Ramen kingdom, a touch of Japan

When you think of ramen, your first thought is probably tonkatsu. A bowl that celebrates pork in all its glory, whether it’s in the soup or the braised pork stacked on top. It’ll stick to your ribs, make you all warm inside, and fill you up for the rest of the day. Ramen Kingdom has successfully taken the ramen experience from Japan and put it into a small shop close to the central station. Let’s get into it.

Need for speed

In Europe, we’ve gotten used to a different kind of ramen culture than the one that started in Japan a long time ago. Here in the West, we take our time eating ramen, talking to our friends, watching our shows, or reading our books. Ramen has a high price tag sometimes, and we want to savor every sip. However, in Japan, it’s not the same deal. Ramen, like fries or Haring are for us in Amsterdam, is a quick meal in between a busy schedule. You walk in, sit down, order, eat, pay, and leave, all within fifteen minutes. You really can’t beat that level of efficiency while maintaining that level of quality. Ramen kingdom is a nudge to that culture. Sure, on a good day, you’ll stand in line for up to thirty minutes. But once you’re in, you’ll be back out within half the time you spent waiting, and it’ll be the best fifteen minutes of your life.

Like a hug

The ramen you’ll eat here is a classic tonkatsu pork ramen. A thick and creamy pork broth, the result of hours and hours of boiling and stewing. Thick noodles with a slight chew to absorb all that delicious flavor. And finally, the braised pork. My god the pork. It is meaty and soft, and the grill just adds a hint of fire to all of that goodness. Once it hits your tastebuds, it’ll just melt away. Combined, it is an unforgettable bowl of ramen, and you’ll never want it any other way.

The final bite

Ramen is one of those dishes that comes in so many different styles and types. The broth, the noodles, the toppings, everyone does it differently. I could write an entire blog just about the differences in ramen and which ones are my favorite, but I’d neglect all the other amazing food in this city. For me, Ramen Kingdom simply blew me away with the level of quality and the experience they bring to the table. I was transported back to my short trip in Tokyo, eating ramen with the locals and discovering what a classic bowl of ramen is like.

Like most things in Amsterdam, sometimes the best meals come with a higher price tag. Ramen Kingdom is one of them. But, as you’ll find with some of my other articles, this one is worth the money, a hundred times over. Ramen Kingdom is the real deal. You get a fantastic bowl of ramen with quality ingredients, a hearty broth that’ll fill you with joy, and the porkiest pork you’ll ever taste in your life.