One sip… That’s what took me to fall in love with ramen in
Kyoto, four years ago. One sip of Ippudo’s tonkotsu broth. As soon as the
velvety soup hit my tongue, I knew I had discovered something important, a new
world full of surprise and satisfaction, a quest to fulfill. I then started exploring the ramen galaxy at a lazy pace, two or three bowls a week, without much structure, trying
the ramen restaurants I would find on my way – although I did of course make a
couple of pilgrimages to Kyoto station’s ramen street and Ichijoji, Kyoto's ramen mecca. My experience of the Tokyo scene remained limited to a few mythical bowls like Suzuran, Tetsu or Tomita, which were another eye-opening experience.
Then I left Japan for a few years, and came back six months ago, in Osaka. This time, I took on my quest with a bit more structure, using extensively supleks’ ramendb app on smartphone to find the best ramen shops around. But it is only when staying in Tokyo for my work that my love for ramen reached a new dimension, slurping down 55 bowls there, hunting the most recommended ones on English-speaking blogs – special thanks to the fantastic Ramen Adventures! – in the quest for the best bowls around the capital city. Ikaruga, Rokurinsha, Yakumo, Gogyou, Warito, Kikenbou, Soranoiro, Kagari, Hanamichi, Daiki, Fuunji, Kururi, Tsuta, Ushio, Bassanova, and so many others – even pushing up to Saitama and Hachioji to try Junk Garage and En… At last, I had the opportunity to try all these mythical ramen.
And when back to Osaka, I realized that the international blogging scene on Kansai ramen is quite restricted compared to Tokyo’s – mainly limited to the excellent Friends In Ramen, and a few recommendations from otherwise Tokyo-based blogs. Although I'm not a culinary expert by any means and I don’t plan to invest much time in this blog (I have a quite demanding job, a job that happens to be my passion), and even if my ramen consumption has now came back to more moderate levels (fortunately for my health), I thought I could provide a few alternative insights on ramen in Kansai - or elsewhere.
So here is my blog. On this special day, I dedicate it to my sister, hoping it will enable her to vicariously enjoy all these ramen. Bon appétit !
Then I left Japan for a few years, and came back six months ago, in Osaka. This time, I took on my quest with a bit more structure, using extensively supleks’ ramendb app on smartphone to find the best ramen shops around. But it is only when staying in Tokyo for my work that my love for ramen reached a new dimension, slurping down 55 bowls there, hunting the most recommended ones on English-speaking blogs – special thanks to the fantastic Ramen Adventures! – in the quest for the best bowls around the capital city. Ikaruga, Rokurinsha, Yakumo, Gogyou, Warito, Kikenbou, Soranoiro, Kagari, Hanamichi, Daiki, Fuunji, Kururi, Tsuta, Ushio, Bassanova, and so many others – even pushing up to Saitama and Hachioji to try Junk Garage and En… At last, I had the opportunity to try all these mythical ramen.
And when back to Osaka, I realized that the international blogging scene on Kansai ramen is quite restricted compared to Tokyo’s – mainly limited to the excellent Friends In Ramen, and a few recommendations from otherwise Tokyo-based blogs. Although I'm not a culinary expert by any means and I don’t plan to invest much time in this blog (I have a quite demanding job, a job that happens to be my passion), and even if my ramen consumption has now came back to more moderate levels (fortunately for my health), I thought I could provide a few alternative insights on ramen in Kansai - or elsewhere.
So here is my blog. On this special day, I dedicate it to my sister, hoping it will enable her to vicariously enjoy all these ramen. Bon appétit !
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