In the name of silky noodles, from tender chāshū to the holy broth: Ramen! Despite the Menkicchi eatery (unfinished stone walls, beer barrel barstools, a steamy kitchen) having barely opened its doors, its big, smoking hot bowls already rank amongst the best Japanese noodles we’ve ever had the good fortune of slurping up. The reason why? The bandana-wearing master that is Makoto Saegusa, who alchemizes three versions of the magic soup… The day we went for lunch, the initial spoonful of the “classic” broth (which also exists in miso and shoyu versions) unleashed a veritable tsunami on our taste buds! The smoking hot, golden brown, concentrated pork and chicken stew sent waves of umami in augmented reality, plus crackling seaweed sheets, a runny nitamago egg, plenty of chives, strips of flavorful pork and a philharmonic of homemade Japanese noodles. Even without an appetizer or dessert, we’ve never had such a good time savoring Japanese soup in Paris! // Matthieu-Jauniau-Dallier
FEELING THIRSTY? Kirin beer on tap (€4 for 250 ml), Coke (3.50) or organic green tea (€2.50)… and that’s all!
PRICE: Ramen €14-15, sides €3-6.
