Ananya Anoop
Very nice chicken katsu curry and friendly waiters. I went back to have the chicken katsu ramen and I wasn't fully pleased, it was definitely very tasty however not the same katsu curry flavour, still very good food nonetheless.
Lili L
We had a nice time at Shoryu. Their ramen was exactly what we needed on a long cold day. We managed to book a table the same day a bit in advance so we didn't have to wait to be seated. We tried the Tonkotsu Ramen and it was really good. The broth was very savory and the portion was alright.
Candy C WONG
Food is authentic Japanese ramen. But it will be better if customers can be seated once tables are available.
maria
Absolutely amazing food, great vibe and everything
My only very small complaint is, that it took a little while for the waiter to write down the food, but that’s about it
Would defiently go here again
Khanh
The vegan white Ramen was really tasty! The noodles were just right and the broth very savory. I added an extra egg because I love the japanese Nitamago in general and I really reccomend it because it upgrades your ramen significantly.
Aishwarya Banga
Chicken katsu curry Ramen is the most popular and it does meet the expectations. The broth is rich and the noodles are perfectly cooked. The meat is juicy and has the right amount of spices.
ryan thomas
Great service and friendly staff. The food is amazing. Perfect place to dine solo or as a group.
Pasha
Very different to other Japanese food🤔 this is more like comfort food…and you’d feel very heavy (and guilty) afterwards😂
CJSky
Very nice traditional ramen and assorted Japanese dishes. The noodles are great and made by the chef, the soup is delicious and the side dishes are very tasty. The takoyaki was the best of the little side dishes, while the spicy chicken bao was ok but expensive for what it is. The ramen itself was excellent with a flavourful soup base that clearly has a lot of time and effort put into it.
Katrin Ka
Great atmosphere, delicious food and friendly staff. Few steps away from Piccadilly!
Tee Tong
A small/medium size ramen restaurant serving tasty ramen with Abhey providing very good service.
Lina W
I have dined at Shoryu numerous times in different branches throughout London. I normally order the same dish, white natural ramen, which is the only vegan ramen in Shoryu. It was my first time dining at their Regent Street branch. I went during lunch time on a week day. Ate alone. It wasn’t busy. Service was good, quick and friendly. Food was tasty but I did find the quality of the ramen not as amazing as I remembered years ago but still delicious and good than some other ramen I have tried. Maybe it was the broth that tasted a bit imbalanced, plain and lacked something than when I last had the white natural years ago in another branch. They have condiments such as chilli oil and sesame seeds on the side. The toilet was a Japanese-style toilet with the buttons.
Stephanie Handana
Very delicious vegan ramen and mochi. On Mondays you get two buns for £7 if you order ramen/curry, we had the tofu ones and they were nice, nothing special though. They also had really nice yuzu and Sakura tea and staff was very friendly and attentive to allergies.
Elvira QC
Slightly higher than average price but very tasty. Recommend booking in advance on weekends as gets quite busy. Viable for vegans as had an option for vegan ramen.
Tayla Gibbs
We enjoyed a lovely meal, the ramen bowls are big and full. Side dishes were tasty too. Really friendly and helpful staff!
T Chan
This branch seems to be better in terms of quality to the Soho branch. Overall the ramen is very good, pretty generous portions. Well worth a try if passing through the area.
Ankita Sinha
Beautiful Ramen ! Must visit, less chicken option ! But great though if you are into pork
Richard Beadnall
Incredible food. The Katsu Ramen is recommended, but the Shoryu signature ramen is amazing too. BBQ pork buns are phenomenal. Washed down with a pint of Kirin nama. Now my must-visit place in London.
Licinia Fernandes
A great space to visit and enjoy one of the best ramen in town. Staff is very kind and decor is just perfect. Loved those takoyaki balls and has a great variety of ramen (it's very well served).
Caitlyn Hutabarat
Me and my family stumbled upon Shoryu famished and tired after a round of sneaker shopping along Regent Street. The queue at the time was moderately sized, though it continued to grow in size as dinner time approached. Shoryu's ramen had a distinct and powerful broth, which is something I greatly appreciate as it displays a certain level of mastery and preparation in order to achieve such smooth and delicious soup. Their roasted char siu pork belly mantou buns definitely belong in the top tiers.<br/><br/>This is one of my favourite Japanese restaurants in London. How I wish they opened a branch in Jakarta :)
Luna Dayekh
I always order the Ramen and I’m never disappointed. It’s one of the top ramen places in London. The place has a lovely vibe and average service. Recommended!
Karine Ataya
Been here twice and every time is a great experience! The menu changes every few months which makes things interesting and the service is second to none. Quick service and quality products!
Mr. Taste Buds
Shoryu will be number 2 on my Ramen places to hangout now! Make sure you have a great appetite for ramen noodles cos you are going to end up with a full belly. <br/><br/>I had seafood ramen which had right amount of spices and the taste blended Japanese herbs was just yummy in my tummy. The ambiance is awesome and the service is just too good! All I can say it was a happy meal!
Jac Go
Great ramen place with nice atmosphere. We tried the items marked as house specialties and enjoyed every single bite of it. I hope to come back soon!
Ana Fortunato
BEST Ramen in London! Take the curry one of you like chicken and curry of course :) or the house's ramen if you prefer pork. You will not be disappointed :)
Giulia Mulè
The first Shoryu Ramen, in Regent Street, opened last year, managed by the same people as the Japan Centre across the road. Shoryu specialises in Hakata tonkotsu ramen from Kyushu. Made with a thick, rich pork soup, tonkotsu ramen originates from the Hakata district of Fukuoka city in Kyushu, southern Japan. Our recipe has been specially created by our chef, born and raised in Hakata, to provide the most authentic tasting tonkotsu outside Japan. Shoryu website The new pop-up is in Denman Street, two minutes' walk from Piccadilly Circus, which means I can just about go there on my lunch break. I only need to take the tube and change three lines, af
The Food Connoisseur
After days out shopping in Bicester, the brothers are I was famished all the sushi buffets were fully booked so we headed down to Central London for some food. Shoryu Ramen Regent Street branch happened to be the closest place from where we parked up. Table for 3 was instantly available to us. Usually at Shoryu Ramen I’m a diehard fan of the ultra super garlicky Dracula Tonkotsu but this time round I decided to play with Fire and Ice.
