramen menu is somewhat overwhelming. We both went for the traditional one with a slight twist. I had to pick one with miso in, for obvious reasons, Livvie went for one with a little extra spice.
Bowls of steaming noodles, swimming in a rich, spiced, filling broth. The noodles were slurpable without being greasy and mushy, the pork was rich and soft and not chewy. It was hard to concentrate on talking and eating at the same time: there were many spluttered sentences, vigorous head nods and eye-moving communication skills as a result of a mouthful of noodles removing our ability to speak.
Spoonfuls of ramen were broken up with the most amazing hirata buns. I'll never be able to appreciate those hirata buns I used to eat as much any more. And I eat quite a lot of hirata buns. These are so fluffy and shiny they look fake: the light bounces off them as if would a plastic hamburger toy. You bite into it and it falls apart. It's what I imagine eating a cloud would be like, only this cloud is filled with sauces and perfectly cooked flesh and lightly pickled vegetables and, well, and, oh my - they're rather overwhelming.
Needless to say B was rather jealous when I recounted this meal, and so I will be going back soon. Probably next week. Especially as they are now doing wagyu beef hirata buns. Maybe I'll be back tomorrow - I'm not sure I can wait any longer.
Shoryu, 3 Denman Street, London, W1D 7HA
