The microgreen that finishes Men-Eiji's duck ramen with purpose
Duck ramen at Men-Eiji is not a casual bowl. The broth is a deliberate blend of seafood stock and pork bone richness, poured over springy noodles at the Hiragishi BASE and Duck Ramen EIJI counters in Sapporo. Yet the final flourish, a small cluster of vivid green leaves placed at the edge of the bowl, often draws more questions than the broth itself. That garnish is not decorative filler. It is a microgreen chosen for flavour, aroma, and balance, and its presence tells a story about how Jun Furukawa approaches every element on the plate.
In Australian cities such as Sydney and Melbourne, ramen has evolved from a late-night option into a weekend ritual, with diners comparing tonkotsu, shoyu, and gyokai styles across the inner west and the CBD. Men-Eiji's duck ramen, with its seabed-deep broth and crisp skin, has begun circulating among Australian food writers who follow the Sapporo scene. The microgreen garnish is one of the first details mentioned, because it behaves differently from the chopped negi or spinach common in many bowls.
The specific leaf used is shiso microgreen, harvested when the perilla plant is barely two weeks old. At that stage the leaf carries the same anise-and-mint signature of mature shiso, but in a softer, more delicate form. Furukawa has spoken about the leaf as a bridge between the fatty duck and the briny broth, a flavour mediator rather than a garnish.
For Australians encountering Men-Eiji for the first time, either through international pop-ups or imported products, the tiny green cluster signals something broader. It signals that the kitchen thinks about the final bite, not just the first spoonful. Understanding why this microgreen sits on the bowl opens a window into the philosophy of a brand that has earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
The botanical profile of shiso microgreen
Shiso, or perilla, is a member of the mint family that has grown in Japan for centuries. When harvested as a microgreen, the plant is picked after the first true leaves appear, usually between ten and twenty days after germination. At this stage the stem is tender and the leaf is paper-thin, allowing it to wilt gently when it meets hot broth. The flavour compounds, primarily perillaldehyde and limonene, are concentrated in those small leaves, giving the microgreen a sharper aromatic profile than mature shiso.
The plant prefers cooler temperatures, which suits Sapporo's climate and the controlled conditions of Men-Eiji's growing partners. The leaves range from green to deep purple depending on the cultivar, but Furukawa's kitchen selects the green variety for duck ramen, as the colour sits well against the amber broth and the seared duck slices. The microgreen is also relatively low in fibre compared with mature leaves, which means it contributes texture without toughness.
In Australian kitchens, microgreens have moved from garnish to ingredient, with growers in regions around Adelaide and the Mornington Peninsula producing shiso for restaurants that want authentic flavour without importing the mature herb. The microgreen form suits Australian suppliers because the short growing cycle fits well with the local climate and reduces the risk of bolting that affects full-sized perilla in warmer months.
How duck broth and microgreen interact in the bowl
Duck ramen broth at Men-Eiji carries layers of seafood umami and pork bone richness, topped with slices of duck that have been seared to render the fat just enough. The broth is heavy, and the duck is rich. A standard garnish like chopped spring onion adds bite but not contrast. Shiso microgreen does something else. Its anise notes cut through the fat, while the slight peppery finish cleanses the palate between mouthfuls of duck.
This is where the microgreen earns its place. When the hot broth meets the leaf, the essential oils release within seconds, lifting the aroma of the entire bowl. Diners who lift the noodles and duck together with a small bundle of the microgreen experience a layered bite: broth-soaked noodle, fatty duck, and then the bright, almost herbal finish of the shiso. Without that final note, the bowl leans heavier than Furukawa intends.
The pairing follows a long tradition in Japanese cooking of using shiso with duck. What makes Men-Eiji's approach distinctive is the microgreen form, which delivers the flavour without the textural interruption of a full leaf. The result is a garnish that integrates rather than sits apart. For diners used to European-style microgreens such as pea shoots or radish sprouts, the shiso microgreen offers a distinctly Japanese flavour profile that anchors the bowl in its place of origin.
| Garnish option | Flavour profile | Texture after hot broth | Visual contrast with duck broth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shiso microgreen | Anise, mint, light pepper | Wilts quickly, stays tender | Bright green against amber |
| Chopped spring onion | Sharp, sulphur, fresh | Softens but retains crunch | Pale green, low contrast |
| Mizuna microgreen | Mild mustard, leafy | Holds shape, slight chew | Dark green, medium contrast |
| Watercress microgreen | Peppery, slightly bitter | Wilts fast, peppery bite | Light green, good contrast |
| Daikon radish sprout | Spicy, clean, crisp | Stays crisp, strong flavour | White stems, high contrast |
The comparison above demonstrates how shiso microgreen relates to other common ramen garnishes. While several options offer visual appeal, shiso is the only one that brings the aromatic bridge between duck fat and seafood broth without overpowering either element. Other garnishes complement the bowl in different ways, yet none replicate the flavour mediation that shiso provides for duck specifically.
