Tonkotsu Bar & Ramen

Honnêtement? Le meilleur des ramen que j’ai goûté à ce jour!
Ce bouillon était I-​N-​C-​R-​O-​Y-​A-​B-​L-​E! En fait le chef le fait mijoter pendant 16 heures et à mon avis il y a énormément de gras de porc, parce qu’il est effectivement extrêmement gras. Mmmmh! Les tranches de porcs posées par le dessus sont succulentes également. J’ai l’impression qu’elles avaient été marinées avant, tellement elles avaient du goût!
Quant aux nouilles, qui sont fait maison, elles étaient bonnes, mais beaucoup trop fines selon moi. J’aurais tellement aimé qu’elles soient grosses afin de bien les savourer. L’oeuf parfait et ils avaient ajouté une huile d’ail rôti par dessus qui était une très bonne idée (mais un peu difficile à digérer).
Je né regrette pas une seconde d’avoir attendu 20 min sur le trottoir par un temps glacial, ça en valait vraiment la peine! Le service était au top et rapide!
Si vous avez un long temps d’attente, vous pouvez déguster une bière (ou autre) dans la file.
J’ai aimé la déco également. Bref, il est certain que lors de mon prochain passage à Londres, j’y retourne! Je n’hésiterai pas une seconde!

This ramen place comes 2^nd to Bonedaddies for me. I liked the broth for the Tonkotsu ramen, but would like the pork to be more tender. The ambience is nice, we went on a rainy Sunday lunch in winter time so there were little people. Not sure how this place might be in night time. Would recommend this still.

If there isn’t a queue outside and you are looking for a place to eat, pop in, you won’t be disappointed. I came for a quick late lunch and was seated immediately. The Tonkotsu I got was full of flavour, the broth was insane and each different topping worked well together. What I love about this place is there are no hidden extras compared to other places which make you buy extra eggs and meat for your dish. As I said above, this place is very popular so expect a queue outside at peak time. (Visit — 18/​07/​2015 Lunch)

Tonkotsu had the friendliest service out of all the Soho ramen shops I visited, which somewhat makes up for the ramen itself not being top-​notch. I got the Tokyo ramen, with pork and chicken stock, classic noodles, bamboo shoots, marinated and braised pork belly, and a seasoned egg. The ingredients were on point, but the execution failed. The noodles weren’t al dente enough, the meat base was overwhelmed by soy sauce, and the pork belly was dried out.
Too bad, because as I said, the service is great. If you sit at the bar, you get really friendly, attentive service not just from your server, but from the cooks.

Very average bowl of ramen, below par dessert with mochi («three little moons») and poor customer service. Came here on a Saturday night, and there were no lines (though the waiter staff did tell us in a condescending tone, «here’s how you form a queue — one after the other — see, that’s how you queue»). Ordered the bowl of Tonkotsu ramen — the soup was not as thick as expected and noodles were bland. The mochi was the lowlight of the meal — they were completely frozen and even after letting them sit at the table to defrost, the taste and texture were below standard.

Two floors of a vibrant steamy Japanese noodle bar with a buzzing atmosphere. A feel of street food and full of rich aromas. Prawn Katsu and pork Gyoza starters followed by the eponymous house special, a rich pork broth (prepared for 16 hours with herb infused Lardo) laced with braised pork belly. All consumed in front of a busy open kitchen. Reasonably priced with affordable house wine (and saki!), a great way to start or end an evening.

If Bone Daddies is full then don’t fret, ramen is but a couple of streets away. So may even say it’s better but since I can’t yet compare I’ll have to save that view for another day.
In any case the gyoza are simply divine and the house ramen is definitely the one of choice.
I would say that compared to ramen in Kyoto it’s a bit saltier and it would be nice to have more than a couple of thin slices of pork.
Then again it does make for a healthier meal out option and you’ll not feel hungry.
Is this in my top places to eat… Perhaps not. Although it’s probably something I’m going to eat more of as the weather gets colder.

I had the Ramen and I really enjoyed it. I cannot make comparison with other places because this was my first Ramen experience but I have to say that was very good. The restaurant is quite small although I liked the atmosphere. I had no problem with the service. If you are not confident with this type of food this might be the right place to start with.

I’ve tasted many different ramen and I know how varied they can be but Tonkotsu showed me a whole new flavour spectrum. Although it was different from any other, it gave me all the lovely ramen comfort of a thick, flavourful broth, fresh veggies, and filling noodles. Every element was unique, from the aroma of the broth to the texture of the noodles. The mushrooms in my Shimeji, Shiitake & Miso Ramen were extraordinary and the smoked haddoc crowning my friend’s Soho Ramen was simply amazing too.
Although we were seated upstairs, where the atmosphere is less cozy and the air conditioning a bit cold, the interior is nice and modern and the staff is friendly.
As there’s no more than a choice of 5 different ramen (2x pork, chicken, fish, and mushroom) it’s logical that there’s only a single vegetarian version but I think it was good enough to make me return for that one.