Spencer Kat
Authentic. Tried the signature Tonkotsu ramen and the Ice and Fire. The signature Tonkotsu was authentic. Nevertheless, there was inconsistency in the handling of the egg - it should have semi-runny yoke! Mine was cooked while my friend's was runny. One may argue this was a major flaw for a ramen - soft-boiled eggs with semi-runny yoke are one of the key factors making / breaking a ramen and Shoryu needs to up its game on it.<br/>The salmon of the Ice and Fire was excellent. However, I was confused about the noodles and the broth. Was one supposed to put the noodles into the hot broth? In the end I put it in anyway as it would have been too dry. The broth was extra strong (we compared it with the "normal" broth of the Tonkotsu) and very yummy. <br/>As a side we ordered fried chicken pieces, which however were a disappointment. They were greasy chicken pieces - nothing special. <br/>It was way too hot though inside (we went there on the hottest day in London) and we sweated like pigs from start to finish and actually felt relieved to be outside the restaurant afterwards. However, it was a great bargain as we enjoyed the £5 ramen discount.<br/>At its original price, I may go back but probably not until I have tried all the other ramen places.
And_how99
Terrible service. Had been here a few times and it was good and worthy of AA Gill's 4 star review as the food is very good. However I went back for lunch today and it was a disaster. <br/><br/>They have a 50% off deal on at the moment which the staff clearly can't cope with the demand for. After waiting 40 mins for two ramen's to arrive (not a complicated order) we had to walk out, having asked four different waiting staff numerous times how long the food was going to be and not getting any answer. Mine eventually arrived, but not my friend's. In the end he just ran out of lunchtime. Further, when a reduction in the price was suggested by me because it was taking so long, all they offered was taking off the service charge – for a 40 minute wait at lunchtime for noodles. The staff are also lacking in any warmth and verge on the rude.<br/><br/>There are other noodle places around the area which are just as good if not better and I'll be going there from now on. When will places learn that service is just as important as the food? <br/><br/>They're driving away good, regular customers, all for discount seekers who will disappear once their special offer ends. And they've only been open five minutes. Bad business.<br/><br/>AA Gill would have given no stars today for sure.
DDonovans
Fishy ramen, mushy rice. The soup at Shoryu is quite intensely fishy and smoky, and less meaty compared to the Bonedaddies version. (Ramen soup is made from a blend of stocks - mainly a mixture of pork stock and dried fish stock). They are both authentic, just different. The soup blend is really a matter of preference. Shoryu's noodles and toppings were good and the gyoza was fine. <br/><br/>The rice was horrific though. No restaurant in Japan would such badly overcooked rice. It was more okayu (porridge) than rice. I was heartbroken because a meal of very porky, garlicky ramen with a bowl of rice cooked well, with a tiny bite, is such a sacred Japanese ritual to me - and sadly this was not to be found here.<br/><br/>The service was slightly sluggish but polite. Go there if you prefer fishy ramen, and if you can forgive a Japanese restaurant that serves mushy rice.
Lizzie Lozza
I thought I didn't like ramen.... ...having not been gushing about ramen whilst living in Asia and visiting Tokyo readily. And left non plussed by Bone Daddies the week before. Starters of gyoza and edamame at Shoryu didn't interrupt our conversation with compliments. But then the Karaka Tan Tan Tonkotsu arrived adorned with seaweed, egg and the minced pork. It was spicy, comforting, not too sweet and the best dish of 2013 so far. Dracula Tonkotsu was a garlic lovers dream akin to Spanish garlic soup with Japanese Unami. The decor inside was more modern than the traditional place I was expecting though functional rather than trendy. Bright lights and close tables preclude any romance though great for a pitstop before a night out. A table for three on Saturday at 8.30pm took 15 minutes. When I go back I will not know to try something else or get another Karaka kick.
Horst Eich
A restaurant with a warm welcome.<br/>Very good ramen soup.
Velvetypie
Dear Shoryu, can you open a shop in the City, please? Shoryu Ramen specialises in Hakata tonkotsu, originally from the southern island of Kyushu in Japan. Hakata tonkotsu is made with a thick, rich, white pork bone soup, accompanied with long, thin, straight ramen. The pork stock soup is not easy to make. Proper ones require days of simmering of pork, fat, bone marrow, collagen, resulting in an immensely flavoursome white pork stock. Self served garlic – freshly pressed onto your Ramen as much or as little as you wish Shoryu Ganso Tonkotsu Ton Kara-age Men Shoryu’s stock is just right. It’s intense, but not overly thick as if you were eating glue. It’s white, looks just right. Shoryu’s ramen (hosomen – thin noodle) is just right. Thin, straight, bouncy and chewy. According to their website, their ramen are made in the UK using strong Cotswold flour. Shoryu’s eggs are also just right. Eggs are perfectly cooked, just right on the outside with gooey yolks, marinated just right with a hint
Emily
Shoryu Ramen on Kingly Street is so new Google Maps hasn’t even got it yet, which is how I accidentally ended up at their branch on Regent Street. Luckily, the noodly micro-chain’s latest addition was just up the road, so by the time I’d ridden my boneshaker up Regent Street I’d only kept my dinner date waiting fifteen minutes. Whoops. The sound of someone enthusiastically belting an enormous drum made us jump as we entered the restaurant. Apparently it is traditional to bang it once when people enter – welcome! – and twice when people leave. It’s quite a nice sound, actually, even though by the time we left they practically had to have someone on stand-by doing a sort of drum solo to properly welcome/see off everyone who crossed the threshold. Now, I am not a fan of Carnaby Street. It is – not to be rude – full of overpriced crap for tourists to buy. It also has a lot of restau
Eat Like Ushi
Rounding out the trio, I visited Shoryu for an early weekend dinner. The menu is certainly more extensive than Bone Daddies and Tonkotsu, offering a greater deal of ramen types and starters compared with the other two. I suppose this is good for variety, but only if the main ramen focus was maintained up to scratch. Some of the reviews of Shoryu have been mixed. The most frequent complaint is the excessive heavy-handed wasabi in the Wasabi Tonkotsu to the point of it being inedible. I would never have ordered that anyway, but it's good to know. - Matcha latte - sweet green tea latte, which London has been missing; - Char siu Tonkotsu (rich tonkotsu pork broth with bbq pork, nitamago egg, kikurage mushrooms, beansprouts, spring onion, sesame, ginger & nori) - a generous serve beautifully presented and satisfying, but seemed to lack the deep rich flavour found in Bone Daddies and Tonkotsu; - Chicken kara age - simply cooked, needed more seasoning; - Pork belly Hirata Bun (steamed buns fi
Lu Yao
Shoryu Ramen specializes in Hakata ramen, the special non-curly noodles from the district of Hakata in Fukuoka city in southern Japan. This ramen is normally cooked in a very rich tonkotsu (pork) broth, and it really is exceptional at Shoryu.
