Pho vs. ramen: how the bowls differ
Choosing a noodle soup? Start with the noodles and broth.
Ninja City
Cleveland Pho at Ninja City.
Rice noodles or wheat noodles
Pho is Vietnamese rice-noodle soup. Ramen is Japanese and uses wheat noodles, usually made with an alkaline ingredient called kansui for a springier bite.
At Ninja City, the broth changes too: ginger beef in Cleveland Pho, pork in both of our dinner ramen bowls.
Three bowls at Ninja City
Cleveland Pho: ginger beef broth, rice noodles, brisket and rare eye of round. Bean sprouts, Thai basil, jalapeño, lime, hoisin and sriracha come alongside it.
Tonkotsu: pork-bone broth cooked over two days, wheat noodles and mild house togarashi oil. Braised pork chashu, half a soy egg, roasted corn, sprouts, scallions, sesame and nori go on top.
Spicy Korean Fried Chicken Ramen: pork tonkotsu broth with a spicy tare, gochujang and chili heat. Crispy chicken, woodear mushrooms, onion, scallions, nori, sesame and half a soy egg change the toppings.
What sounds good tonight?
For rice noodles, beef and fresh herbs, choose the pho. For rich pork broth with tender pork and corn, choose Tonkotsu. For crispy chicken and more heat, choose the spicy ramen.
Both ramen bowls have pork broth, including the chicken one. Our pho’s garlic-chicken option is a protein choice on a ginger beef bowl. The topping alone doesn’t tell you what’s in the soup.
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