Celine L.
Yelp
I'm very surprised that this place has such high rated reviews, let alone raved and recommended by Michelin. Perhaps my expectations were set too high, only to be missed during my first (and possibly last) meal at Shugetsu. First, Shugetsu closes early from Monday to Saturday, at 9pm (their last order). On Sunday, even earlier at 7pm. Don't fret, there are other noodle options available along the same street. So if you swing by around 8:45pm (which we did), expect a wait. If you show up at 9:00pm, they will say they are closed.
I will give service 5 stars. When our table setting was missing a tea cup or a spoon for the Tsukumen, our server brought it to us immediately. The restaurant environment and decor transported me back to Japan - wooden countertop and chairs with a compartment below the seat to store your bags. Even while you wait for your number outside, there is complimentary Japanese tea available by the door. I enjoyed sitting at the bar and watching the kitchen prepare bowls and bowls of ramen and tsukemen.
I ordered a regular tsukemen (200g or medium serving of noodles) with extra grilled pork belly (HK$110) while my friend ordered the Grilled Pork Belly Ramen (HK$103). We also ordered some Fried Chicken (karaage), 5 pcs (HK$53). The fried chicken came out first, with a homemade vinegar sauce topped with chopped leeks. My friend's ramen arrived next, followed by my tsukemen. I immediately regretted not getting the 100g, as 200g looked too much for me. But then again, you pay the same price for all three "weights" of noodles, so...
Noodles were excellent - I requested them to be cold and they retained their hardness. Ramen egg was good, and the grilled pork as well. But the tsukemen broth, oh how sour you were! It was too vinegar-y, so when you have that, PLUS the vinegar-fried chicken, it becomes too overwhelming and no longer delicious. For tsukemen, I normally finish my noodles when the broth is delicious, but this time I refused a refill of the soup. There were small pieces of pork and bamboo inside the broth, but nothing else. The broth was simply too salty and vinegar-y. Also, the ramen wasn't anything special either, simply a miss, and even my friend said he preferred the tsukumen to the ramen.
So will I return? Errr probably not...