The Girl Next Shore
The miso broth was delicious. My first spoonful was so orgasmic I had to stop myself from doing a Meg Ryan (circa When Harry Met Sally). It was a very balanced broth - a bit salty, a bit spicy, a teeny bit sweet - and it didn't give you a greasy after taste. Plus it's quite light, every spoonful begged for another one straight after.
Nomface
We both ordered the signature Shoryo Ganso Tonkotsu along with sides of belly pork hirata buns and soft shell crab tempura. The ramen arrived in a massive serving and certainly looked the part with masses of pork and condiments. However the proof is in the tasting and the soup base seem to lack the depth of a fully simmered down broth and had a slight bitter twinge to it which le
HungryBee Maija
There have been a lot of Japanese ramen restaurants opening in London recently, and all in or around Soho – Tonkotsu (MMM), Bone Daddies (MMM) and now Shoryu Ramen, and I find it quite hard to differentiate between them. I personally think Tonkotsu and Bone Daddies have more character to the place (maybe Shoryu Ramen better food) and I was surprised to see how polite and European and sophisticated Shoryu Ramen was. There are 2 branches of Shoryu Ramen, one on Regent street and the other one on Dean street, a pop up, and for the first month it was selling ramen noodles with a 50% discount. Shoryu Ramen is run by the Japan center, located across Shoryu Ramen, on Regent Street and Shoryu Ramen serves Hakata tonkotsu ramen and they have a Hakata-born Executive Chef who prepares these ramen noodles. I have described ramen noodles in the other ramen re
Food I Fancy
... if you are prepared to queue and don’t mind your experience being swift (certainly not a place to chill and lounge), and fancy slurping on some authentic tasting ramen, then Shoryu might well be the place for you.
Lavanstyle
The broth was luxuriously creamy and delivered maximum flavour that didn’t rely on artificial flavourings but achieved naturally by long hours of slow cooking. Broth aside, there was a generous serving of both assorted veg and noodles. We derived so much satisfaction from that bowl of yumminess that we ate in silence until we were done with it. In hindsight, the noodles were probably not as bouncy as I would have liked but at the time I was so overwhelmed by the flavours that I didn't even notice that fact. I think next time, I'll ask to have my noodles cooked less to get that firmer texture I crave.
Leyla Kazim
With no less than fourteen ways of ramen to choose from at Shoryu each with lines of text beneath, the first minutes of my maiden visit were filled with the internal anguish of attempting to decipher the differences . It turns out they are mostly the same with one or two additional or held back ingredients to distinguish them; I’m sure this could have been articulated in fewer words. In a restaurant proud of its Hakata-born Executive Chef cooking up ramen dishes from the region, the inclusion of a ‘Piri Piri Tonkotsu’ in these offerings had the dial on my gimmick-radar twitching . I believe I am correct in thinking Hakata is in Japan, and not Portugal. Despite these initial shortcomings, the karaka tan tan tonkotsu was presented with all the appeal you would expect from a spicy bowl of ho
Not Just Vegetarian
How often have you read a review of vegetarian / vegan ramen? Shryu Ramen specialises in hakata tonkotsu (thick, rich, pork soup) ramen from Kyushu, Japan. It also serves vegetarian, and gluten-free ramen in London. We got a vegetarian ramen along with a tonkotsu (barbecued pork in a pork broth) – just to compare the two. The yuzu tonkotsu ramen with yuzu (Japanese citrus) chutney was certainly richer and filling, given th
Little Brown Book
Having heard raving reviews from a number of highly reliable sources, it was decided that the time had come for us to confirm such professions. Luckily we were waiting for less than a second before being quickly whisked over to a table and handed some entirely incomprehensible menus. We closed our eyes, pointed and all ordered the same traditional ramen soup from somewhere at the top of the menu. At least there wouldn't be any food envy with this decision.
Thesavorylining
What I feel is a more authentic experience, and to be honest a better food experience was Shoryu. Shoryu is located just down the road from Picadilly Circus and is fairly unassuming, but when we arrived, we found a fairly long queue. The main difference between Shoryu and Bone Daddies is that almost all the soups here are served with pork bone broth (Tonkotsu) rather than chicken bone broth. I'll be honest, I think this was the key difference. Bone Daddies does serve the Tonkotsu, but this soup at Shoryu had much richer and deeper flavors without being overly heavy. Further, you get a lot more soup and noodles here for slightly less money (avg soup: £10 versus £11 at Bone Daddies) and have a lot more choices of soups, sides, and starters. For these reasons I would give Shoryu an 8.5/10. Finally, one of the best things we had at Shoryu wasn't even the Ramen, it was the Hirata buns. These buns are freshly made everyday and filled with whatever your heart desires, as long as its
L Wilkinson
...chilli broth, bbq pork, egg, mushrooms, beansprouts, spring onions, sesame, ginger, nori and garlic oil was placed in front of me and the smell was delicious...
London Piggy
When we sat down, we noticed that 95% of the customers were Asian, which can only be a good sign. We were handed menus and set out to decipher all the different ramen dishes. There is certainly a lot of variety! However, as we were interested in sampling a range of side dishes...