Sensory experience and the deliberate finish
A bowl of duck ramen reaches the table at Men-Eiji with the broth still steaming. The microgreen sits in a small mound on one side, untouched by the heat. The first few bites use the noodles and duck, drawing flavour from the broth. Then, often by accident or instinct, a diner pushes a few drops of broth onto the microgreen. The leaf darkens slightly as it wilts, and the aroma of shiso rises immediately.
That moment is part of the design. Furukawa has described the garnish as a way to slow the diner down, to bring awareness to the final stage of eating rather than rushing through the bowl. In a culture like Australia's, where ramen is often eaten quickly at a bench seat or taken back to an office, this slowing effect matters. It invites a pause between bites, a moment to notice the broth temperature dropping, the duck cooling, the shiso releasing its oils.
The visual design of the bowl supports this. The bright green microgreen against the amber broth, the red-pink duck slices, the pale noodles, and the dark seaweed sheets create a layered composition. The microgreen is the lightest colour in that composition, drawing attention without dominating. It signals freshness at the edge of a bowl that is otherwise deep and warming.
Sourcing philosophy and supply chain choices
Choosing shiso microgreen is one decision. Sourcing it consistently through Sapporo's cold winters is another. Men-Eiji works with growers who manage perilla under controlled conditions, harvesting the microgreen in small batches to match the daily needs of both restaurants. The supply chain is short, the growers are within Hokkaido, and the cycle from seed to garnish is kept tight.
This approach reflects a wider commitment to sourcing that considers origin, seasonality, and waste. Furukawa has written about the challenge of maintaining flavour standards across international pop-ups, where the same microgreen may need to be sourced abroad. Australian pop-ups, including events in Sydney and Melbourne, have required local partnerships with microgreen growers who can match the Hokkaido product within Australian conditions. That kind of adaptation reflects the careful sourcing philosophy detailed in Men-Eiji's approach to sustainable sourcing.
For Australian diners, this means the shiso microgreen on a Men-Eiji bowl at an Australian event is not an afterthought. It is the result of deliberate choices about who grows the leaf, how it travels, and how it arrives at the counter still fresh. The brand's Bib Gourmand recognition rests on consistency across these details, not just on broth quality.
Relevance for Australian diners and the local food scene
Australian ramen has matured significantly over the past decade. In Melbourne's laneway restaurants, Brisbane's suburban counters, and Sydney's inner-city shops, chefs now treat ramen as a serious culinary form rather than a quick slurp. The growth of microgreen farms around Perth, Adelaide, and regional Victoria has given Australian chefs access to ingredients that were once difficult to source locally.
Shiso microgreen fits this landscape well. Australian growers have begun producing it in response to demand from Japanese restaurants and modern Australian kitchens that want authentic flavour with a short supply chain. Food Standards Australia New Zealand regulations require clear labelling for microgreens sold for raw consumption, and Australian growers typically follow good agricultural practices that suit restaurant supply. Diners who ask about the garnish on a duck ramen bowl are increasingly likely to hear that the microgreen was grown within the same city or state.
For home cooks trying to replicate Men-Eiji's duck ramen, shiso microgreen is now accessible through specialty grocers in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, as well as through online suppliers that ship within Australia. Treating it as an ingredient rather than a garnish, and adding it just before serving, brings the bowl closer to the Sapporo original.
Practical notes for chefs and curious diners
- Source shiso microgreen from growers who can guarantee freshness within forty-eight hours of harvest.
- Add the microgreen to the bowl just before serving, never during cooking, to preserve the volatile aromatic compounds.
- Store microgreens at four degrees Celsius in a sealed container lined with paper towel to absorb moisture.
- Pair shiso microgreen with rich, fatty proteins such as duck, pork belly, or fatty fish rather than delicate seafood.
- Avoid covering the microgreen with broth before serving; the visual presentation is part of the experience.
- For Australian suppliers, check that the producer follows FSANZ guidelines for ready-to-eat microgreens and maintains cold chain records.
- When growing at home, use a shallow tray, a fine growing medium, and harvest between ten and twenty days for the best flavour concentration.
Bring the bowl to the table with the microgreen resting on a small ceramic spoon or directly on the noodles, then watch the diner experience the final aroma as the broth touches the leaf. That small moment is where Men-Eiji's duck ramen reveals its full intention, and where a tiny green leaf carries more weight than its size suggests. Visit Hiragishi BASE or Duck Ramen EIJI in Sapporo, or look for the next Australian pop-up, to taste the garnish as it was designed to be eaten.