Isshin: the excellent Japanese ramen restaurant with immersive decor in Paris

Think you know all there is to know about Japanese gastronomy? Think again. With its unsuspected richness and perpetual evolution, Japanese cuisine has always seduced the taste buds of the French. For many years now, Japanese addresses have been springing up all over the capital. And some of these Japanese restaurants have no shortage of imagination to arouse the curiosity of even the most discerning gourmets. If you're looking for a new spot with ultra-polished decor and incredibly tasty dishes, then head for Paris's 2nd arrondissement.

It's here, a stone's throw from the Grands Boulevards, that Isshin opened its doors in summer 2022. Behind this restaurant, which is well worth a visit, is Chef Shu Hasegawa. After spending six years at Cyril Lignac's Bar des Prés, the Tokyo-born Japanese chef decided to return to his first love by opening Isshin Ramen.

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For this Japanese restaurant dedicated to ramen, customers are immersed in an original décor, inviting them to travel. Colorful lanterns, Torii gates, traditional masks, crates... we're immediately transported by this immersive setting, enhanced by a continuous soundtrack that plunges us even further into the streets of Tokyo. At Isshin, gourmets will find a variety of spaces. Between the first floor, with its large tables and 180° view, and the first floor, with its colorful decor, the choice is difficult. For groups, it's possible to privatize the lovely little Zen lounge in the basement.

If the decor immediately catches our eye, so do the dishes. What's on the menu? Tonkotsu-style ramen, as traditionally cooked in the Kyushu region of southern Japan. For the less experienced, ramen is a dish based on an ultra-flavored broth topped with noodles and various toppings (marinated soft-boiled egg, bamboo shoots, nori seaweed...).

The menu features no less than six ramen recipes, all available in classic or special versions, meaning a heartier ramen for bigger appetites.

Among the must-try dishes, our favorite is the " special mayu ramen ", made with a succulent pork tonkotsu broth, melting fresh noodles, ultra-tender braised pork chashu, spring onion, menma, mayu (delicious caramelized black garlic oil), nori seaweed and the famous soft-boiled egg marinated in soy sauce. It's a delicious blend that seduces and delights us from the very first bite!

We also loved the " ramen wonton-men special " , featuring pork tonkotsu broth, fresh noodles and pork chashu, topped with shrimp wontons (the famous ravioli). A tasty, gourmet dish offering an incredible blend of land and sea!

For lovers of spicy flavours, opt for the " Shinmen ramen " , made from minced pork with Japanese spices.

But Isshin also features other Japanese street food specialties, such as the unmissable gyozas and donburis. As for tapas to share as an appetizer, you'll love the tender fried Kara-Age chicken fritters, the soft bao with crispy chicken or theOkonomi Yaki, tasty vegetable patties with dried bonito. If you've never tried this specialty before, we highly recommend it!

And if you still have a little room for something sweet, opt for the yuzu cheesecake, the indisputable dorayaki or the unavoidable iced mochi.

After this highly successful culinary voyage to the land of the Rising Sun, we can't help but want to return as soon as possible, to the point of making it our new HQ! And you, which ramen are you going to fall for?