Restaurant Review: Restaurant Review: Ramen Del Barrio

Ramen Del Barrio's carnitas tonkotsu showcases perfect pork (Photos by John Anderson)

Somehow, in 2023, Ramen Del Barrio, located in the food court of the Hana World Market, manages to offer a unique take to the ever-growing world of top-shelf ramen in Austin. What could one add to possibly the world's greatest comfort food at this point in its evolution?

The answer comes in a bowl of the No. 1. Just one taste is enough to demonstrate the brilliance of Ramen Del Barrio's working theory, which posits that Japan and Mexico aren't all that far apart after all, at least as far as their foodways are concerned. The carnitas tonkotsu is the physical manifestation of the overlap between two different cultures' perfection of the pig.

RDB's shoyu version of tonkotsu pulls all the best out of the pork into a rich, creamy broth. The crispy carnitas take multiple cuts of the pig and create a protein that's as at home in a bowl of soup as it is in a taco. At Ramen Del Barrio, the options are shoulder and pork belly with the optional addition of buche (the pork equivalent of tripe) and cueritos, the skin of the pig. In this case, there's no reason not to go whole hog.

The dish is finished off with cilantro, onion, and grilled jalapeño, along with sliced radish. Add-ons like an ajitama (soft-boiled egg) or naruto (fish cake) are available for an upcharge. The No. 1 weds the best of a satisfying bowl of ramen to nontraditional but delicious ingredients.

The ramen options don't stop there. The dipping version is flavored with mole, an ingenious use of the chocolate-tinged sauce. The protein here is karaage, flavorful on its own and chopped up with plenty of crispy skin. Tortilla strips add texture to this powerful dish. The menu also includes versions of ramen featuring menudo and chilaquiles with chorizo.

A variety of tacos lead off the second half of the menu. Oddly, there is no carnitas taco, but a plate of carnitas is available with tortillas for what promises to be a filling meal on its own. The tacos are served yakitori-style with the meat skewered before being placed in the tortilla. The tako taco is quite an experience. Chunks of octopus, in varying gradations of chewy and fleshy, are slathered in a fiery achiote and served simply with a red salsa, but the taste is anything but simple. This is one intense taco!

The al pastor-style pork belly taco features glorious chunks of meat, with shaved pineapple and salsa rounding things out for a hearty handheld option. Pollo asado, chorizo, and lengua are also available.

The hearty pork belly taco

The tostada section comes straight from the sea. The camarón showcases cold shrimp covered in Kewpie mayo atop a fried corn tortilla. Small chunks of orange provide a citrus note that cuts through the mayo and gives the entire affair a balanced feel that's both rich and refreshing. The other tostada is made with hamachi, tomatillo kosho, and ponzu-soaked cherry tomatoes. Diners could have a delicious, satisfying meal with these two dishes alone.

An alternative noodle dish is available in the form of cold, thick noodles in a green aguachile sauce. The bed of noodles is topped with poached shrimp coated in habanero garlic oil and agave. Though the dish is cold, the spice level is very hot. It is culinary whiplash in its finest form.

While there are no desserts to be had, diners can pop over to Mochinut, the mochi donut chain with a stall in the food court, assuming they aren't absolutely stuffed.

The space itself is no stranger to great dining. Several years ago it housed Kin & Comfort, a terrific fusion of Southern American and Asian cuisines, a perfect predecessor to its current occupant. The food stall has been reconfigured with the dark tones and ambience of a Tokyo ramen shop where guests can sit at the bar or find a table in the food court where orders are delivered quickly, especially for such well-prepared items. The small staff is friendly and attentive, with chef Christopher Krinsky either preparing food or talking up his patrons. His history, living many of his early years in Mexico and having worked in Japanese restaurants, is the inspiration behind Ramen Del Barrio.

Ramen Del Barrio isn't the first to marry cuisines from different cultures, but they've found a formula that absolutely delivers without ever forcing the issue. Ramen fans and taco stans alike will be rewarded for driving north to pay this little shop a visit.

Ramen Del Barrio