Sunday 25 November 2012

Rock 'N' Roll Ramen @ Bone Daddies

It'd be fair to say my first impressions of Bone Daddies weren't great. The background music had become foreground music, and was being played at a volume usually only heard when the CIA are trying to force a Latin American dictator to surrender. If anything my predicament was worse than General Noriega's, as the playlist was largely cock rock. This, to someone who's more Stone Roses than Guns 'N' Roses, felt like hell on earth.


The thing about music, though, is that it's even more divisive than food. I had some twitter exchanges with @BoneDaddiesRBar about his choice of tunes. We agreed to disagree, and it was left with an invite to me to say hi the next time I popped in so that he could outline what he wanted to do with Bone Daddies, and how the music fitted in with his vision. More on that later, as this is a food blog, not a music blog!


The food was mercifully better than the music. On my first visit I just had to order the tonkotsu ramen (£11) that I pimped up with a fat pipette and some nori. I was impressed. The toppings of chashu pork, menma, beansprouts, fried garlic and egg were good quality and, compared to its rivals, also generous of portion. However, the broth wasn't quite there for a tonkotsu although the pipette of fat gave it extra porkiness. And in my opinion, it could've done with a lot more broth. I also checked out the fried chicken (£5). This also showed promise, but it needed some Kewpie mayo on the side. (Memo to all Japanese places in London, serve your kara-age fried chicken with Kewpie mayo on the side, please!)


I returned later that week for a second visit. This time it was for lunch, so thankfully the music wasn't quite as loud. Moreover, there were a few tunes from The Clash and The Doors, which was more agreeable to my picky discerning ears. Onto the food, and I wanted to explore the menu a bit more so I went for the T22 ramen (£9) with a side of Yellowtail sashimi (£9). The latter was top quality, and I'm glad they went with a superior fish for their sashimi offering rather than boring old salmon. I also enjoyed the flavoursome chicken broth-based T22 soy ramen with its strands of moist pulled chicken. But what really made this dish was the topping of cock scratchings that gave it that extra filth factor. After all, what's not to love about bits of fried chicken skin!


After the meal, I asked to say hi to @BoneDaddiesRBar, who turned to be Ross Shonhan, the guy behind Bone Daddies. We carried on our chat about music, and he explained how the music is an important part of what Bone Daddies is all about. To that end, he'd put together a playlist of 'classic rock' with no tunes from after 1992. Regarding the playlist, I think there could be a bit more flexibility (i.e. he really ought to slap on bands I like on there) but at the end of the day, it's his gaff, not mine.

After chatting about the music, we moved on to a more important matter: the food. By his own admission, Ross wasn't too happy with some of the early versions of the tonkotsu broth, but he was excited about the new one. So much so, he invited me into the kitchen to show me. I didn't taste it, but just by the look of it, I knew it was an improvement. That's because this tonkotsu was, in common with the upper echelons of the Tory party, rich and thick with a milky complexion. A mental note was made to check it out.


And so on to my most recent visit, when I tried the latest version of the tonkotsu ramen. I purposefully ordered it as it was i.e. with no pimpage, and I have to say it's quite possibly one of the best bowls of ramen I've had in London. The broth was rich and had a nice porky depth. I haven't really spoken of the actual noodles thus far in this review, and that's because they have been, on all my visits, of decent quality, and not overcooked. And I was also pleased to see a slight increase in the volume of broth in the bowl, although it could still have done with more.

Bone Daddies is a worthy addition to the fast-evolving London ramen scene. While I need to properly check out Shoryu Ramen as well as revisit other contenders, for now, I reckon Bone Daddies offers the most complete bowl of tonkotsu ramen in London. Whether it's as good as the noodles in Tokyo is another matter, but it's a moot point given Soho is closer to home than Shinjuku. There are some caveats, though. If, like me, you're an irascible old git with strong views on music, it may be better to go for lunch, not dinner!



I'm going to end this review how I started it, with a few words about music. At the end of the day, my upbringing in the north west of England is far removed from Ross Shonhan's in Queensland. So it'd be fair to say we might not have the same taste in music. Having said that, I think there can be a bit more imagination in the playlist. In short, it needs a bit of Manchester. And on that note, here's a tune I think would go down a storm at Bone Daddies: I Am The Resurrection by The Stone Roses. And Ross, if you're reading this, check out the guitar solo from 3m 40s in – it's the equal of anything Jimmy Page has ever done.

Bone Daddies on Urbanspoon

Bone Daddies, 31 Peter Street, London W1F 0AR, (Tel: 020-7287-8581)
Nearest stations: Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus

16 comments:

  1. UUhh...what? Fools Gold all the way ............!

    I completely agree that Bone Daddy serves the best bowl of Tonkotsu in London by far. I've been there three times so far and I'm planning to go back again next week.

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  2. I love ramen too but having hard-boiled eggs as part of the ingredients is a bit strange. What make or break a good bowl of ramen is the broth. Wonder how your tonkotsu ramen taste.

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  3. I agree with your comment about kewpie mayo - have formed a total addiction. Luckily it is very plentiful here in Oz at the moment I was served it with fried chicken on the weekend.

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  4. I absolutely cannot wait till this veganism is over and I can go on a pork broth binge. It's going to be feral.

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  5. A very well considered review. Glad to finally read it. Excellent sound track recommendation.

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  6. I agree that cock scratchings are a worthy addition to most dishes. Pump up the filth factor! *Snigger*

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  7. This is a very exciting post. I should be going tonite... now I'm seriously contemplating over tonkotsu or T22 now. Decisions decisions!!

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  8. J - It is. For now. Let's wait and see what the competition has in store! RE: The Stone Roses, naturally Fools Gold would be on the playlist, but I chose I Am The Resurrection, as I thought Ross would like it more.

    Jack - eggs are a petty standard addition to ramen.

    Cara - I wouldn't mind, but I've seen Kewpie in London. Perhaps time for another of my campaigns...

    Lizzie - this last month must have been torture for you. What with Bone Daddies and Shoryu Ramen entering the tonkotsu arena!

    Louis - thanks. I'm thinking of doing more like these where I revisit a restaurant a few times before coming to a conclusion.

    Susan - naughty, naughty!

    Wingz~* - have both! Seriously though, go with tonkotsu first!

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  9. I went and really enjoyed it - weirdly the service was a bit OTT - The waiter with a strong Northern Irish accent kept telling us everything was REALLY GOOD. Literally everything we asked him about.

    I enjoyed the extra Nori for a snip.

    Anyway - Tonkotsu ramen was great... I thought it could have done with a smidge more of everything, but I didn't get any sides. It is like having a bowl full amazing pork gravy with noodles. Soup really doesn't describe it well. It's not soup noodles, it's gravy noodles.

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    1. Frank - I think a lot of casual places have over-enthusiastic servers. I blame the Antipodean influence! ;)

      I think the level of toppings is OK (they're more generous than some) but think it could do with more soup. The soup should also be thinner imo, although without sacrificing any flavour.

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  10. There are so many new places in London I am struggling to keep up! Ramen is always good, glad it's added to the to-go list for London!

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    1. catty - about time too. I'll be posting some more reviews in the coming weeks. BTW has Ippudo opened in Sydney yet?

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  11. I was asked THREE times if I wanted to try any of the specials. The broth could have been warmer, and there could have been more of it, but otherwise excellent.

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    1. Paul - BD's need to take a leaf out of Shoryu's book when it comes to how the broth should be served. It needs to be steaming and there should loads of it!

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  12. More broth, less "rock" and this place would be great.

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