Ramen Bowl: Japanese street food in Paris's 8th arrondissement

Since March 2018, rue de Ponthieu has welcomed a newcomer called Ramen Bowl. This street food cantine puts Japanese dishes in the spotlight with Ramen of course, but also the famous Donburi or tapas to share, all concocted by Japanese chef Hiroki Masaki.

Having worked in a number of the capital's prestigious establishments (Lucas Carton, Le Cinq at Georges V, Michel Trama, Hanawa...), the Tokyo-born chef decided to return to the gastronomy of his homeland. For Ramen Bowl, Hiroki Masaki offers a generous and delicious cuisine that inevitably invites you to travel.

But before I'm transported to the other side of the planet, I'm delighted to discover the meticulous decor imagined by Japanese interior designer Kunihiko Takano (KT Architect). Modern and urban, the atmosphere is sublimated by two immense graffiti works signed by the artist Oji, who has already left his mark on the walls of Paris, Naples, Marseille, Brooklyn... Street art invites itself not only on the walls of Ramen Bowl, but also on the counter's hood with this all-over of tags.

After all that wonder, it's time for a tasting session, with no fewer than 10 ramen recipes on the menu.

A quick reminder for those who have never tasted ramen in their lives: this dish consists of a large bowl filled with a broth, noodles, meat or fish, vegetables and a seasoning (miso, soy sauce...).

To satisfy all tastes, the Chef has created five ramen with a light chicken broth and two ramen with a thick chicken broth.

The best part? The ramen without broth, " Shiru Nashi Ramen ", with fresh noodles coated in a fine oyster sauce, topped with spicy minced chicken and a variety of vegetables, mizuna, seaweed, fried onions and bamboo shoots.

There's also " Tsuke Men ", a ramen where the noodles are served separately from the thick broth.

Ramen Bowl focuses on quality, with a broth made from free-range chicken and simmered for 12 hours, noodles made on site with French wheat flour, and ingredients imported directly from Japan! All without preservatives or colorants.

Among the must-try dishes are " Shoyu Ramen ", made with clear chicken broth, noodles and pork chashu, and " Yuzu Shio Ramen ", where a zest of yuzu is added to the recipe.

For my part, I opt for the excellent and atypical " Kurogoma Ninniku Ramen " with its succulent clear chicken broth with a base of black sesame and garlic, soy sauce, dried fish, seaweed, chitake and pork chashu. A real treat for my taste buds!

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Kurogoma Ninniku Ramen

For those with bigger appetites, you can also add side dishes such as soft-boiled egg marinated in soy sauce, bamboo shoots (Menma), or a bowl of rice...

My sidekick opts for the Donburi (a large bowl of rice with a garnish), revisited here in a smaller version, with the"Tori don" recipe with minced chicken and lightly spiced spices. A change of scenery guaranteed!

Tori Don

Three other recipes are available on the menu, including"Buta Chashu" with marinated pork and"Beji Don" (mixed vegetables with a bowl of rice).

That evening, we also had the opportunity to try some Japanese tapas to share. No fewer than 16 tapas are on offer, each as tempting as the next: shrimp tempura salad, Japanese beef tataki with tangy yuzu sauce, or mini pancakes stuffed with octopus. We opt for the melting eggplant with miso sauce au gratin with cheese and the delicious sliced duck fillet with yuzu miso sauce.

Eggplant in miso sauce au gratin with cheese

Sliced duck fillet with yuzu miso sauce

Finally, to end on a sweet note, we fall for the yuzu cheesecake, which is both light and gourmet: the perfect dessert to end a meal!

Yuzu cheesecake

To accompany your meal, Ramen Bowl suggests beer, sake, an excellent and refreshing mojito flavored with Shiso, or Shochu, an alcohol distilled mainly from rice, buckwheat and barley. Here, it's sipped as a cocktail made with lemon, grapefruit or peach and sparkling water.

Sitting around a table or directly at the counter, Japanese-style, the better to watch the Chef at work, you're bound to be transported to the Land of the Rising Sun thanks to Hiroki Masaki's delicious recipes. We love it. And when are you going?

Please note that it's been over 4 years since our last visit, so the place and experience may have changed.