By Jenny Ratcliffe-Wright

Ontario has such a rich cultural diversity that international food trends are bound to flourish.  Ramen and pho are on the hot list and although they may have similarities, they actually have many differences.

Ramen is a Japanese soup that consists of chewy noodles served in a hearty meat broth, often flavoured with soy sauce or miso and garnished with toppings of various sorts.  Many regions in Japan have their own ramen or variation thereof, but there are some basic types to get you started.

Pho (pronounced fuh), on the other hand, is a Vietnamese noodle dish that uses rice noodles instead of wheat, with a broth that is lighter and more aromatic.  This is achieved by using whole spices such as cinnamon, peppercorns, and star anise, rather than ground ones which could make the broth heavier.  It also contains sliced beef, and is predominantly a breakfast dish, although many street-side restaurants in Vietnam serve it all day.

Ramen is known for its noodles that are fairly chewy and a rich bone broth that is achieved by slow-cooking pork and chicken creating a thick, rich liquid.  The noodles are wheat-based with water and salt with the addition of kansui, a baking soda-like ingredient that leaves the noodles firm to the bite and stops them from disintegrating in the broth.

Ramen, although Japanese, is believed to have been introduced to Japan by Chinese immigrants in the 1900s, the broth being the Japanese addition to the dish.  By the Second World War, it was a thriving part of Japanese culture.  It is interesting to note that there are more ramen shops per square mile in Japan than pizza shops in the US.

Ramen is classified into 4 types, according to the broth.  It can be likened to choosing the base for your pizza.

Tonkotsu broth is cooked for longer so it is thicker.  Shio broth is flavoured only with salt while Shoyu is flavoured with soy sauce so it has a darker colour.  Finally, miso ramen uses miso, a fermented soya bean paste to give it a depth of flavour.

Once your base is decided, just like a pizza, one chooses toppings.  The traditional variants are nori, scallions, a soft-boiled egg, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, shitake mushrooms, corn, or sliced pork.  There are many non-traditional fusion variants.  Ivan Orkin from Ivan Ramen in New York City is famous for his non-ramen fusion styles, with one of his signature dishes being fried tofu with mushroom chili and yellow mustard; a fusion of Japanese cuisine and American junk food.

For the ramen aficionados, there is gourmet ramen.  Head to Tokyo to Tsuta, a little restaurant that caused a big stir in 2015 when it was the first noodle shop to be awarded a Michelin star.  Tsuta’s trademark dish is Shoyu Soba: soy sauce ramen with chicken and seafood broth with sliced pork and black truffle oil, delivering a true umami experience.

Kenzo Ramen, with branches in Oakville and Hamilton, has fresh noodles made in-house and has an endless number of ramen to try.  The Tan Tan Men consists of toasted sesame and chili oil ramen topped with marinated ground pork, corn, baby bokchoy, and scallions.

Ramen Houzz in southeast Oakville has many options from basic ramen to stirred ramen and finally its own house specialties, with beef, chicken, seafood, and vegetarian options, including all the toppings you could possibly want.

Pho, Vietnam’s favourite dish, was invented under French colonialism in the late 19th Century.  Before the arrival of the French, cows were used as work animals, not food, but during the French occupation, a lot of beef was consumed and the bones and tougher cuts of meat were a by-product, which were quickly put to use in broth and pho.

There are two distinct types of pho: Pho Bac from northern Vietnam with its simpler flavour, minimal garnish, and thin slices of beef.  Pho Nam from the south is more complex and contains many more garnishes like fresh lime, basil, and bean sprouts.  Siracha can also be added for some heat.

Apart from the north and south versions, pho is split into three groups: beef (pho bo), chicken (pho ga), and vegetable (pho chay), although many less authentic styles do occur. The final decision to be made is the topping or garnish which can vary from mint, cilantro, and basil to jalapeno and bean sprout.

Pho Mama in Oakville has a wide range of classic Vietnamese dishes as well as pho options.  There is a make-your-own option where you select your beef and rice noodle soup (pho) and pick your toppings, from rare beef to stewed tripe for the more adventurous.

Pho Vuho in Oakville has so many dishes that the novice would struggle with where to start.  Perhaps start with something simpler like pho tai ga, a rice noodle soup with medium-rare beef and chicken, and plan to end with the spicy pho bo sate, a rice noodle soup with satay beef.

With the differences between pho and ramen completely understood, the only choice now is which one you would prefer for your dinner tonight.

Local Links

Kenzo Ramen

1122 Dorval Dr, Oakville

kenzoramen.ca

Ramen Houzz

511 Maple Grove Dr, Oakville

ramen-houzz.com

Pho Mama

515 Dundas St West, Oakville

phomama.ca

Pho Vuh

360 Dundas St East, Oakville

phovuho.ca

Mikado Japanese Restaurant

415 Elizabeth St, Burlington

mikadosushiburlington.com

Bento Box

2405 Fairview St, Burlington

bentoboxburlington.ca

Ichiban Sushi House

3315 Fairview St, Burlington

ichibansushi.com

Ben Thanh

2080 Appleby Line, Burlington

benthanhburlington.ca

Riesling is an elegant and light white wine and will pair well with a lighter style of risotto, such a risotto primavera, with fresh spring vegetables or risotto al limone.  Try the Keint-he from Prince Edward County or the Cave Springs riesling from near Beamsville for a slightly off-dry fruity version.