Rob
The noodles themselves are beautiful, just the right consistency with a little bit of firmness. The broth in their signature ramen (there are over fifteen variations to choose from) was rich and salty – their miso base is very different to Tonkotsu’s. The toppings were generous with some great pickled ginger, nice nori and an average egg.
Amy Lau
Tonkotsu Ramen Broth is typically thick, creamy and nearly white in colour - why? because it is made from pork marrow bones that have been slowly simmered to smithereens. <br/><br/>All the tonkotsu ramen here comes in a rich tonkotsu pork broth with bbq pork, nitamago egg, kikurage mushrooms, beansprouts, spring onion, sesame, and ginger.<br/><br/>The price ranges from £6-11.50 for the ramen. <br/><br/>For £11.50, the Dracula Tonkotsu is the most expensive dish on the menu. <br/>
Snigdha Nag
I would recommend Shoryu as a great place for informal lunch with family or friends or a sneaky lunch on your own to refuel in style.<br/>
Into The F World
The pork broth is just spectacular. I described the Daddies one as “liquid porchetta” as it was porky and salty- well, to me Shoryu’s is a daintier version of the same satisfying meaty kick. It’s a more diluted soup, and that makes it more enjoyable to me – although it’s a close call in terms of flavour.
Jonathan.p.garrett
Then came the tonkotsu (just ramen with fattier stock as far as I can tell). Mine was called the Dracula Tonkotsu (£12.50). Really it should be the anti-Drac Ramen, because it is laced with black garlic almost to a fault. Almost. It's actually perfectly balanced, especially with the little bit of heat. Sadly the stock is a little over seasoned, presumably because it's under-flavoured. The pork is a little dry for pork belly too. It's really not a patch on Tonkotsu on Dean Street, and a few quid pricier per dish too. It didn't leave you licking at the bowl, which given the amount of umami black garlic they piled in is almost a scientific impossibility. But they managed it.
J
The broth retained that rich umami but with a good spicy kick which I enjoyed. The pork were meltingly tender, just how it should be and the hosomen noodle glide straight up my mouth as I quietly slurped away.
Vi Vian Woo
It is the first that I am admitting to a restaurant that I am definitely going to be a returning customer. And this particular one, I am intending to stick to. In hope that Shoryu Ramen does not cloud the restaurant front with all those numerous window-sticker-recognitions!
The Culinary Creep
The ramen itself? A big bowl of comfort. The milky, creamy broth was easily the best of all the ramen I have been luck to taste of late. Pork slices firmer than I’d like, however I believe there are plans to correct this. Mushrooms were nice addition. Its proximity to where I work, means Shoryu is more a place that I’ll frequent for quick week-day lunches. It had a buzy vibe to it, but for atmosphere and socialising, I think Bone Daddies is still the one to beat. I really wouldn’t be pinning ribbons on either place as my favourite – the styles of Shoryu and Bone Daddies really are just too different, but eq
Miss Digressive
Since getting back from new York, I’ve been having major ramen cravings. There are a number of ramen restaurants that have opened up in london in the last year and I needed a reason to make a visit. When a dinner that had been organised some time ago finally came around, I made a snap decision to find a ramen restaurant that was veggie friendly. We arrived at Shoryu on lower regent street at 6.30 on a Wednesday evening. Although it is one of these new style “no booking” restaurants, we were seated pretty much right away. Upon recieving the menu, we realised Happy Hour was due to be finishing in 30 mins, so we quickly chose our 4 cocktails each (yes I did just say 4) and then signalled for the waiter to take our order. To soak up what was going to be a fair amount of alcohol & satisfy the hunger in our bellies, we also ordered some Hirata buns & the very yummy sounding Schichimi Mushrooms. Two cocktails arrived with a side of Hirata Buns. Hirata Bun When I asked the waiter which of the
London Tastin
Ha, we wait ages for decent ramen, then two opened in the same month and both around Piccadilly Circus. Here is the round up on which has the best tonkotsu ramen. Some background Bone Daddies - opened by e x Nobu and Zuma chef Ross Shonhan. Shoryu ramen - previously serving ramen at Japan Center, specialises in Hakata tonkotsu (white pork broth) ramen created using Kanji Furukawa’s recipe. The space - I prefer Shoryu Bone Daddies - it’s a very compact space and queues do form pretty quickly. Shaped by long tables where everyone sit next to each other if not very close. The space between each table is very narrow so waiters do have to push through to deliver ramens (got pushed a couple times on the back while eating ramen). Shoryu ramen - it’s bigger than Bone Daddies and arranged loosely with individual tables of 2 and 4 so you won’t be sitting next to strangers. Also expect a long queue here (depends on the day and time). The ramen Bone Daddies It’s hard to say which place has be
The Picky Glutton
Slurping up all the broth left me with such a severe case of dry mouth that I wondered if the kitchen had taken a cheeky shortcut by using a hearty dollop of MSG. I’m not certain of this however, if only because any self-respecting ramen chef would go all Pearl Harbor on my ass unless I produced a sack of MSG smothered with his fingerprints as evidence – and even then I’d be keeping an eye on the exit.
Wingz
Put all the tonkotsu ramen I have had in the past 3 months in London, Shoryu came top, hands down. The soup base had the texture and flavours of pork bone broth that had been cooking for hours, there was enough boiling hot soup in the bowl, the noodles were perfectly cooked, toppings were in the right ratio.
A Roscoe
The Ewing chose the Sapporo Miso, a miso broth base topped with bbq pork, beansprouts and corn. This is a traditional Sapporo style soup with a deep, slightly sweet, sesame-scented broth that was very rich and perfect for the frigid weather outside.
The Perfect Trough
Overall, I rated Shoryu very highly. It was quick, easy and authentic. Half of the dining room was Japanese, and a good few of the staff too. I had a pot of green tea, and momentarily escaped the bus fumes and driving rain, and returned to the Tokyo backstreets (and their rain and fumes).<br/>
Theskinnybib
The soup had a good boiling temperature but was so loose and tasted as if I was drinking a fine bowl of authentic premium instant noodle. The noodle was just okay.
