THE JOURNAL
Niboshi ramen at Nagi Golden Gai, Shinjuku, Tokyo. Photograph courtesy of Nagi Golden Gai
Few Westerners understand ramen like ebullient New York chef Mr Ivan Orkin. After all, it was the self-confessed Japanophile and star of Netflix’s Chef’s Table who – after dedicating himself to the intricacies of the craft 20 years ago – took the bold move to launch his debut ramen restaurant not in the US but in Tokyo’s Setagaya district in 2006. It swiftly proved a success and, having wowed the Japanese crowd, his Ivan Ramen empire later expanded to New York, establishing Orkin as a charismatic authority on all things noodles.
“The difference between a good bowl of ramen and a great bowl is the harmony,” Orkin says. “It should all feel like it flows together.” He outlines the importance of matching the noodles to soup, the supporting role played by the fat, the tare – Japanese for sauce – the broth and how the chosen toppings should never overpower the dish. “Worth remembering, too, is that eating a bowl of ramen should be fun,” he says. “It’s messy, it’s noisy and, if you eat it properly, you’re slurping and making noises that may not normally be OK.”
Having played his part in ramen’s resurgence around the world, Orkin shares his definitive list of where you should be ordering your next bowl.
01. LONDON
Bone Daddies
Breakfast Mazemen at Bone Daddies, London. Photograph by Ms Caitlin Isola, courtesy of Bone Daddies
“This mini-chain in London is all about fun,” Orkin says. “While they are serious about making ramen, they’re not afraid to colour outside the lines. They love doing mashup ramen dishes combining a Japanese aesthetic with a Western twist, like the Reuben Ramen special they ran in April. The staff are super fun and it feels like a constant party.”
02. PARIS
Kodawari Ramen Tsukiji
“This super popular shop is made to look like the since-closed Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo. Glistening floors with styrofoam boxes filled with plastic fish, signs in Japanese everywhere and voices and sounds recorded from the market. The ramen is super tasty and Jean-Baptiste Meusnier, the pilot turned ramen geek, doesn’t shy away from fishy flavours. His passion for ramen is palpable and the entire experience is memorable so line up and check it out.”
03. BRUSSELS
Umamido
Tan Tan Men at Umamido, Brussels. Photograph by Mr Pieter D’Hoop, courtesy of Umamido
“When I visited Umamido, I was struck by its simplicity. The original shop in particular is small and cosy and feels like a shop you might stumble across in Tokyo. The branding is fantastic and you immediately want to wear one of their T-shirts. The menu sticks to the basics and you can put together a great meal. They even bottle their own beer. They now have shops in Brussels, Antwerp and Switzerland.”
Chaussee de Vleurgat 1, 1050, and other various locations; umamido.be
04. NEW YORK
Nakamura
“Down the block from Ivan Ramen, this shop in the Lower East Side of Manhattan is run by one of the ramen giants of Japan, Mr Shigetoshi Nakamura. His shop in Kanagawa was legendary. I remember when he came to visit Ivan Ramen in Tokyo, I thought I would die. Now I’m proud to call him my friend. His Torigara ramen is a bowl that must be tried by anyone who calls themselves a ramen fan. Everything on the menu is delicious, but the Torigara is amazing.”
05. TOKYO
Nagi Golden-gai
Niboshi ramen at Nagi Golden Gai, Shinjuku, Tokyo. Photograph courtesy of Nagi Golden Gai
“Nagi has become something of a global empire but this shop, in my opinion, has the original DNA of what makes it such a great ramen brand. Back in the day, the owner Mr Ikuta Satoshi did everything himself, taking his fresh noodles on the train from Tachikawa (a suburb of Tokyo) all the way to Shinjuku. Nagi Golden-gai is an impossibly tiny shop at the top of a steep stairway in a seedy part of Shinjuku. The shop is so original, it has a truck mirror angled down so the staff can see who’s waiting and a hose so they can talk to you from the second floor. And the food! They serve the famous Nagi tonkotsu, but with an infusion of niboshi, or dried sardine. The Golden Gai neighbourhood is famous for tasty eateries so that’s another reason to visit if you find yourself nearby.”
〒160-0021 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Kabukicho, 1 Chome−1−10 2F, n-nagi.com
06. OSAKA
Rocking Billy Super 1
Amarock at Rocking Billy Super 1, Osaka. Photograph courtesy of Rocking Billy Super 1
“This shop is run by my good friend Shimazaki Junichi whose shop 69nroll one featured prominently in my book. He moved his operation to the Osaka area six or seven years ago. While the shop is no longer an easy trip from Tokyo, it still has his brilliant ramen. There was a time when he was king of the hill and his broths are otherworldly. While he makes different styles his chicken and dashi broths are transformative and every bowl is made with the same incredible attention to detail. It’s also so fun to watch him make a bowl of ramen, he emits a smouldering intensity that I never get tired of observing. If you find yourself in Osaka, take the short trip and try a bowl – it’s most definitely worth it.”
〒661-0012 Hyogo, Amagasaki, Minamitsukaguchicho, 3-chome−29−13 2F, @rocknbillys1