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Signage is up at Santouka Ramen, and February 11 is the current target to open, according to a recent tweet from the restaurant, which is opening in the former Dunkin' Donuts space at 1 Bow Street in Harvard Square. This will be the Japanese chain's first Boston-area outpost. When the chain's CEO Shinichi Kikuta visited town back in March 2014 to preview his shio ramen at a pop-up at Itadaki, he expressed surprise at how expensive ramen is around the city.
The Cambridge space has been designed to "entertain patrons not only with the famous broth but also with a fun atmosphere," according to a consultant involved in the buildout.
In addition to its signature shio ramen, a "mild and creamy soup seasoned with salt" and topped with a Japanese pickled plum, Santouka also serves a miso ramen, shoyu ramen (a pork and soy sauce-based broth), and tokusen toroniku ramen (featuring pork cheek meat).
