London’s most popular ramen restaurant is popping up at Mackie Mayor

Manchester’s New Wave Ramen was born during lockdown, a collaboration between Matt Walsh (fresh from an experience in Japan), and Phil Cook, a ramen chef turned noodle manufacturer with a love of noodles bordering on obsession.

When other restaurants were closing (and there was nobody to make noodles for) the guys turned to ramen kits, drawing on experience spent working closely with some of the best ramen chefs in the country as suppliers.

Within the chaos of the last year, new wave thrived sharing their ramen with new customers. And when Matt (owner of Tender Cow and Mummas Fried Chicken) heard of an opening at Mackie Mayor, NWR was born.

Specialising in authentic Tonkotsu ramen, Kanada-Ya is considered one of the best ramen restaurants in London.

And now, Kanada-Ya will bring their ramen to Manchester for the first time, teaming up with New Wave Ramen this August as part of a ramen takeover series that invites chefs and venues at the forefront of the UK ramen scene to take over the NWR kitchen.

Kanada-Ya will be offering their signature Tonkotsu and Chicken Paitan ramen, both served with free toppings like beni shoga, nori, sesame seeds and takana, plus the option to add their popular Hanjuku Egg for £2.

“New Wave Ramen has given us an incredible opportunity to share the ramen that we’ve been making for the past seven years in London with Manchester,” says Aaron Burgess-Smith of Kanada-Ya.

“Our broth is incredibly rich and overflowing with umami and I’m excited for Mancunians to finally experience it too.”

Kanada-Ya’s signature ramen consists of noodles, tonkotsu broth, secret sauce (imported from the original restaurant, and hand-made by Mr. Kanada), wood ear mushroom (kikurage), finely sliced spring onion, chashu pork belly and a sheet of nori. 

Kanada-Ya has perfected their unique cooking technique, and whilst extremely time-consuming this process results in a rich clarity of taste and a delicious, creamy appearance that sets it apart from its competitors and has won over Londoners.

Specialising in authentic Tonkotsu ramen, the brand was founded by Kanada Kazuhiro in Yukuhashi, Japan, back in 2009. 

All noodles are made using a very specific brand of flour, enriched with the right protein content and alkaline salts to produce a bouncy, firm noodle capable of standing up to the rich broth.

Customers are also able to request how firm they like their noodles, which will then be cooked accordingly.

“Myself and the team at Mackie Mayor are delighted to bring Kanada-Ya to Manchester,’ says Philip Cook of NWR.

“Their bowls are amongst those that first ignited my own passion for ramen, and an exciting U.K. ramen scene has grown alongside their own expansion over the last seven years.

“They have to be considered the originators, and our customers in Manchester are in for a real treat.”

This one-off event will run over two days on 11th and 12th August at Mackie Mayor, 1 Eagle Street, M4 5BU, and ramen fans can reserve their bowls before the event online for £10. The dishes will also be available for walk-ins on the day, but will be subject to availability, so book early to avoid disappointment.