次郎ラーメン(タイムズスクエア支店)

After going to another famous ramen place, I wasted my money and, with an open mind, decided I really liked cheap ramen. Instead, I went to a random ramen place attached to a department store. Why do people always hit the jackpot when they least expect it? Jiro Ramen is a legendary ramen place with its main branch in Hongdae, and it's the only branch here. Of course, Japanese ramen is salty. If you go to the mainland and order ramen, it's incredibly rich, but of course? It was incredibly rich for our palates. There were many options when ordering using the tablet kiosks placed at each table, including the degree of doneness of the noodles and the richness of the broth. If I were a regular person, I would have noticed right away, but at the time, having already spent money on various places, I just assumed anticipation was a luxury and just thought, "Well, there are options." I think it was Set 2? You can get a rice and ramen set. Other, less-than-ideal restaurants don't allow you to change the ramen in a set, but here, you can change any ramen. The rice initially tasted like it had a texture and aroma similar to an egg yolk sneaked into the soy sauce. I thought, "Hmm? I don't think there's an egg yolk in it," and continued eating. The soy sauce seemed to have been roughly sprinkled on, but if you scooped it up a little, it was just right. What really surprised me was that after ordering, I came back late, saying I was doing something else, and the ramen wasn't on the table... That's right... they don't serve ramen when there's no customer (!!!!) I asked the staff and they confirmed this, so it must have been intentional. I could tell how much care they put into the noodles, and in anticipation, I quickly stirred the ramen and took a bite... But they came out with thin noodles, which I dislike. But I didn't think much of it. I was just going to eat something and catch the train anyway, so I was just going to fill my stomach and go. But this is where my perception of thin noodles completely shattered. Who would expect al dente noodles in ramen? Who would...not even pasta? The moment I chewed the noodles, the springy texture felt like it bounced off my teeth, and I was shocked, my eyes widening. But no matter how many times I chewed, the same texture repeated itself. From then on, the previous scenes flashed through my mind, and I realized this wasn't a coincidence, so I quickly took a sip of the broth. Hmm. As expected. Salty. But then, a series of rich, intense flavors gently hit me. So, I realized that the strengths and advantages of Japanese ramen had been successfully localized to Koreans, with minimal repercussions. For someone like me who pays even the slightest attention to their food, the quality was so incredible that it was impossible to notice. Unlike other ramen places that compete on turnover, if you can customize everything from the richness of the broth to the firmness of the noodles, while still keeping the same price as other places, then this is Michelin, but where is it? Also, if the chashu is overcooked, it becomes braised short ribs, and if it's undercooked, it becomes like boiled pork. I don't know what constitutes true chashu, but I think it's somewhere between 70% boiled pork and 30% grilled pork. I really hope those places that accurately replicate that quality and then sell crappy frozen chashu for 4,000 won for three pieces will reflect on their actions. I'll repeat: I've heard that real Japanese ramen is so rich and salty that Koreans can't even take more than a spoonful. This is truly a perfect localization. I ordered the regular broth this time, but next time I plan to order a thicker broth and firmer noodles. I had planned a trip to Japan to see what real Japanese ramen was like, but something came up and I had to cancel. I felt so good, like I had traveled to Japan for only 16,000 won. Oh, and there were no customers when I sat down, but by the time I left, there were full tables. Don't trust useless reviews. Don't trust mine either. Just check to see if a restaurant has a line or a full table before you go.