Ramen is not pretty. With all the elements converging inside a big bowl, it calls for a fair bit of slurping, swishing, messing, digging, pulling and simply surrendering to the umami. There is a focused attention to detail that goes into making the perfect bowl of ramen, elevating the dish to a global cult. This has been aced by chef Vishesh Jawarani, the founder of JSan — an Izakaya Gastro pub that opened its doors to Goa early this year. Vishesh brings with him his Michelin star halo from New York, along with an unabashed passion for Japanese pub grub, to this ‘ramen mecca’ — a pilgrimage site for ramen lovers.
Chef Vishesh Jawarani, the founder of JSan
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“Ramen is a beautiful paradox; it looks simple but is incredibly complex. It has taken a lot of research and experimentation to come up with the recipes of each ramen at JSan. The key is balance,” he reveals.
He has refused to serve sushi and sashimis, and instead, we have beautifully plated small serves, a graceful prelude to his ramen, the showstopper, of course.
Pork Tonkatsu, with a broth simmered over two days
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Japanese-inspired spaces
JSan has a gentle flow and aesthetic, with a few elements of surprise. The space is designed by Vishesh’s architect father, Somesh Jawarani, with the central theme of yūgen, or grace, and elements of wabi sabi, the concept of embracing imperfections, thrown in for good measure. The walkway from the entrance, with flaming-orange-coloured torii gates, is a stunning portal a reprieve from the rush of Anjuna, known for a certain eclectic buzz, that morphed over the years from its somewhat sketchy reputation.
The walkway from the entrance, with flaming-orange-coloured torii gates, is a stunning portal
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Kintsugi-inspired flooring with broken tiles, lovingly held together were all done during the construction phase, Vishesh tells us. “In a world obsessed with perfection and constant upgrades, wabi-sabi reminds us that there’s value in simplicity. It teaches us to slow down and appreciate what’s real; the weathered, the incomplete and the transient,” he adds.
Murmuring, water fixtures and lush gardens around create a zen-like sanctuary with a wall full of painted, leaping monkeys adding its own whimsy. Brick moulds from Vishesh’s great-grandfather’s brick mills adorn the walls, while sculptural wooden elements crafted by his father add character.
The elements of mismatch are clearly intentional, but endearing.
Reverence for craft
Vishesh has perfected three distinct noodle styles, each of which is tailored to complement different broths, right from the rich, umami tonkotsu to the milky-white and wholesome paitan.
Miso Kinoko with five different mushrooms
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A ramen lover knows that the tori paitan featuring a creamy, rich chicken-based broth is a contrast to the more popular tonkotsu ramen, which uses pork bones While the tonkotsu broth is distilled down to its essence over two days using the age-old yobimodoshi technique, which lends it a velvety finish, the tori paitan broth, is a medley of chicken carcasses, feet, skin, and wings, continuously broken down and stirred to extract maximum collagen for 12 hours. They are both, delicious and soul nourishing.
Pork Tonkotsu
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The tuna tartare and sea bass ceviche are mention-worthy openings to the meal, as is the mushroom chawanmushi, a silken egg-custard — and we didn’t miss the sushi at all.
Sea Bass ceviche
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Though the ramen does most of the talking, one must remember to save room for dessert. The Honey Butter Shokupan is jiggly and buttery; a simple and soulful sweet ending, topped with Madagascar vanilla bean ice cream, whipped cream, and seasonal fruits…we had it with mango, of course.
Cleanse the palate
JSan’s beverage menu, curated by mixologists Nitin Tewari and Suyash Pande, leans into fresh, light, and palate-cleansing flavours. Japanese ingredients and local Indian botanicals come together to create an appealing cocktail menu that is restrained, yet imaginative. The zero-proof cocktails under their Buzz Free section deserve a special mention as they were crafted with care.
Clean, crisp and refreshing umeshu cocktail
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For a true taste of Japan, try the Sakura and Umeshu, which is tart and refreshing… my favourite one from the evening. Umeshu is a Japanese plum liqueur made by steeping Japanese ume plums in alcohol and sugar, and it pairs beautifully with the delicate botanicals of gin.
Akira, a coconut and sesame fat washed take on Negroni
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For those seeking adventure and dimension, there’s Akira, with gin, Campari, sweet vermouth embracing toasty notes of black sesame and coconut. An audacious spin on the negroni!
A turning point?
Vishesh’s journey was one of redirections. With a couple of business degrees under his belt, Vishesh had first tried his hand in different vocations, then segued into the Culinary Institute of America, after which he sharpened his knife at some of New York’s most-celebrated Michelin-starred restaurants like Daniel, Atoboy, a Michelin Bib Gourmand Korean-American restaurant, and Mari, a Michelin-starred Korean handroll omakase spot. Strangely reminiscent of Carmy from comedy drama series The Bear, his trained focus, coupled with a drive from his enterprising Sindhi roots, sets him apart.
Tuna Tartare
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At JSan, he’s ably supported by his dynamic sous chef, Swamini Mandlik, who brings her own Michelin-starred experience from Le Pavillon in New York, along with an unassumingly quiet focus, giving every dish a laser-sharp precision and balance.
Why the love for Japan, we ask Vishesh?
“When I travelled to Japan, everything I had admired from a distance came to life. Eating at small ramen shops, visiting Sakai city and having a custom Japanese knife made to my preferences were unique experiences,” he says, adding, “Building relationships with knife makers, chefs, bartenders and experiencing the culture’s reverence for seasonality and simplicity, made me fall in love with it on a deeper level.”
JSan, located in Goa, next to Cliff’s Monty Guesthouse, opposite Artjuna, Monteiro Vaddo, Anjuna, is open on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday (5pm to 11pm) and Friday, Saturday and Sunday (12noon to 3pm | 7pm to 11pm). A meal for two costs approximately ₹3,500
