Ramenwell

Ramenwell, which opened in the Mission in 2018, uses wheat flour vegan noodles from the nearby Tin Wah Noodle Co. for its vegan ramen. Chef and owner Harold Jurado uses dried shiitake for the broth and extracts acidity from kombu to reinforce the umami flavor. The tare is a mix of soy sauce, mirin and sake. Combining these three items means achieving tons of flavor very fast. “The mirin also gives a greater mouthfeel from the sugar” in it, Jurado says. “This is important because we want the flavors to remain on the palate and not wash off quickly.”

The “meaty” component in the ramen is mushrooms; Jurado uses king trumpets, shimeji and enoki sauteed in garlic and ginger. Garlic sesame oil adds a finishing touch. With a small case of enoki mushrooms retailing for $100 these days, Jurado’s ramen, $13.95, might get pricier in the future, and he believes that’s only fair. “The same person paying $22+ for a plate of rustic Italian house-made pasta with Bolognese sauce should not be complaining when a big bowl of ramen with all the fixings cost the same or even more,” he says.

Provided by Harold Jurado Mushrooms are the focus in Mission District spot Ramenwell’s vegan ramen.