6 Spots to Get Your Ramen Fix

Ramen today has a cult following in every major Eastern and Western city alike. Although considered a classic Japanese dish, ramen has a Chinese origin and made its way to Japan in 1859. The word “ramen” itself is derived from the Chinese lamian (拉面), which translates to "hand-pulled noodles," (we’ve all had our fair share of those at the corner noodle shops that dot every street in China). From tonkotsu to shoyu to Hokkaido-style ramen, I could eat it for every meal and never get bored. Here’s a recap of some excellent ramen spots around Shanghai to get your slurp on:

Butao

Address: Room L112, 1/F, 88 Tongren Lu

Tel: NA

Hours: Monday-Sunday 11am-9pm

Within the first sip of Butao’s unctuous broth, I knew it rivaled some of the best, even when compared to the ramen Mecca that is Tokyo. Their thick, pork-bone based broth is packed with so much flavor, it’s hard to even comprehend it all. I went a bit rouge and ordered the Black King Ramen (RMB 72), which was possibly the best decision of my life. Filled with the aroma of roasted garlic, the saltiness of squid ink, and the subtle sweetness from the minced pork, my mind went as black as the color of the broth, and before I knew it, the bowl was empty. 

At Butao, patrons can customize every aspect of their ramen; from the richness of the broth to the spiciness of the seasoning, from the thickness of the noodles, to the fattiness of the pork cut, every detail can be tailored to the consumer’s liking. Without a doubt, the add-on of the Marinated Japanese Egg (RMB 13) is a must. It is hands down the most expertly cooked egg with an oozing creamy yolk that screams #yolkporn the second you cut into it. 

Aori

Photo credit: Dianping user Kathy_13

Address: No. 23, 2/F, 248 Taikang Lu

Tel: [phone]

Hours: Monday-Sunday 11am-9:30pm

A downside of dining alone is sitting at a table for two, pretending you’re waiting for someone else to arrive. At Aori, you can skip the awkward eye contact and waiter interaction completely with their one-person booths. This allows you to focus on what’s important, devouring some classic, no-frills tonkotsu ramen without interruption. Choose between the Aori (RMB 58) and Aori Lite (RMB 52) and customize your bowl with complimentary add-ins. While the eggs are a little overcooked for my liking (I’m always after that runny yolk), the grilled chashu pork is pure meat candy. The broth portion is quite generous, so that extra serving of noodles for RMB 10 is worth considering for those with a bigger appetite.  

Ippudo

Address: Room 235, LG2/F, IAPM Mall, 999 Huaihai Zhong Lu (and 7 other locations around Shanghai)

Tel: [phone]

Hours: Monday-Sunday 11am-9:30pm

It’s an internal instinct to recoil when a chain restaurant is mentioned. It conjures lackluster images of fluorescent lighting, poorly upholstered booths, sticky plastic menus, and sad-looking food (did anyone else’s family go to Applebee’s or Chili’s too much?) However, the Ippudo chain restaurant from Japan couldn’t be further from that mental picture. 

Ippudo boasts 5 ramen choices, all of which can be served “special” for those wanting an egg, more pork, and 2 nori sheets for an extra RMB 10. I’m a big fan of their new Tsukemen ramen (RMB 55) that comes with sticky wheat noodles and a warm, savory broth for dipping and slurping. The soup at Ippudo is a bit thin, but for reliably yummy ramen, it doesn’t disappoint. The menu includes other Japanese favorites like their perfectly-cooked Gyoza Dumplings (RMB 18 for 6), sticky charred Japanese Grilled Eel Rice Bowl (RMB 58 for a big portion, RMB 38 for a small portion), and Spicy Tofu with Minced Pork (RMB 28). 

Ichiryuan

Address: Room 201, Shanghai Centre, 1376 Nanjing Xi Lu

Tel: [phone]

Hours: Monday-Sunday 11am-9:30pm

For a quick, unpretentious, and satisfying lunch in the Shanghai Center, Ichiryuan fits the bill. This Sapporo-style ramen shop adds their own twists to traditional ramen through inventive toppings and unique flavor combinations. Instead of the standard soft-boiled egg, Ichiryuan serves a softly scrambled egg to mix in your ramen so you can enjoy a little egg with every bite. Their Mapo Ramen (RMB 62) is a hit for spice lovers, and leaves your mouth tingling with that signature mala spice. The Miso Ramen (RMB 66) is a light and refreshing alternative to the fattier tonkotsu broth. Despite the intriguing look of the thinly f 47 31253 47 14942 0 0 909 0 0:00:34 0:00:16 0:00:18 3410ried layer connecting the bottom of the Gyoza (RMB 25) the taste was fairly average, leaving us wishing we saved more room for ramen instead. 

Ieyasu

Photo Credit: Bonapp user KanaSugar

Address: No. 4, 48 Xingyi Lu

Tel: [phone]

Hours: Monday-Sunday 11:30am-2pm, 5pm-9:30pm

Although a bit further out of the city in Hongqiao, this tsukemen noodle shop serves up more than your average bowl of ramen. Here, the chewy noodles and usual ramen toppings, like their gooey egg, fatty pork and crispy nori shreds, are served cold in a separate dish from the warming broth. The marinated bamboo shoots and crispy fried rice ball are not something I’d usually think to add to ramen, but the texture and flavor combination of it all together brings the whole dish to a new level. In my opinion, it’s way more fun to mix up the noodles yourself, dip them in broth bite by bite, and end the meal with splatters on your shirt. (Leftovers anyone?) 

Ramen David

Photo Credit: Bonapp user Larissa Yuani

Address: 288 Fengxian Lu

Tel: [phone]

Hours: Monday-Sunday 11am-2pm, 5pm-10pm

Ramen David received a lot of hype when it first opened that unfortunately quickly dwindled due to inconsistent quality. Regularly serving up 3 traditional ramen options, tonkotsu, chicken shio, and chicken sho-yu, patrons don’t need to confuse themselves when ordering. Plus, with a solid location and value lunch sets at RMB 50 that include ramen and 3 gyoza, who can complain. The tonkotsu is definitely a step above the other 2 choices if you’re looking for robust, rich broth. The Chicken Soup Shio Ramen (RMB 48 with a soft-boiled egg) reminded me a bit too much of the overly salty yet still bland Campbell’s Chicken Soup. Although Ramen David can be a hit or miss, but when it’s on point, it’s worth it.

Bonus: Joy City Ramen Arena

Address: 7/F, Joy City Mall, No. 166 Xizang North Road

Tel: NA

Hours: Monday-Sunday 10am-10pm

If you still can’t decide, pop over to the Ramen Arena in Joy City Mall. With 7 ramen shops all hailing from Japan, this spot took its inspiration from the famous Tokyo Ramen Street outside the Yaesu Underground Exit of Tokyo Station. Here you can wander the narrow lanes filled with Japanese trinkets and pop into whichever ramen shop smells the most enticing. Choose from Hokkaido-style ramen at Ebiso Ichigen, shio (salt chicken broth) ramen from Takeichi, or tonkotsu ramen from Musashi-ya, among other options. 

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