Oh Ramen, my Ramen...
Ramen has got to be one of my all time favorite comfort foods. Ramen is simple and comforting. Ramen is addictive. Heck, a ramen done right can probably mend a broken heart.
Lucky for us in Hong Kong, there have been quite a few decent ramen joints to pop up all over town in the past few years. From the likes of factory style giants such as Ichiran, to more bespoke shops like Shugetsu, to Ramen Champion - the insane free-for-all ramen only food court, we are now officially spoilt for choice. But where do you go when you just want to get some #Ramenlove without having to stand in a long queue with mobs of other hungry people?
Koku Ryu Ramen (黑龍）@ 29 Swatow Street in Wanchai is one of my latest favourite ramen discoveries. This is a small modest shop, run by modest Japanese people, serving up small modest bowls of noodles. You won't find any bells and whistles here - no truffle shaving toppings or anything crazy like that. Its noodle menu is basic, offering 3 flavours of ramen, and 2 flavours of tsukemen. In its simplistic elegance, this shop reminds of the tiny, non-descript noodle joints that you would find in a back allies of chill Japanese towns like Nagano.
Their house specialty is their beef tendon Tsukemen (dipping noodle), which is obviously awesome, but they also offer "ordinary" ramen, which is far from ordinary. With a choice of chicken, pork rib or beef tendon soup, each of these soup bases is a memorable experience. The soups, like the presentation, really are nothing surprising at first. But as you keep slurping, you'll find yourself gradually and increasingly engrossed in the Umami-ness of it all... When you finally pause for a breather, you'll realize that your bowl is now empty.
Apart from noodles, they do also serve a legit side combo of gyozas and draft beer. Not the main star of the show but hey, who can refuse a few gyozas paired with a cold nama!
I hope you'll like this one, and happy eating!
my #Twocents.
