After successful innings in New York and Honululu, celebrity chef Masaharu Morimoto opened the third branch of his wildly famous of his ramen and yakitori restaurant on September 5th in Seattle’s International District. Seattle loves its Japanese restaurants and Momosan is no exception.

Momosan was amongst Seattle’s hottest and highly-anticipated restaurant openings this year. The story behind the name is rather interesting; Momosan is one of Chef Morimoto’s nicknames. The eponymously named restaurant has all the flair and unique touches you’d expect from a ramen master like him. 

The restaurant is multi-faceted and focuses on ramen, yakitori izakaya, and lots of sake. There is an extensive wine menu and beer on tap as well. Patrons are spoilt for choice here! You can feast on grilled yakitori, pork gyoza, softshell crab bao, grilled oysters, and delicious melt-in-the-mouth tonkatsu ramen. For the brave of heart, there is seared jellyfish and Japanese mimiga (fried pig ears).

This weekend, we headed to Momosan for the legendary, warming bowls of ramen. The menu is a mix of classic Japanese dishes with a culinary edge to them. We loved the salmon poke and tsukemen ramen. The salmon was fresh, and the ramen was silky soft, and a complete party in the mouth. Another must-try is the popcorn shrimp sushi, which has the comfort of sushi with the sweet-spicy fried goodness that is popcorn shrimp. The sake sangria is a lovely pairing. It has a nice fruity punch and the sake adds a nice smoky twist. The blueberry iced tea is a great mocktail; a yummy concoction of refreshing ice tea, coconut milk, and muddled blueberries.

Fall is already upon us, and while summer will definitely be missed, the chilly weather is a great excuse to head over to Momosan for some steaming hot wontons, spicy ramen and of course, sake shots! The one downer? Momosan doesn’t serve desserts, but the lingering aftertaste of spice is well-worth it!

We spoke to Chef Morimoto to know more about his latest baby, Momosan Seattle...

Seattleite: As a chef and restaurateur, what do you think of the food culture in Seattle?

Masaharu Morimoto: Having our Momosan Seattle located in the International District, I see different styles of “East meets West” in Seattle. I am very impressed by the wide-ranging fresh seafood and Asian cuisine maturing in Seattle.

Seattleite: How is Momosan Seattle different from your other ventures?

Masaharu Morimoto: I create the menu for each of my restaurants by studying the region’s culture, tradition, and ingredients. I have observed Seattle’s food and business culture for a long time, and it will accentuate my menu like never before.

Seattleite: What is your personal favorite from the menu?

Masaharu Morimoto: I spend a lot of time creating every item on the menu and make sure I pursue the best of each dish. So, it is difficult for me to choose one. Just like it’s difficult for a parent to pick which child is their favorite.

Momosan Ramen & Sake      |    504 5th Ave S., Seattle     |     (206) 501-4499