Sybaricious
So long as you stick to just a ramen and a cold beer and are immune to service issues then its excellent value for money and a good example of a decent ramen. If you want a great dining experience then avoid.
Cherie City
The bowl was enormous and filled with meticulously placed fresh ingredients ready to be mixed into the mild, creamy and not overly oily tonkotsu broth. The bbq pork is already cooked and sliced, so it lacks somewhat in tenderness, but it’s hearty, lean and goes well with the ramen.
Hugh Wright
When somewhere like Shoryu opens that nails its concept so assuredly from the get-go, it's always tempting to believe that the first branch might be the prototype for a chain. If that is the case here, then good.
Mzungu
Like everyone else in London, I’m enjoying the latest trend of Ramen noodle soup and even more with all the new ramen shops opening up left right and centre now. I’m enjoying this new craze, as I love Ramen a lot, a hell of a lot. I’ve been semi addicted to boodle soup since my first visits to Asia back in the 90’s.
Mr Noodles
In a world where some in the restaurant industry use social media really badly , it's refreshing to see Shoryu Ramen use it so effectively. For instance, when some old grumpy-bollocks (that's me by the way) had a whinge on twitter about the thick noodles Shoryu used during the soft opening, not only did they introduce a new, thinner noodle but I also received a tweet from @shoryuramen to let me know about it. Other punters lamented the nitamago egg had to be ordered separately. Again, Shoryu listened, and half an egg was introduced as standard in the noodle bowls. I know listening to feedback is the whole point of a soft opening, but it doesn't always pan out that way. Thick noodles aside, I enjoyed my bowl of yuzu tonkotsu ramen , but as a rule I don't judge anywhere solely on a soft opening, so I made plans to return when the food was being sold at full price. It seemed I wasn't the only one with that idea, as the restaurant was nearly full at 11.45am the Saturday morning I went. I o
London Chow
Japan Centre , which is doing a roaring business along Regent Street, is rather slow to jump onto the ramen bandwagon in setting up a ramen joint in London's West End. But unlike the rest sitting prettily at Soho (Ittenbari, Bone Daddies and Tonkotsu ), Shoryu Ramen is located along Regent Street, a short walk away from The Mall. Almost directly facing Japan Centre, Shoryu Ramen is a considerably smaller setup compared to its peers. In fact, with its small round and square tables oddly mixed together, it can very well be another high street cafe. We were greeted by a wall of umami the moment we stepped through Shoryu Ramen's door. A lack of good ventilation coupled with damp weather outside trapped the soup base's
Tehbus
Tonkotsu is good but something seems to be lacking. The ramen is fine, with good broth and good noodles, I just found the toppings a little disappointing, with far less variety, content and ultimately, taste. The sides are also ok, but the chicken kara age is nothing to write home about. Maybe I'm missing something, but I am just not that into Tonkotsu.
Agirlhastoeat
Another addition is Shoryu Ramen which is owned by the same people as those who own the Japan Centre on Regent Street. Now these people know a thing about Japanese food, and the success of the first branch of Shoryu Ramen on Regent Street has led to the recent opening of their second branch in Soho. It’s a no reservation restaurant but there were no queues when we popped along on a Monday night. It’s a lovely little space, modern and comfortable with nice thoughtful touches such as the wicker baskets placed under each of the tables for ladies handbags. And in addition to the condiments
Cheese And Biscuits
...enough people rated it and enough positive writups online convinced me that perhaps not everything on the menu there was designed to cause permanent damage. So on a second visit I tried the standard house Tonkotsu ("Ganso") which was, thank God, not just edible but rather nice, with a soothing milky broth and generous helping of bouncy egg noodles.
The Girl Next Shore
When the ramen craze hit London, this was the first ramen bar I've tried and everywhere else just seemed to pale in comparison (I've yet to try this other popular place, though so we'll see). Their noodles are really good, firm and true to the bite. I always enjoy those with the miso-based broth and my favourite is the Karaka Tantan Tonkotsu (the one with minced pork). Sides are quite decent; I like the shrimp karaage and the chikuwa fishcakes, but I'd skip the onigiri. Dessert isn't so bad, especially if you like matcha. <br/><br/>Overall, trusty.
Catarina Lourenço
When I came in I saw a lot of asian people which for me is always a good sign when I go to an asian place. The service was really friendly, the waiter immediately asked if it was my first time in the restaurant and explained how the menu was composed and told me the dishes that were more frequently asked.<br/><br/>I asked for their speciality and it was amazing. The broth so good, the pork tender and in each bite I tasted different things. It was an amazing meal and the only reason I don't give an higher score is because for me it had a bit too much ginger which I don't love. Other than that, a good quality/price and a place I intend to come back !
Molly Lee
I love this place for the ramen it serves. I was here with friends very recently and will surely be back soon. It has now emerged as my favourite place for good quality ramen. The sauce is creamy and the noodles taste authentic, just like from Japan. <br/>I have fallen in love with this place!
Harrison O'sullivan
I recently went there and had ramen. The ingredients used were amazingly fresh and the food was an absolute delight. They also had a variety of toppings and I enjoyed my meal to the fullest. The service was quick and I must recommend you to visit this place in order to try their delicious ramen.
Henry Brooks
This restaurant is so good that I have now become a regular here. As I walked into the restaurant space, I felt overwhelmed by seeing the gracious staff. The food here is affordable and the service too is quick. This restaurant is small in size and has very few tables. There is one disappointment and that is that it does not take reservations. I suggest the ramen from the menu as it is served with perfection and tastes rather brilliant. <br/><br/>Be there well in time for you might be greeted by a full house and might not get a table!
Katie Wilkins
This place has an impeccable service and lovely ambiance. The biggest disappointment was that the food was lackluster. I come from a place which serves the best ramen, and this just did not match up. I came here with great anticipations, and left extremely disappointed. The soup was lukewarm, the noodles were gross and the toppings cost extra. I am not repeating my visit.
