[Hong Kong] Can I say I am once envious of my Hong Kong friends for this tiny fact? That Hong Kong has Ichiran Ramen 一蘭, but Singapore doesn’t.
Yes, and other than Causeway Bay, there is another branch at Tsim Sha Tsui – the biggest Ichiran in the world with 182 seats and one that offers COMMUNUAL seating.
All the other Ichiran branches offer also (lonesome) individual booths for dining. The private booths are so that customers can concentrate fully on appreciating the ramen.
Ichiran at Causeway Bay (individual booths) vs Ichiran at Tsim Sha Tsui (communal dining)
Ichiran Ramen was founded in Hakata Fukuoka way back in the 1960s. Its winning formula can be attributed to thin, long, firm Hakata-style noodles; creamy smooth classic pork-based tonkotsu soup, topped with Ichiran’s original red pepper sauced mixed with 3 type of spices.
The Causeway Bay outlet is similar to the Japanese ones in terms of ordering and seating: Queue up, fill up the customised sheets, wait for a booth set, and EAT. The difference, you pay at the end instead of the start via the vending machine.
The stock, noodles and most of the ingredients are delivered directly from the Japanese HQ central kitchen.
With that said, I wasn’t as impressed with the ramen (HKD$101 with egg) I had. (Compared notes with another friend who tried both and we had the similar response.)
While the bowl looked the same in terms of presentation, the noodles were soggier, egg not as tasty as I remembered. But the biggest disparity was the soup stock – visibly more diluted and wasn’t as robust and full in taste.
Not quite the real deal, but good enough to qualify as one of the best ramen available in Hong Kong. Plus, Ichiran is available 24/7, all year round.
Ichiran Hong Kong 天然豚骨拉麵專門店一蘭
Shop F – G, G/F, Lockhart House Block A, 440-446 Jaffe Road, Hong Kong (Causeway Bay Exit C)
Tel: +852 2116 4802
Opening Hours: 24 Hours
Tsim Sha Tsui
Entrance Hall on G/F & Shop B, Basement Floor, 8 Minden Avenue
尖沙咀棉登徑8號地庫B鋪及地下入口大堂
九龍 尖沙咀 棉登徑8號 地庫 B舖 及 地下入口大堂
Opening Hours: 24 Hours
Other Related Entries
10 Must Eat Food In Hong Kong
10 Best Dim Sum Restaurants In Hong Kong
10 Must Go Places In Hong Kong For Sweet Treats
Tsim Chai Kee 沾仔记 (Hong Kong)
Mak’s Noodles 麥奀雲吞麵世家
The post Ichiran Ramen – Long Queues At Both Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.