A Japanese ramen chain that has 61 shops in 10 countries will make its D.C. area debut this fall, when it’s expected to open a branch in Tysons Corner.
Founded in the 1980s in Hokkaido, Santouka specializes in tonkotsu broth made by simmering pork bones for 20 hours to achieve a pearly white hue. Its Virginia shop is expected open inside a modern, brick-lined space in the new Boro mixed-use development (1636 Boro Place, McLean) by early November.
Most of Santouka’s 16 North American locations are sprinkled up and down the West Coast and Canada. It has a handful of East Coast shops in New Jersey and Boston.
Customers pick flavor options like salt (shio), soy sauce (shoyu), fermented soy bean paste (miso), or spicy miso (karamiso). Bowls are finished with a heap of noodles and ingredients like vegetables, dried fish, and kelp. The menu also includes traditional Japanese sides like gyoza dumplings (pork and chicken) and karaage (Japanese fried chicken).
The brand, which goes by Hokkaido Ramen Santouka, opened its first free-standing restaurant in the U.S. in Bellevue, Washington in 2014, earning a spot on Eater Seattle’s Eight Elite Ramen Restaurants.
Rockville’s Akira Ramen was the ramen brand originally destined for the Boro development, and Santouka appears to be the replacement.
The Meridian Group’s 1.7 million-square-foot Boro development, which hopes to go head-to-head with Tysons Corner Center Mall, has signed Fish Taco, Bluestone Lane, North Italia, Flower Child, Tasty Kabob, and Tropical Smoothie Café (open), all slated to arrive by next spring.
Also en route: a 70,000-square-foot flagship Whole Foods overlooking a food hall and brewery.