Izakaya Den adds ramen to its Saturday and Sunday lunch lineup

Izakaya Den will begin serving ramen this Saturday.

Beginning tomorrow, Izakaya Den, one of three restaurants on South Pearl Street overseen by brothers Yasu and Toshi Kizaki, who also run Sushi Den and Ototo, will begin dishing out ramen noodles in addition to its regular lunch menu.

"With fall approaching, regular diners at Izakaya Den asked for ramen to be placed on the menu," says Ellen Marchman, spokeswoman for the restaurant, adding that there was "consensus by management" to make it happen.

The kitchen will feature three varieties: tonkotsu ramen, a bracingly intense, milky broth that's made with pork bones (think of it as the Japanese equivalent of pho); miso ramen and tan-tan men, all of which are priced at $12. Tonkotsu ramen, which originated from Kyushu, Japan's southernmost island and home turf to the Kizaki brothers, is, says the staff, "richer and more flavorful than other known ramen noodles such as salt- or soy-based stock."

Izakaya Den will offer the ramen noodle bowls on Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

We'll slurp to that.