I am an extremely picky ramen eater. However, I must say Tonkotsu is the best ramen in London. I’ve tried all the different ramen restaurants people have recommended me to, and I only have been satisfied with Tonkotsu. The noodles really are the perfect consistency, chewy and delicious, especially since they are made fresh. The broth is absolutely delicious and rich, a sign that it has been made over a long period of time. The egg is absolutely perfect and I have always been happy with my meal. I’ve introduced Tonkotsu to many others and they all have enjoyed it as much as I have. However, I am taking a star away because the service is not that great, yet they tag on a 12.5% service charge. The food makes it worth dealing with bad service though and paying a little extra for your bowl.

As a ramen junkie from NYC, I’ve been exploring the ramen scene in London and have been very impressed. I am a fan of tonkotsu ramen so I had to check out Tonkotsu! If they are confident enough to name the restaurant after their signature then it must be good!
I stopped in for a late lunch (no queues) and ordered the tonkotsu ramen, pork gyoza, and an Aspall Cider (goes great with pork). I sat outside and got a great view of the busy Soho streets as I ate!
The gyoza came out quickly, and they were hot, fresh, and crispy. The skins were a bit thicker than I like them, but that’s not really a huge gripe. I wish I could have mix and matched the various flavors so I could try all the dumplings, but I understand why they couldn’t do that. They were great with soy sauce, rice vinegar, and chili oil.
The tonkotsu ramen had a shio tare, and I detected a lot of ginger in the broth as well. It was relatively rich and was pretty good. The noodles were cooked well (though I usually like them to be a bit harder), and it was topped with bean sprouts, scallions, bamboo, chashu, and half of a soft-​boiled marinated egg. Solid bowl of ramen.
I liked that when you order kaedama (extra noodles), they bring it to you in a bowl with some more broth. You don’t usually see that, and it’s pretty generous.
The staff was very friendly and I chatted for a while about ramen in general and learned more about the industry scene here.
Strong spot for ramen in London for sure!

There’s a trifecta of Japanese/​ramen shops in this part of London – Kanada ya, Koya, and Tonkotsu. The décor is eclectic and yet the feel of the place is very warm. Don’t be fooled by the lack of a queue outside. The place can seat plenty.
We ordered the gyoza, pork and prawns, and both were good. And all us had the house special – the Tonkotsu. The broth was rich, creamy, and spiced perfectly. Served with pork, booked egg, and spiced bamboo shoots. But the winner was the noodles. They were thin, perfectly cooked, and held the broth well.
Well worth the visit.

I had the Tonkotsu which was very nice. My fear beforehand was the Ramen wouldn’t of been able to fill me but half way through I was proven wrong! Very filling and good portion sizes too. Quite a small place so does fill up fast get there early or you’ll be waiting for a table. Would recommend.

I would recommend the crab kokkoke and the chilli chicken rice. The tonkotsu ramen is pretty decent from what I expected.
I was expecting delectable gyozas but they are just okay.
The service was good and the place had a nice ambience to it.

Tonkotsu is just one of places in London’s new ramen scene. If a restaurant names itself Tonkotsu, you have to order their signature bowl. The ramen was pretty good: rich, flavorful, porky soup with thin noodles. I prefer chewier noodles and thought that the soup was a bit salty, but overall, it was a solid bowl. However, with so many fabulous ramen places around London, I’m not sure if I will be back at Tonkotsu again.

I have tried ramen at a few really good NYC places, and then here, and I must say I was quite enamoured by it’s flavours and taste. I also tried pork gyozo, which is again superlative, and topped it all off with the 12 year old Yamakazi whiskey, voted the best of 2014. Didn’t find the whiskey that amazing though, but it is smooth and will give most premium scotch a run for their money.

Having lived on authentic tonkotsu ramen in Japan for 3 years, I was so happy when this place opened up. I’ve taken friends here and have been many times myself. Along with just one other place in soho this is authentic Japanese fodder, at least as authentic as you’ll find in London; one spoon of the broth and I’m back in Oita.
The waitress was so accommodating of my group, one friend didn’t want the broth, so had some sides and then the ramen without the broth, no hassle at all!
The gyoza were delicious and the Asahi on draft topped the experience.
Make a night if it and pop to karaōke box around the corner after for a night of Japanese fun!

My first time having real ramen and it was so very good! I was adventurous and had the smoked haddock Ramon with fish roe and it was very tasty.
My friend had the classic ramen and they were very satisfied! The noodles are very light and you won’t feel weighed down after your meal just satisfied.

