Burnt Ramen at Gogyo Ramen, Kyoto

It isn't very often that a meal with the word 'burnt' in front of  it can turn out well. However Japan being Japan, of course someone figured out how to make it deliciously scrumptious. A little hidden jem in Kyoto, Gyoto Ramen near the Nishiki market serves up very delicious, burnt-flavoured ramen. Having read up reviews on it, I made it a point to visit it on my trip to Kyoto recently.

My sister and I got to the restaurant just before noon and were lucky that there wasn't a queue. We were shown to our table within the posh stylish restaurant with a zen garden in the middle and its backyard. If you're lucky, sometimes the bar seating are available, permitting you to witness for yourself the chefs at work as they set ablaze their signature ramen dish. 

Their specialties lies in two separate dishes which are the Kogashi Soy Ramen and the Kogashi Miso Ramen. Both broths are cooked at 300 degrees to bring out that smokey earthy taste that gave it the edge over ordinary ramen. I opted for the Soy Ramen while my sister had the Miso ramen. 

Both were rich in flavour yet very distinctive in their own way. The soy ramen broth ordered a saltier, slightly clearer surface that went deliciously well with the pork pieces. As for the Miso ramen, it offered a denser, sweeter flavour but nevertheless went well with the meal. 

Both portions were huge and did well to satisfy my growling tummy. I lapped the bowl clean and consoled myself by walking around Kyoto a lot for the next few days and also running a 42km race.

Each bowl cost about 1,130 yen with the cheapest, most basic ramen with no toppings starting at 880 yen.  Would I queue for this place on its busiest day in winter? Hell yeh! 

Goygo Ramen, Nishiki Market Kyoto 

Address: 452 Jumonji-cho, Yanaginobaba Dori, Takoyakushi-sagaru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
Getting there: Kawaramachi station, Hankyu line. Head along Nishiki Market and look out for the Yanagi Baba Dori (Yanagi Baba road) Gogyo Ramen can also be found via Google Maps.

Contact number: +81 075 254 5567
Opening Hours: 11:30 am – 3:00 pm, 6:00 pm – 12:00 am (Mon-Fri)

                           11:30 am – 4:00 pm, 5:00 pm – 12:00 am (Sat); 

                           11:30 am – 4:00 pm, 5:00 – 11:00 pm (Sun), last orders half an hour before closing.