Words by Tanya White

Hakata-Style Ramen in East Austin

Directly translated, Marufuku (pronounced mah-roo-foo-koo) in Japanese means ‘circle of good luck,’ and when eaten, it’s like enjoying a bowl of happiness. This humble dish in Asian culture is a staple and was a source of important nutrition during periods of food shortage. Now though, there’s always a good season for eating ramen. It’s no longer a cold weather food; it’s an every day food.

Hakata-style ramen, which is the only style Marufuku offers, delivers a rich and dense broth created by a high-boiling, long-cooking technique that extracts healthy goodness from the marrow of the pork bones. This milky broth, combined with braised pork belly, long and skinny artisanal noodles, and the toppings of the diner’s choice, makes for a tasty and filling meal option.

“Hakata-style is not the same as everybody might think. Hakata is an old fishing port, a poor village, where people needed enough energy to support their bodies to go out fishing all day. This enriched pork soup allowed them to fish longer, with more energy, so they could better feed their families,” says Jason Zhang, one of the partners responsible for bringing Marufuku to Austin.

The popularity of ramen has grown in the west, after first being introduced to young, budget-conscious adults in an instant form in the 1970s. While ramen restaurants existed, they catered mostly to foreigners looking for comfort food from home. The growing interest in Japanese culture and the unique flavor profile of ramen created a boom of hungry restaurant goers. Experiencing authentic foods from different cultures, especially during the pandemic when international travel came to a halt, became of high interest to adventurists. Other popular Japanese food options, like sushi, sashimi and tempura, are not customizable the way ramen is, bringing further appeal to the warm and comforting meal.

The first Marufuku location in Texas was Dallas and expansion into Austin was a natural fit. “Mueller is an interesting area in Austin; it’s a new community [with] a lot of young families. It’s growing, and it has all the ingredients that match what Marufuku is all about,” explains Carlos Herrador, Executive Vice President Franchise Operations. “It was the perfect spot for our first Austin restaurant. This is why [it’s] so successful.”

Ramen is not only a decadent and filling comfort food that has Austinites coming back for more, but it’s also the addition of sakés or a favorite cocktail from their full bar that can complement any dish on their menu. These aspects combine together perfectly, setting Marufuku apart from other Raman noodle places in town.

Hello, My Name is Ramen.
Depending on the source, there’s anywhere from 5 to 27 types of ramen. Commonly found broths:
Tonkotsu: pork broth (Hakata ramen uses this recipe) that’s milky and dense
Miso: miso based (fermented bean paste), opaque and savory
Shoyu: soy sauce based, tangy and bright
Shio: chicken bone and seafood broth, transparent and light