Jasmine Davison
I would rate this place a startling five! With a great atmosphere, the place also has diverse options for delectable food for customers to choose from. The service though rushed through, does not seem chaotic. I would say it is the perfect balance of efficient and quick. One must visit this place to understand its brilliance!
Matilda King
The atmosphere was quite lively and the quality of food was top notch. When we went there, it was very crowded though we didn't have to wait too much to find a table. The staff was very polite and obliging. When we pointed out to them regarding the use of some ingredients, they understood it and were very accommodating.
Janet Wong
I am a noodle maniac. Shoryu ramen makes me very happy. I love the broth soup, it's so tasty! The original is the best, all the other options are just as good. The buns are pretty lovely too... Speaking of which I'm hungry now.
Vi Vian Woo
Shoryu Ramen, Regent Street – a big bowl of aromatic, soupy noodles is nothing more comforting and homely for the belly of a Chinese Malaysian person like myself. There is one exception though - my brother, the fussy eater in the family. He loathes all soupy or gravy-ish food and that includes any seafood, red and green colour looking dishes.<br/><br/>Looking in from the outside, Shoryu Ramen looks like a casual cafe. Except here people were feasting on soupy noodles rather than sipping their coffees. It was bright and lively. A buzzling restaurant that, when one walks past without knowing exactly what is it, tends to be a show stopper. I say that it is the best advertisement for a restaurant instead of an overkill of outdated-window-sticker-recognitions without a soul.<br/><br/>Shoryu serves up ramen noodles in their famous tonkatsu broth. With the variation of meat, noodle, spiciness, garlicky, the permutation for the combination of noodles are endless. New dishes, curry ramen for example, are constantly introduced to woo us back for more. And by the end of February 2013, we are expecting pop ups with Shoryu. Both hot and cold dishes for side dishes include tempuras, sashimi, miso soup and tofu dishes.<br/><br/>Inside, the dining space is small and the tables prove a challenge when you order too many side dishes or drinks. More so, when the food is all served at once. The spacing between two tables are a distance of two fingers away from each other, which makes for a cosy dining place. Taking advantage of this close vicinity, I cannot help but peer into my neighbour's food; discreetly. I desperately needed help with what to order (all the ramens sounds delicious). Luckily, our adjacent tables forgave my behaviour (not discreet enough!). Most diners were there for a simple, reasonably quick, fantastically good meal at a reasonable price in central London. With the warming food and heating in Shoryu Ramen, I am sweating like in summer days.<br/><br/>TIP: Not such a great place to meet up if you are waiting for company to arrive. I felt it was rather awkward to be holding up a table although Shoryu Ramen did not object to it. We left at about quarter past nine in the evening and the queue had been constantly growing.<br/><br/>Service could not have been better here. Happy working people in the place says a lot and in turn creates an atmosphere for diners. Our waitress also knew her dishes well, recommending practically everything but out of her passion for food and not just in her interest if we are paying for the food. <br/><br/>It is the first that I am admitting to a restaurant that I am definitely going to be a returning customer. And this particular one, I am intending to stick to. In hope that Shoryu Ramen does not cloud the restaurant front with all those numerous window-sticker-recognitions!<br/><br/>The food:<br/><br/>1. matcha GBP 2.90 – light, fresh, quite an unexpected way of drinking tea. <br/><br/>2. hokkaido curry ramen GBP 10.90 <br/><br/>3. salmon shiso sashimi GBP 7.90 – ace!<br/><br/>4. soft shell crab tatsuta age GBP 6.00 – probably one of the more generous portions in relation to price and quality. Batter was slightly soggy and had no crunchiness. <br/><br/>5. matcha azuki roll cake GBP 4.00<br/><br/>6. dorayaki GBP 4.00 – Doraemon – the Japanese cartoon! That was Doraemon's favourite. The dorayaki was good; not too sweet, a right ratio of filling to batter. I could easily eat two!
Ami R
I love Japanese food, especially their soups, but this was a disappointment. The food was nothing special and so was the service. A friend mentioned this place to us so we visited on a Saturday evening. Its more like a fast food concept, you come, your order, they serve you in 5 minutes and off you go. I can't see myself spending more than an hour at this place. And the fact that we are vegetarians cut down our choice by almost 90%. We had only the naturel soup to order and a couple of sides. None of the dumplings were vegetarian. We ordered a bun, with mushroom and cheese and it was the best thing on the menu. Was like a pitta with hallumi cheese, mushroom and some mayonnaise. And we paid 4 pounds for that!<br/>We both ordered the naturel soup and it arrived in less than five minutes. We ordered some bamboo ginger and egg. Asking 2 pounds for pickled ginger is a bit cheeky I think , shouldn't be served on the side especially if you want to improve the experience as a fine dining restaurant. The soup was in a big bowl with noodles, tiny pieces of tofu, some ginger, sweet corn, some greens, bean sprouts and some sesame seeds sprinkled on top. Nothing to really write home about!! The service was also rubbish, no time between starters and mains. We hadn't even started on the bun and the soup was just dumped on us. We just picked up the bun to have a bite and they grabbed the basket so we didn't even have a place to keep the bun. It was more like fast food. The entire idea was to get us out!!!<br/>I would never go back! Two soups, a bun and diet coke set us back by 40 pounds!! Pricey!! And they charge for service as well! I'd rather make this soup on my own!
Young & Foodish
I came here for lunch and was expecting something very special, given all the positive things I've heard about this place. I didn't find any queues outside and there were quite a few empty tables inside. First impressions were generally good, I liked the interior but noticed quite a lack of asians (at a Ramen place). <br/><br/>I ordered their speciality Ganso Tonkotsu and found it distinctly average - I thought that I could very much make this myself at home for a quarter of the price. The miso broth wasn't as special as reviews have rated it, and there was way too much ginger in the dish. However, the noodles were fresh, seemed to be free of MSG and the sliced pork were nicely juicy.<br/><br/>I need to try a few more Ramen places before I compare and contrast, but overall won't be coming here much again.