Chardonnay is a variety that does very well in the cool climate of Ontario, along with the soils that are rich in limestone.  Try the Norman Hardie County Chardonnay from near Wellington in Prince Edward County with a classic risotto Milanese or a risotto gamberi made with shrimp, onion and celery.

Gamay Noir is a favourite of those who like a lighter style of red wine.  Because of the wine’s fruity notes, it could go well with a meat based risotto such as bacon or sausage risotto.  Adding a little chilli could round the combination off beautifully.

Pinot Noir has become the jewel in the crown of Ontario reds and is a great food wine, specially with creamy dishes such as risotto.  A mushroom and truffle risotto would pair well here.  Try Cloudsley Cellars or Westcott Vineyards for great examples.

If you prefer a slightly heavier red, have a glass of Cabernet Franc which grows so well in Ontario and produces fragrant wines.  Head for a heavier dish such as osso buco with risotto for this and try it with Tawse Grower’s Blend Cabernet Franc.

Written By: Jenny Ratcliffe Wright

Risotto, in its simplest form, is a hearty, warming rice dish which takes on the flavour of added ingredients as well as the richness from the broth or stock used. Regardless of the flavouring, it is usually finished with butter and Parmesan cheese.  Risotto is not only popular, it is simple and fun to make.

Rice is, naturally, the star of the dish. It produces starch from the gentle stirring in the cooking process which rubs the starch off the surface of the rice, thereby thickening the cooking liquid. Choosing a rice that doesn’t have enough starch means that the classic creamy texture cannot be achieved. 

People frequently ask which is the perfect rice for risotto? The grain should be short to medium in size with a high amylopectin (starch) content. This will ensure it holds up well to the constant stirring: the final texture should be soft, but with a slight chew or bite. Arborio rice is the easiest to find and therefore most popular, but it can result in a mushy dish if stirred too much.  The real purists use Carnaroli rice, which is called the king or caviar of risotto rice, as it maintains its shape in cooking better than Arborio rice and produces a super creamy texture. When shopping for risotto rice you may see the words: superfino, semifino and fino on the rice packet and this refers to the size of the grain as well as the firmness that the grains maintain on cooking.  Superfino is the recommended size grain for the creamiest risotto.  You should ensure you never rinse the rice before cooking.

The story of risotto began in the 14th century when the Arabs brought rice to Spain and Sicily during their rule.  Italy had an ideal climate to grow short grain rice and there was plenty of available land on which to cultivate it, so rice quickly became part of Italian food culture.  Legend has it that a young apprentice in Milan named Valerius was the father of risotto.  In 1574, he was responsible for making the stained glass window to be fitted in the Duomo, the Milan cathedral, using saffron to create the pigment.  People made fun of his methods and techniques and he became angry, so in retaliation, he added saffron to the rice at his master’s wedding, hoping to ruin the festivities.  But on the contrary, the rice was so delicious it launched risotto to fame.

There are countless flavours of risotto often depending on seasonality or availability of ingredients.  Risotto Milanese, flavoured with saffron, and finished with butter and Parmesan is certainly the most classic style and is traditionally served as an accompaniment to osso buco.  Di Mario’s Trattoria in Burlington serves a delicious osso buco with mushroom risotto. Risotto ai frutti di mare would be served in coastal towns in Italy with mixed seafood, garlic, onion, white wine and fish stock.  Casalinga Restaurant in Mississauga serves a fantastic Risotto Pescatore with shrimp, scallops, calamari and clams doused in a herb tomato sauce and finished with Parmesan, as well as a decadent Risotto ai Funghi with wild mushrooms, smoked Provolone and truffle purée.  Rust Bistro in Burlington offers a risotto with seared scallops, asparagus and mushrooms.  In the fall, risotto ai funghi porcini (Porcini mushroom) or risotto alla zucca (pumpkin) would be popular choices.  In the springtime, Italians would serve risotto primavera (meaning spring) with any seasonal vegetables available like asparagus, spring onion, shallot, peas and broad beans.  Loondocks in Burlington has a particularly exotic risotto with Tiger shrimp, wild boar bacon, asparagus and sweet potato.

From a simple Sunday night supper to a glamourous meal, risotto can be dressed up or down to suit your needs and lifestyle.  The question is – what flavour will you be making?

Local Links:

Restaurants featured in the story:

Di Mario’s Trattoria (Burlington): Dimarios.com

Casalinga Ristorante (Mississauga): Casalingaristorante.com

Loondocks Restaurant (Burlington): Loondocks.ca

Rust Bistrobar (Burlington): Rustbistrobar.ca

Other local Italian restaurants worth exploring:

Ritorno Restaurant (Oakville): Ritorno.ca

Piazza Bistro (Oakville): Piazzabistro.ca

Borgo Antico Cucina Bar (Oakville): Borgoantico.ca

Capra’s Kitchen (Mississauga): Capraskitchen.com

Buca di Bacco Restaurant (Oakville): Bucadibacco.ca

Pasquale’s Trattoria (Oakville): Pasqualestrattoria.ca