Shoryu Ramen

I should have many food reviews because I ate out almost all day. In case it wasn’t obvious I thought I’d let you know that I currently have a serious obsession with oriental food so I’m basically visiting almost all oriental restaurants in London and the area where my university is. This is not how you should spend your student loans because right now I am completely and utterly BROKE – slightly regretting that I didn’t think about saving up some money for when I would actually need it.

Shoryu Ramen can be found in five different places in London and serves Japanese cuisine. Their main dish being Ramen – I still prefer my packet/pot Nongshin Ramen but their one is definitely worth trying.

It was raining in London (as always) and normally this would make it ten times more difficult to find the Restaurant however once in Soho, it was quite easy to find (with the help of a map).

Shoryu has a really unique way of telling everyone that a customer has arrived – as opposed to the old fashioned bell that would ring when you opened the door; someone would actually hit the gong that was by the door, which left me quite fascinated. They gave us a nice comfy table, with a sofa on one side and two chairs on the other and where we sat down to decide what we wanted.

I sent them the menu to both my friends a week ahead because I hate indecisive people that spend 20 – 30 minutes deciding what they want to eat whilst I sit there trying to control my very hungry stomach. I got the Piri Piri Ramen which I felt like was supposed to have something to do with Nando’s but it’s just extra spicy – which I love because my inner Asian just drools over spicy food. I also ordered the side dish - Chicken Karagare with a cup of Green Tea. I think I’m glutton though because normally I order everything I like the sound of but can’t even finish.

The Ramen broth was perfect – enough said. I find that ‘Japanese Ramen’ just seems to have thicker noodles in comparison to my normal packet ramen. I don’t know if that’s because of where they originate from but it doesn’t matter because although the noodles were thicker I was still able to enjoy it. The dish as a whole was beautiful in colour and taste; I would most definitely buy it again and again and again.

Chicken Karagare, you can never really go wrong with this – I had this dish at Tonkotsu Bar and Ramen as well, which is why I ordered it because when I went there it was a dish I loved. The outside was crispy and the actual chicken itself was tender because of the way it was cooked it really didn’t require any form of dipping sauce. Trust me, you need to order this and try it for yourself – your eyes will open to a whole new world.

I found this a problem at both Tonkotsu Bar and Ramen and Shoryu Ramen. The portion for the Ramen itself is so big that it’s practically impossible to eat the ramen and the sides by yourself (I shared my sides). I’m never too sure if this is a good thing or bad thing. I can’t complain about them giving me so much food because honestly I’m thankful I get my moneys worth but I find I can’t finish it and then feel bad about leaving it to go to waste. So if you go to any Ramen shop and you find that you have a petite appetite like me then a good way to save money would be to share the dish with a friend. I think between two people you could have one ramen and two or three sides –some people may find that impossible but it’s perfect for me.

I did prefer this restaurant to Tonkotsu Bar and Ramen only because at that Ramen store they made us squish onto a tiny table and sit by the door; which isn’t a nice thing to do. The customer service here was also really good as everyone seemed nice and welcoming. On the particular day that we went to Chinatown, it was Chinese New Year so I thought I'd share pictures I took whilst I was there.

Thank you for reading J

P.S. Do you have any restaurants you really like in London? Or wherever you live?