The movie “Blade Runner,” set in a fictional version of 2019, shows a bleak future. We’re now well past that date, and while its predictions haven’t all come true, the real-life present doesn’t always seem much better than the world envisioned in the movie. One memorable scene involves a stop for a meal at a crowded noodle shop in a busy alley. The experience of a quick break for nourishment in a bustling environment is one of the more appealing experiences associated with the film, and Ramen Kagawa fills that role in the heart of downtown Phoenix.
Ramen Kagawa’s location on First Avenue is just a block south of the light rail platforms at Van Buren on the B Line and near the Downtown Phoenix Hub. Bike racks are found built into numerous parking meters along both First Avenue and Monroe Street. The restaurant has a large patio in front that remains disappointingly inactivated more than five years after its opening, especially considering that Phoenix has at least half a year of more accommodating weather than the perpetually rainy version of Los Angeles seen in “Blade Runner.”
Walk past that unused outdoor space, and there’s an interior with a basic, almost industrial look characterized by concrete floors, natural wooden furniture, and high ceilings. The minimalistic decor is limited to some manga-style posters on one wall, ceremonial swords on another, and red lanterns suspended overhead. A centrally placed community table separates rows of smaller ones, and counters face the windows looking out onto First Avenue. The restaurant is full service but casual; arriving customers are typically told to choose a seat wherever they like.
As the name makes clear, the emphasis here is on ramen; however, there are worthwhile appetizers to share and enjoy while awaiting noodles. Crisp gyoza stuffed with ground pork and boneless chunks of karaage, Japanese fried chicken, are popular fried starters, while ubiquitous edamame provide a lighter and simpler prelude to noodles. Also on the menu is takoyaki, a sort of pancake filled with chewy bits of octopus, an animal that is growing more popular for human consumption, even as the ethics and ecological impact of farming the species are debated.
In terms of the namesake dish, there are two primary ramen styles here. One is tonkotsu, the thick pork broth that can appear almost milky in appearance. Kagawa serves it with slices of pork chashu. The other principal choice is paitan, a creamy chicken broth paired with sliced boneless poultry in either shoyu or miso options. Both broths come in a spicy miso variety, and with the tonkotsu broth an extra spicy habanero option is available to add a next level of heat. A vegetarian ramen with a thick, creamy broth seasoned by sesame paste is the meatless choice.
The noodle bowls all have some vegetables, mostly the unexpected but satisfying choice of arugula, as well as corn, pickled ginger, or scallions depending on the exact bowl ordered. A boiled egg is available as an add-on. In addition to the wide variety of ramen served, Kagawa has a secondary specialty of Japanese curry dishes. The curry entrees all feature a thick, ruddy stew with big chunks of potatoes within the mild, slightly sweet sauce with pickled ginger as a garnish. It’s a classic Japanese style, distinct from more fiery Thai and Indian curries.
The curry can be combined with a tonkatsu pork cutlet, a vegetable croquette, karaage fried chicken, braised beef, or korubata sausage links. There is even an indulgent “Epic Cheat Day Curry” that combines all of those items in a single serving. All of the curries are accompanied by plain white rice, which also forms the basis of two donburi entrees. A gyudon rice bowl is prepared with thin strands of marinated beef and is enlivened with pickled ginger and scallions on top of the meat and grain. A similar approach is taken with a bowl of rice and pork chashu.
While Ramen Kagawa’s full menu is available all day, the restaurant has recently added a lunch menu that focuses on ramen with add-ons of small servings of appetizers as side dishes. It’s a cost-effective way to have a bowl of noodles with just a little bit of gyoza or karaage on the side. The desserts here include matcha mochi ice cream and taiyaki, little fish shaped buns with a sweet filling. A tiramisu has a distinctive matcha flavor infused throughout the cake, albeit with an overwhelming excess of cream in the layers above and below the pastry portion of the piece.
To drink, there is green tea, served hot or cold, along with bottles of Mexican Coke and Ramune sodas, a Japanese brand known for its clear and colorful carbonated beverages. Green tea also finds its way into a Matcha IPA, one of a handful of Japanese bottled beers the restaurant offers as part of its beverage selection. For something local, brews from Phoenix’s own Wren House include Spellbinder, a popular hazy IPA, as well as a coffee stout and a gose. A small selection of sake varieties and some canned Japanese cocktails complete the drink offerings.
Ramen Kagawa opened in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, a challenging time for restaurants,, especially those in central business districts that were emptied due to remote work arrangements. Nevertheless, the restaurant has persisted and sharpened its focus since then. Ramen Kagawa may not fulfill Blader Runner’s exact vision of customers slurping their noodles in a dark, rainy alley in a fictional version of 2019, but it’s an impressive urban ramen outpost with its own cheerful feel we could all use in the middle of the real and often tumultuous 2020s.
111 W. Monroe St. #130, Phoenix AZ 85003
https://www.ramenkagawa.com
PHX Rail Food 