Having read about Tonkotsu in the press, but cross-​checking it with Unilocal reviews, Tonkotsu didn’t make my list of places that I must try while walking around Soho. That being said, as my fiancé and I were in search of food after hitting up Milroy’s for whiskey, and a pint at Dog & Duck, we found ourselves wandering around the area looking for something that would hit the spot on a chilly (but pleasant) October night. Randomly, I came across Tonkotsu and immediately said, «WAIT! I’ve read about this place! Let’s try it!». Having come from San Francisco, born and raised in LA, and with someone who spends a fair amount of time in New York, both of us were ready and eager to see what Tonkotsu brought to the table from a ramen perspective.
I confess that my last ramen experience in the UK was Wagamama, and I really only have one word that sums of that experience: waste of time. So, when Tonkotsu rolled out a bowl of beautiful pork stock and thin noodles topped with slices of pork belly, half an egg, menma, bean sprouts and spring onions, I was thoroughly impressed! The stock was more flavourful that I was expecting, and not overly salty or rich like I’ve had at other places. The noodles were al dente, which is also a change from what I’m used to, but not in a bad way. The bowls came out incredibly fast, so service here was on point.
On the other hand, a few things that were a little disappointing: the egg and the pork. The egg was not exactly soft-​boiled, I’d describe it more like 90% on its way to being hard-​boiled. And, the inside of it was cold. I definitely prefer the creamy egg with a soft-​warm middle. And then the pork. Unfortunately I think most people here have had the same general experience with the pork where it’s slightly overcooked (which I would gather gives it the «soft» texture) but lacked a lot of flavor and was sort of just chewy.
A girl next to me ordered the Tokyo ramen, which also looked delicious, but it seemed fitting to order the namesake dish this time around. Overall, not a bad place to randomly come across, I know that Tonkotsu definitely exceeded my expectations when it came down to a bowl of soup in London.

Oh Tonkotsu! You could be so good (apart from the Tonkotsu!)
It took me a while to try this place (I was excited by the good reviews and worried by the bad reviews) I mean Andrew even gave them one star! I reserve 1 star reviews for truly crappy companies like BT, Virgin and tesco extra… how could a ramen shop possibly be that bad?!
Well…it wasn’t that bad, in fact, most of it was truly excellent:
— 5* — The karaage chicken was gooood. You could taste all the lovely marinated flavours and it was succulent on the inside and über crunchy on the outside.
— 5* — The gyoza are handmade, so don’t expect them to look pretty, but the taste was fantastic. They also provide all the right condiments
If you’re not sure what to do: add some vinegar, soy and spicy oil into the dipping space… then dunk before you eat. You’ll look like a pro.
— 4* — The Tokyo ramen was really good, almost as good as Ittenbari. The pork belly meat was lovely, the egg was squidgy (although a bit chilled) the broth was good, but better with some spice from the chilli oil.
But…
— 2* — Unfortunately the Tonkotsu itself was a bit disappointing. The broth has a good creamy texture, but just didn’t taste of much, and the meat was chewy and fatty (but not in a melt-​in-​your-​mouth-​joy fatty way… just tough and unpleasant)
So, I liked it, but I wouldn’t come back for the actual tonkotsu soup.
p. s. I heard a few people ordering karaage and pronouncing it «ca-​rage» with a soft g (Eeep!) Please try to say «ka-​ra-​a-​geh» otherwise I am pretty sure somewhere-​or-​other Japanese chicken fairies will be dying of language-​massacre-​despair.

It’s places like this that the three star review was made for, Not horrible, not amazing, nothing to write home about but nothing to write angry railing letters against either. Straight down the middle just OK.
I’ve tried Ramen up and down London now, some of it phenomenal, some of it so bland that it makes me think they opened a packet of crunchy noodles and added that little packet of spice.
We came on a cold rainy day when soup sounded fantastic. We easily were sat at the end of a long communal wooden table (and I mean wooden, it felt like they chopped down a tree, smoothed and glazed it and set it up to be eaten on). Even though there were tons of people, I was still able to have a nice conversation with the person I was meeting with.
I got the Tonkotsu ramen, which was… ok. Lots of noodles, a ton of giant slabs of pork (so great if you like pork) which easily split apart with my spoon and a very tasty egg in the centre. However, the broth was unimpressive and just a little too salty and the spice was bland. There was no kick to it whatsoever, and sometimes very little taste. It was warm, it was filled with great ingredients, but overall, it never came together. And priced at about £10.
We also tried the edemame and Japanese pickled cucumbers. Again, both were fine, The edemame was crunchy, the cucumbers were tangy, but no real taste to either of them. Disappointing.
I wanted to love this spot and I didn’t. But I also didn’t hate it. I always feel like my three star reviews come out to whishy-​washy, like I’m just writing a very long, «Eh.» But yeah, that’s kind of the way it was.