Orange County Restaurants

After 10 years of training at Tsujita in Tokyo, Sano was inspired to open his own ramen shop, named “RAMEN & TSUKEMEN道TAO,” and he is especially excited to introduce Americans to ramen dishes with miso broth, Tsujita’s specialty. Miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning made by fermenting soybeans with salt and koji mold.

Sano’s menu includes four kinds of ramen noodles: White Miso Ramen, Red Miso Ramen, Tonkotsu Ramen, and Tsukemendipping noodles, along with two kinds of pork buns and steamed white rice as side dishes. Toppings include: Ajitama (soft-boiled eggs), Menma (marinated bamboo shoots), green onions, char-siu (roasted pork), nori and vegetables.

Tonkotsu ramen with its creamy, pork-based broth (originally from Fukuoka City in Southern Japan) has become a favorite among ramen lovers in the U.S., and Chef Sano uses a flavorful broth with a soy-sauce base that’s popular in Tokyo. Tsukemen, known as the dipping ramen, is served with the noodles arriving alongside the bowl of soup, allowing diners to dip them in, and Sano’s version comes with miso-based broth. Sano also will serve soft drinks and plans on serving alcohol beverages later this year.