The Food Connoisseur
With ramen shops popping up like mushrooms, it’s been fierce competition. I have already tried Bone Daddies and Tonkotsu in the area. Shoryu opened up its second branch along Soho, Denmark Street with a special offer for £5 on all ramen during July. Of course I couldn’t miss the opportunity to slurp on some soup noodle goodness.<br/><br/>First up, as there was special offer, the queue filled the entire street like bees glued to the hive. Waiting around we realised by the time we be seated, we be rushed and kicked out in no time. I even tweeted the social media person taking care of their Twitter. He pleaded that good things will come to those who wait. My patience was running low and my suggestion to leg it to Regent Street branch was a wise choice.<br/><br/>After a short wait, we stared endless at the menu. I wished I did my research on other blogs beforehand I hear “Dracula Tonkotsu” is simply irresistible. I went for the heart calling with Hokkaido Curry Ramen.<br/><br/>Hirata Buns have been hitting the scene, they just too good to resist. We ordered the pork belly for appetisers, and I had Matcha Green tea Ice cream smoothie.<br/><br/>Ummm the Hokkaido Curry Ramen finally came out, the cloudy brown yellow broth, the crispy karage chicken floating on top like logs. One piece of naruto fish cake and a bunch of spring onions swept to the side of the bowl, a sheet of nori neatly placed at one side to finish the presentation.<br/><br/>The broth had a hearty immense pork flavour and had strong taste of curry. Rich and creamy it could have turned into gravy. The noodles firm and springy were easy to chew into pieces.<br/><br/>Although Shoryu ramen, is supposed to specialise in ramen. The dish that got me wanting more was the hirata buns. Wow, having eating at Flesh and Buns and street stalls this has to be the top current favourite bun. The bouncy fluffy pillow buns, with a slice of belly pork and lettuce slid inside. The lettuce fresh, crunchy, paired well with juicy tender pork. The finishing touch was the distinctive QP Japanese mayo.<br/><br/>
Leyla Kazim
The amount of words on a menu are directly proportional to how long it takes to place an order. Too much and blinking eyes struggle to digest what’s on offer while stomach rumblings grow stronger. <br/><br/>With no less than fourteen ways of ramen to choose from at Shoryu each with lines of text beneath, the first minutes of my maiden visit were filled with the internal anguish of attempting to decipher the differences. It turns out they are mostly the same with one or two additional or held back ingredients to distinguish them; I’m sure this could have been articulated in fewer words.<br/><br/>In a restaurant proud of its Hakata-born Executive Chef cooking up ramen dishes from the region, the inclusion of a ‘Piri Piri Tonkotsu’ in these offerings had the dial on my gimmick-radar twitching. I believe I am correct in thinking Hakata is in Japan, and not Portugal.<br/><br/>Despite these initial shortcomings, the karaka tan tan tonkotsu was presented with all the appeal you would expect from a spicy bowl of hot broth and noodles on a chilly evening. It looked great - cloudy thick white miso stock vibrant from the chiu chow chilli oil, fried mince pork (rather than barbecue pork in most of the others), lemon and garlic. And in fact even more garlic as the bulb fiend within me made full use of the well received pot of cloves complete with crusher at the table.<br/><br/>The stock was fierce and with a level of depth, and with the added cloves would do wonders at blasting any cold into next winter. While I’m the first to appreciate fire in my food, this love wanes when the heat is at the expense of any other flavour: the character from the mushrooms, bean sprouts, spring onion and ginger were suppressed to whimpers, the nitamago egg was lost in the chilli, the nori may as well have been absent, and the pork was at least visually present if little else. <br/><br/>Satisfying a rumbling stomach it achieved with success, as one would expect a large amount of liquid and noodles to do. But provide insight into the intricate balance of textures and flavours accustomed to a bowl of very good ramen, it did not.<br/><br/>I ate it though, and it certainly wasn’t unpleasant. For what I physically required in that moment (a quick and filling bite pre-theatre), it met my needs. But happiness in the present is shattered by comparison with the past and it was impossible not to do so with my only other ramen venture to date, Tonkotsu. <br/><br/>They make their noodles fresh each day with a machine on sight shipped from Japan. Their marinated nitamago egg halves are spectacularly savoury with soft middles. The broth is heavy with the flavour of pig and its disintegrated fat. The menu is brief and clear with just five ramen offerings done very well. Their waiters don’t wear hachimaki headbands. And orders don’t get ‘lost in the kitchen’ arriving 15 minutes later than the rest.<br/><br/>Fire and ice tsukemen had ramen sitting on ice topped with hot smoked salmon, some pork and the halved egg, served with a side bowl of warm wasabi-tonkotsu dipping sauce. Which you know, looked nice. <br/><br/>While the barbeque pork belly on its own had merit, in the hirata buns it was served with a mayonnaise and an uninspiring pairing of iceberg lettuce and a slice of cucumber. On paper the side of shoryu genki don flirted with its enticing list of components: rice, bbq pork, mentaiko caviar, onsen tamago (first sampled not long ago at Luiz Hara’s excellent Japanese supper club), pickles and seaweed. In reality it was 90% rice, the egg white was undercooked, the caviar was mostly a mass of skin, and the pickles were barely sour. I left most of it.<br/><br/>Part of me wishes I had stuck to the signature shoryu ganso tonkotsu ramen to understand if they get the basics right. To appease this curiosity, and because there are a few people I respect who really quite like this place, I would give it another chance. <br/><br/>When I next fancy ramen, and Tonkotsu is too far.<br/><br/>Liked lots: crushed garlic cloves on tap<br/>Liked less: seated on small stools; nowhere to hang bulky coats; the 'lost order'; too much chilli oil in broth; <br/>Good for: dinner if you're an Asian student as most of the clientèle seemed to be<br/><br/>My rating: 3/5
Cheese And Biscuits
