Gaijin Ramen, the ramen restaurant where everything is homemade

We're heading for the 9th arrondissement of Paris, and more specifically Rue Jean-Baptiste Pigalle, to discover Gaijin Ramen, a new Japanese restaurant that pays tribute to ramen, the emblematic dish of the land of the rising sun. At the helm is Kévin, a former lawyer turned restaurateur who took almost 6 years to bring his project to fruition.

It was while walking with friends in search of a restaurant that would make everyone agree that the idea clicked in his mind. A trip to Japan won him over, a few years living above Kodawari ramen, and the idea was born. With the help of a business partner who had moved on to other adventures in the meantime, he spent many months dreaming up the project.

When the project, and in particular the ramen recipes, were fully matured and tested with friends and family, the Covid came along. Far from giving up on the project, he decided to launch his own dark kitchen and come up with a concept for a fresh ramen kit, delivered to your door. The result was the Geijin Ramen Lab, still in operation today. By the way, if you're looking to make good ramen at home, whether you're in Paris or elsewhere in France, delivery by chronofresh is possible.

After a few setbacks with the premises, the restaurant finally opened its doors at the end of June. On site, we discover a long spot. At the entrance, a counter on the right presents itself to us, in front of which we find a few tables. Continuing on, a second, larger room with an open kitchen lets us watch the chefs in action.

The menu features entirely homemade dishes. We choose the excellent chicken Gyozas, available in a vegan version. The restaurant also offers sandos (those famous Japanese sandwiches) and Donduri (rice bowls with chicken, pork and even duck breast).

• To be read
• Tips for the week of November 18 to 24, 2024 in Paris: free or inexpensive outings
• What to do in Paris and the Paris Region in November 2024? Our tips and ideas for outings
• Where to eat out in Paris? Good addresses, discoveries and favorites by arrondissement

Then there's the range of different ramen to discover. Here, even the noodles are homemade, which can cause fluctuations in texture depending on the weather. You can opt for a vegetarian broth with miso and roasted vegetables, a broth with sea bream or the besf-of, Tori, a broth with free-range chicken, black garlic and soy.

We let ourselves be tempted by the unusual ramen of the moment, which is duck broth ramen with Shoyu citrus fruits, with slices of duck breast and a piece of foie gras that melts and mixes partly with the broth. A surprisingnoodle soup to try if you're a fan of southwestern specialties. If you like full-bodied, generous broths, this is the soup for you.

My sidekick plays it safe and chooses a safe bet, the Tori Special ramen with grilled pork belly, bamboo shoots, pickled tamago egg, lotus and nori seaweed.

Comforting, ideal when the weather's bad (or not), ramen is the perfect idea for a complete meal that's still affordable. If you'd like to finish on a sweet note, the house offers Japanese cheesecakes in raspberry, matcha or yuzu flavors, as well as artisanal mochi.

Last but not least, the best thing about Gaijin Ramen is that you can easily reserve your table and time slot online. This avoids the waiting times and interminable queues that can occur at some ramen restaurants. We therefore advise you to book in advance, but if you haven't done so, you should know that the house always leaves unreserved tables for impromptu visits.

Happy ramen to all!