Kyō Ramen: A Spicy and Affordable Ramen Gem in Yeonnam-dong!
My honest review - I paid for it myself!
Hello everyone!.
Today, I'm back with a review of an amazing restaurant!
I met up with my elementary school friends for the first time in a while.
One of my friends is a big fan of the anime 'Bocchi the Rock!',
so we went to Kyō Ramen, which they had wanted to visit!
Even if it wasn't for 'Bocchi,' I heard that it's a super popular place where people line up and they close early because they run out of ingredients, so I was really looking forward to it.
Kyō Ramen
385-4, Yeonnam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
8 minutes from Hongik University Station Exit 3
Open: Tuesday - Sunday, 11:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Break Time: 2:50 PM - 5:00 PM (Saturdays: 2:30 PM ~)
Closed every Monday
I heard that you have to do an 'open run' (rush to the opening) to avoid the line, so I went at 10:45 AM even though it opens at 11:30 AM!
From 11:50 AM, people started trickling in, and then the line became incredibly long!
You should arrive by 11:45 AM or earlier to get in right away (based on a Sunday visit).
There were about 5-6 chairs in front of the restaurant, so we sat and waited!
Finally entered the restaurant ㅜㅜ I was so happy that it was cool inside and they had ice water ready.
The interior was cozy and could seat about 10 people!
Posters of 'Bocchi the Rock' were plastered everywhere.
And tons of merchandise!
You order through a kiosk~.
As expected of a popular restaurant, they only have 4 menu items!
And none of the items cost over ₩10,000... such a nice place!
I ordered the Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen, regular noodles, extra spicy, + added menma (bamboo shoots)!
The regular spice level is already as spicy as Teumsae Ramen (very spicy!), so unless you're super confident in your spice tolerance, I wouldn't recommend ordering the spicy flavor ㅜㅜ.
When I sat down, I saw a colorful and kitschy refrigerator.
There was a small 'Bocchi' sticker on the beverage fridge!
Urgently seeking: Kessoku Band (Bocchi the Rock Band)
♣️Will make you an insider♣️
There are instructions on how to enjoy ramen on the table~.
It says to add garlic, ginger, and takana (?) from the side dish container after eating about half of the Tonkotsu ramen.
But it was already too spicy and stimulating for me, so I couldn't try it ㅜㅜ.
Various seasonings are set up in front of the seat~
Kelp vinegar, sesame seeds, pepper, and shichimi are prepared.
I love shichimi, but the ramen was too spicy, so I didn't even think about adding it hehe.
The side dish container contains garlic, ginger? seasoning and pickled radish.
Finally!! The ramen is here!
Comparing it to my friend who ordered the "less spicy" version, the colors are clearly different.
First, I took a sip of the broth, and I could definitely feel the spiciness, and it was very savory and salty.
The seasoning is quite rich and strong, but I think that's how Tonkotsu ramen should be.
It was a little salty towards the end.
Less spicy: A friend who finds Buldak (very spicy noodles) too spicy said it wasn't spicy at all (around Shin Ramyun level).
Spicy: I, who can eat Yupddeok (spicy rice cakes) and Buldak well, thought it was deliciously spicy.
I thought the spicy ramen was about as spicy as the original Yupddeok,
but my friend took a bite and said it seemed spicier than Yupddeok.
Instead of being just spicy, it really cuts through the richness,
so if you want to experience the rich, creamy flavor of Tonkotsu, I recommend the less spicy or regular Tonkotsu ramen.
I was so impressed that they give you a whole egg for ramen priced at ₩8,000 - ₩8,500 and Tsukemen at ₩10,000... such a cheap price ㅜㅅㅜ.
Honestly, if you want to eat ramen near Hongdae,
it costs around ₩13,000 - ₩17,000, and they only give you half an egg ㅜㅜ.
But that's not the case here~.
The egg was also perfectly cooked - a soft, bouncy, jelly-like soft-boiled egg!
Two other friends ordered Tsukemen.
I've only had Tsukemen once in my life, and it was too salty, so it wasn't a good experience, so I ordered ramen,
but I stole a little bit of the Tsukemen broth from this place, and it had a very deep flavor, so I'll have to come back to eat Tsukemen next time!
(There was a review saying it was better than Tsukemen they ate in Japan).
Overall score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Even though I'm not a big fan of noodles,
the noodles were chewy, and the broth was rich, so I enjoyed the ramen.
I ordered it with regular firmness, and it was still chewy until the end.
Above all, the price is cheap, and the portion is very generous, so it was a satisfying meal.
I don't eat ramen often, so I can't say what level it is, but my friends all said they wanted to visit again.
You can choose the firmness of the noodles and the spiciness, so I recommend it to spice lovers like me!
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