Worth your attention right now
North · Ramen · Chicken Paitan
Tenmaru
Tori Paitan — the signature chicken bowl, £16.90
Tenmaru is the little Finsbury Park ramen shop that has quietly built a following for doing one thing extremely well: chicken paitan. It is the original — there is now an Oxford Circus branch too — but this Clifton Terrace room, a stone’s throw from the station, is where it started, and it still feels like the heart of the operation. On this visit I ordered the two bowls the place is best known for: the Tori Paitan and the Mazesoba.
The Tori Paitan (£16.90) is the one to lead with. The broth is a creamy, deeply savoury chicken paitan — silky rather than heavy, the kind of soup that coats the spoon without ever tipping into cloying. On top: sous-vide chicken chashu sliced thin and cracked with black pepper, a seasoned egg branded with the Tenmaru 天, black fungus, bean sprout, bamboo shoot and spring onion. The chicken is properly tender, cooked low so it stays juicy, and the whole bowl is clean and precise in a way chicken paitan often promises but doesn’t always deliver.
Mazesoba — soup-less, mix it all together, £17.90
The Mazesoba (£17.90) is the counterpoint — a soup-less bowl you mix together yourself before the first bite. Spiced miso pork mince, chives, spring onion, raw onion, an egg yolk, shredded nori and garlic all sit on the noodles; stir hard and the yolk and mince pull everything into a glossy, umami-heavy tangle. It is punchier and more of a project than the paitan — the raw onion keeps it sharp — and a good order if you are sharing and want two textures on the table. If you only have room for one, though, the Tori Paitan is the reason to come.
A note on allergens, since the menu is upfront about it: the Tori Paitan contains wheat, gluten, egg and soybeans; the Mazesoba contains wheat, gluten, egg, sesame and soybeans.
Tenmaru also has a creative streak worth knowing about — seasonal specials like lemon and basil ramen turn up on the board — but the chicken paitan is the constant, and it is what has kept the little Finsbury Park shop worth the trip. Walk-ins are the norm; budget around £17–24 a head for a bowl with a topping or a drink.
Address
8 Clifton Terrace, N4 3JPArea
North (Finsbury Park)
Price
£17–24 per person
Signature
Tori Paitan · Mazesoba
Nearest Tube
Finsbury Park
Booking
Walk-ins welcome
Website
tenmaru.co.uk