Ramen Bar Ichi on Dairy Ashford has my vote for Houston’s best tonkotsu ramen. After my Japan trip in 2017, I’ve tried most of the bowls of ramen in town to see if I can find the most authentic one, and the bowls they serve at Bar Ichi come the closest to that Platonic ideal. Silky rich pork bone broth, noodles with that perfect kansui-inflected chew, and brilliantly-rendered pork belly chashu on top combine for a truly soul-warming meal. Bar Ichi also gets bonus points for being right next to Seiwa Market, Houston’s best Japanese grocer, making my semi-regular pantry Japanese ingredient resupply runs into tasty adventures. Things to order: tonkotsu ramen (be sure to add an ajitama seasoned egg on top); if you’re going by yourself, you likely won’t need a starter, but if you’re especially hungry or you’re with a group, the chicken karaage nugs or takoyaki octopus balls are v tasty.
