Shōjō’s Ruckus Noodle Shop Opens This Weekend

The long-awaited ramen bar has chef Mike Stark at the helm.

The shoryuken bowl at Ruckus

The shoryuken bowl at Ruckus. / Photo provided

It’s a safe bet that slurping won’t be the only sounds filling Chinatown’s newest ramen shop. Ruckus, a pan-Asian noodle bar, is the latest from the Brian Moy of Shōjō, and its hip hop soundtrack is as loud as the flavors.

Mike Stark, opening chef de cuisine at Tiffani Faison’s Southeast Asian playground, Tiger Mama, and an alum of Coppa and Toro, is the new-school Chinatown empire’s new executive chef. Mark O’Leary left the group at the end of May, though Ruckus has been in the works for more than a year and a half. The restaurant group diverted its attention to revamp BLR by Shōjō (née Best Little Restaurant).

Stark’s succinct menu, available from noon-8 p.m. on Thursday-Sunday, has six takes on traditional noodle bowls, plus add-ons (“Swag”), and a trio of bite-sized rice bowls.

Ruckus—yes, as in the Wu-Tang Clan song, “Bring Da Ruckus”—has a shoyu broth with pork neck chashu and vegetables, named for a special attack in the Street Fighter series, Shoryuken; a miso bowl called Miso Lit!!!, Dirty Bird, with khao soi grilled chicken thigh; octopod salad, black garlic mazeman, and a tsukemen-style bowl. Personally, this reporter is excited to top a ramen bowl with whipped lardo; other swag includes a marinated soft egg, extra chashu, and more. Check out the hand-painted menu by Kenji Nakayama on the artist’s Instagram.

Shōjō itself is no slouch when it comes to noodles—opening chef O’Leary was part of the seminal Guchi’s Midnight Ramen pop-up pre-Shōjō, and the restaurant earned a Best of Boston for its bowl in 2015. Tori Miso Ramen isn’t leaving the sister spot’s lunch menu.

But “There is a lack of good quality noodles in the downtown area,” Moy said in a statement. “By focusing on quality, technique, and fresh ingredients, we aim to offer a fun approach to one of a kind flavor.”

Ruckus fits 20 seats into its dining room, around an open kitchen. The space features an original, colorful mural by renowned Japanese pop artist Takashi Murakami. It will take limited reservations.

The noodle shop opens Saturday, July 8.

5 Tyler St., Chinatown, Boston, ruckusboston.com.

The Shōjō team opens Ruckus in Chinatown

The Shōjō team opens Ruckus in Chinatown. / Photo provided

Shōjō executive chef Mike Stark at Ruckus

Shōjō executive chef Mike Stark at Ruckus. / Photo provided