There are two possible reasons I can think of for the disastrous bowl of food I was served on my first visit to Shoryu. The first, and this is me in "benefit-of-the-doubt" mode, is that someone in the kitchen misread the reading on an unfamiliar pair of scales, and erroneously dumped twenty times the correct amount of wasabi into the recipe for Wasabi Tonkotsu. The second, more worrying possibility is that there really are people out there who would voluntarily eat what I can only describe as Pepper Spray Noodles and it was actually supposed to be like that. <br/><br/>I have literally never been in so much agony in a restaurant in my life. With the first mouthful of wasabi-soaked nori my throat closed up, my eyes started streaming and the most excruciating pain shot around my sinuses. This wasn't anywhere near a normal level of heat, this was a chemical weapon, deadly distilled mustard gas designed to incapacitate and maim. I can eat spoonfuls of English mustard without breaking a sweat, can happily polish off a plate of the infamous Silk Road hand-torn cabbage and have been known to only wince briefly during a portion of the Heron's laab ped, but this was something else. This wasn't lunch, this was being maced. <br/><br/>I know, I know, I should have said something - I suppose I was just too shellshocked to speak. I wouldn't even have ordered it in the first place if it hadn't have been a daily lunch special but in fact, out of sheer curiosity I might go back and order it again just to see if the first time was a mistake. Because if it wasn't, and the Wasabi Tonkotsu from Shoryu is served like that to everyone, then I have a duty to inform the Department of Health. Not to mention the Ministry of Defense - I'm sure they could make use of it somehow. <br/><br/>Having only just survived the Death By Wasabi Tonkotsu, then, I was in no hurry to return to Shoryu, but enough people rated it and enough positive writups online convinced me that perhaps not everything on the menu there was designed to cause permanent damage. So on a second visit I tried the standard house Tonkotsu ("Ganso") which was, thank God, not just edible but rather nice, with a soothing milky broth and generous helping of bouncy egg noodles. Perhaps the slices of rolled pork weren't quite as powerfully flavoursome as those at Tonkotsu on Dean St., and perhaps Bone Daddies has a slightly more exciting variety of styles, but this was still a good ramen. <br/><br/>Hirata buns, ordered out of sheer curiosity rather than hunger as the Tonkotsu would have been a plenty big enough lunch on its own, were decent enough. I guess it's not their fault that I prefer the Korean style more, but cheap mayo and pork fat is not a combination I'd fight to try again and the bun casings were rather dense and wilted. Generous amount of them for £6 though. <br/><br/>Of the sides, edamame would have been nicer warm and a parcel of onigiri rice stuffed with pickles was a strange side to pair with noodles on the lunch menu, but neither were offensive. These both came alongside the Wasabi Tonkotsu though, and I think a lump of nori-wrapped wire wool would have slipped down like ambrosia next to that. <br/><br/>But as I say, I can't know for sure whether the Wasabi Tonkotsu was deliberate or not, and in the interests of fairness I will try and focus on the elements that didn't nearly cause hospitalisation; Shoryu is objectively is doing plenty of things right. I only wish I had the time and money to try more of the menu, such as the fried chicken and soft-shelled crab that Bone Daddies do so well, but even just a very competent house Tonkotsu and a glass of water for £10 is a reason enough to visit, and based on the crowds flocking to 9 Lower Regent's Street, plenty are. It's perfectly fine, it's just not my favourite of the new mini-wave of ramen joints in London. And that's not just because they may have tried to kill me. Honest. <br/><br/>6/10
Amy Lau
I've been patiently waiting for a new ramen bar to open in London for some time, and when it does- 3 appear around the same time. <br/><br/>The rivalry between Bone Daddies, Tonkotsu and Shoryu is FIERCE.<br/><br/>Don't worry - I got you covered.<br/><br/>It just means I have to go to all 3. <br/><br/>For research obviously, intense scientific experimentation ;] <br/><br/>I went to Shoryu first. <br/><br/>Shoryu is brought to you by the same people who run the Japan Centre.<br/><br/>But Shoryu is in a league of it's own.<br/><br/>It specialises in Hakata Tonkotsu ramen noodles, and their head chef is born and raised from the Hakata district in Japan. <br/><br/>It's so authentic it hurts. <br/><br/><br/>Tonkotsu Ramen Broth is typically thick, creamy and nearly white in colour - why? because it is made from pork marrow bones that have been slowly simmered to smithereens. <br/><br/>All the tonkotsu ramen here comes in a rich tonkotsu pork broth with bbq pork, nitamago egg, kikurage mushrooms, beansprouts, spring onion, sesame, and ginger.<br/><br/>The price ranges from £6-11.50 for the ramen. <br/><br/>For £11.50, the Dracula Tonkotsu is the most expensive dish on the menu. <br/><br/>It was described as having ''deep roasted tones from caramelised black garlic mayu, balsamic vinegar and garlic chips.''<br/><br/>It was worth every penny.<br/><br/>Breakdown:<br/><br/>Broth: it was creamy, it was dreamy, and it was full of flavour without being too salty. <br/><br/>The garlic wasn't super overpowering, and did not take away from the holy grail of the dish that is the pork broth. <br/><br/>But I would advise you not to get all close and personal with someone after eating that.<br/><br/>Noodles: they had a bite to them so they weren't soggy and overcooked nor where they so under cooked that they were un-relentlessly chewy. Perfectly al dente. <br/><br/>The Dracula Tonkotsu is a thing of beauty.<br/><br/>So much of a beauty that there is probably no reason to show you what B. had because it just doesn't compare to mine.<br/><br/>The Natural - a shitake and konbu soy based broth with tofu, bamboo, kikurage, beansprouts, spring onion, sesame, white ginger and spinach. <br/><br/>But as glorious as B. said it was.<br/><br/>It was just no match for the DRACULA TONKOTSU.<br/><br/>Shoryu, conforms to the no reservation trend that is sweeping London.<br/><br/>But that does not affect their service, all the staff were really friendly and very knowledgeable on all the dishes there, and despite coming here on a Saturday night I didn't feel rushed to eat at all.<br/><br/>Avoid at peak times if you don't like to queuing.<br/><br/>But even if you have to wait, the Dracula Tonkotsu is so worth the pain.<br/><br/><br/>Yummei points: 9/10<br/><br/>You MUST see the photos to understand what i'm bantering on about - visit - http://yummei.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/shoryu-st-james-london.html
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