Inside Men-Eiji's lab-like approach to tonkotsu emulsification
Walk into either Men-Eiji Hiragishi BASE or Duck Ramen EIJI on a freezing Sapporo evening and the first thing that hits you is the steam rising off a vast steel pot. Inside that pot, pork bones, chicken carcasses, dried sardines, and kelp have been simmering for hours, transforming from a watery stock into something closer to a pale beige sauce. Founder Jun Furukawa calls this transformation an emulsion, and treating it like a scientific process rather than a culinary art has defined his restaurants since opening.
For Australian diners who have only encountered thick pork-bone broth in Sydney's CBD or in the ramen bars of Melbourne's CBD laneways, the gyokai-tonkotsu style at Men-Eiji offers a deeper, almost briny richness. It is the kind of bowl that has propelled Sapporo ramen onto global maps, earning Men-Eiji a Michelin Bib Gourmand and a following that extends from Tokyo pop-ups to curious travellers booking flights into New Chitose.
Why gyokai-tonkotsu differs from classic pork-bone broth
Classic Hakata-style tonkotsu relies almost entirely on pork bones, often with a small amount of pork fat added near the end of the boil. Men-Eiji's gyokai-tonkotsu, by contrast, layers seafood — niboshi (dried baby sardines), katsuobushi shavings, and occasionally scallop shells — over the pork base. The seafood contributes glutamates and inosinates that boost umami perception well beyond what pork alone can deliver, while the pork provides the gelatinous backbone that holds the emulsion together.
This dual-protein approach mirrors what chefs in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley and Sydney's Surry Hills have been experimenting with over the past decade, but Men-Eiji's version has been refined since the brand's earliest days. Furukawa's team treats the seafood and pork components separately at first, allowing each to release its signature compounds, then combines them at a calculated moment. The result is a broth that feels layered on the palate — briny, fatty, and almost buttery all at once.
| Broth type | Primary protein source | Typical fat content | Emulsion stability | Common Australian availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard tonkotsu | Pork bones | High | Strong | Very common (Sydney, Melbourne) |
| Gyokai-tonkotsu (Men-Eiji style) | Pork + dried sardines + katsuobushi | High | Very strong | Limited; specialty shops |
| Chicken paitan | Chicken carcasses and feet | Moderate | Moderate | Growing in Adelaide and Perth |
| Miso ramen base | Pork or chicken, miso paste | Variable | Inherently stable | Widely available |
The stability of an emulsion depends on how finely fat droplets are dispersed throughout the water phase. Men-Eiji's long boil and aggressive agitation push fat particles down to a microscopic scale, which is why the broth holds its opacity even hours after being ladled into a bowl.
The physics of a stable broth emulsion
An emulsion is, at its most basic, a mixture of two liquids that do not naturally want to combine — in this case, water and fat. Left alone, the fat will rise and form a slick on top, and the water will sink. To keep them suspended, you need an emulsifier, and broths that simmer for twelve to eighteen hours generate their own emulsifiers from collagen and bone marrow.
Collagen, the structural protein in bones, cartilage, and connective tissue, breaks down under sustained heat into gelatin. Gelatin molecules have a long protein chain with both water-loving and fat-loving ends, so they wrap around individual fat droplets and prevent them from merging. The more gelatin in the pot, the smaller the droplets stay and the longer the broth maintains that signature creamy pour.
In Australia, where strict food safety standards under FSANZ govern how restaurants handle long-simmered stocks, chefs have to be especially careful with temperature logs and cooling protocols. Men-Eiji's kitchen works under similar Japanese hygiene frameworks, but the underlying chemistry is identical: sustained heat breaks down collagen, and mechanical agitation from the rolling boil shears fat into ever-tinier droplets. The broth becomes a living suspension where every spoonful carries the same fat-protein-water balance.
Temperature, agitation, and the role of pressure cooking
Hokkaido winters drop well below freezing, and Sapporo kitchens historically relied on heavy-gas burners running around the clock to maintain a vigorous boil. Men-Eiji uses a combination of open-pot boiling and pressure-assisted extraction. The pressure phase raises the boiling point above 100°C, which accelerates collagen hydrolysis without scorching the bottom of the pot. Once the bones have softened, the lid comes off and the broth returns to a rolling boil, where mechanical agitation does the rest.
This two-stage method is gaining traction among Australian ramen chefs who face the opposite seasonal challenge. In Perth, where summer kitchen temperatures can climb past 40°C, holding a rolling boil for sixteen hours without overheating the room is a logistical headache. Several operators have invested in exhaust hoods and insulated cookers to mimic Sapporo's winter ambient cooling, which naturally keeps broth kitchens comfortable.
The rolling boil itself is non-negotiable. A gentle simmer cannot generate enough turbulence to break fat into fine droplets, so the broth ends up thin and oily rather than opaque and creamy. Men-Eiji's pot is watched the way a chemist watches a reaction, with chefs skimming off grey scum that floats to the surface early in the cook and returning later to gauge viscosity.
Collagen breakdown and mouthfeel engineering
Mouthfeel is the most underrated component of a great ramen bowl, and it lives or dies on collagen conversion. A broth that has not been cooked long enough feels thin, almost watery, and lacks the coating quality diners expect from a Sapporo bowl. A broth cooked too long can turn gelatinous and heavy, masking the flavour of the tare and the noodles.
Men-Eiji's standard cook runs between fourteen and eighteen hours depending on the season. In summer, the kitchen shortens the boil slightly to compensate for faster evaporation and higher ambient humidity, which can subtly concentrate the broth. In winter, when Sapporo's dry air pulls moisture out of the pot, they extend the time and top up with water to keep the ratio consistent.
For diners in Hobart or Canberra wondering what all the fuss is about, the practical takeaway is that a properly emulsified broth feels lighter than it looks. The fat is suspended rather than pooled, so the bowl coats the tongue evenly without leaving a greasy residue. This is also why Men-Eiji's broth pairs so well with thick, straight Sapporo-style noodles — the broth clings to every strand.
Australian kitchens adopting Sapporo-style techniques
A small but growing number of Australian chefs have travelled to Sapporo specifically to study gyokai-tonkotsu methods, returning to set up shop in places like Sydney's Chippendale, Melbourne's Fitzroy, and Adelaide's Central Market precinct. Their menus often credit the influence of brands like Men-Eiji, even when the recipes are adapted for local pork breeds or Australian seafood alternatives such as pilchards and yellowtail kingfish.
Imported Japanese ingredients remain a significant hurdle. Biosecurity regulations administered by the Department of Agriculture require strict documentation for dried seafood and processed broth bases, which is why many Australian operators blend locally sourced niboshi from South Australian sardine fisheries with imported katsuobushi. The flavour profile differs slightly, but the emulsion mechanics are the same.
Visitors planning a trip to Sapporo with specific dietary requirements can read about how Men-Eiji handles dietary restrictions before booking. For those based in Australia and curious to taste a faithful version of gyokai-tonkotsu without flying to Hokkaido, the same scientific principles are now appearing on menus from Brisbane to Perth — proof that a good emulsion is a universal language spoken fluently in any well-run ramen kitchen.
Book a seat at Men-Eiji Hiragishi BASE or Duck Ramen EIJI the next time Sapporo is on your itinerary, and arrive ready to slurp through every drop of that milky, briny broth. The science behind it is worth the flight alone, and a single bowl will recalibrate what you thought ramen could be.