Shoryu Ramen is a chain restaurant from the team behind premier Japanese food hall Japan Centre with sites in London, Manchester and Oxford, including eight restaurants just in the capital. Its Regent Street site is where it all started for the brand though, being the first Shoryu Ramen to open its doors in London back in 2012. Taking inspiration from the incredible street food on offer from the Hakata district in Japan, Shoryu Ramen specialises in tonkotsu ramen, a specific variation of the dish made with a rich pork broth and thin ramen noodles.
Shoryu Ramen Regent Street is one of its most central London spots, perfect for dropping in for a bowl of its warming noodles to fuel a day of shopping on Oxford Street. The restaurant is modest in size and offers a relaxed feel in line with its all-day dining style – banquet seating runs along one side of the room while the interior boasts exposed brick walls, bright lighting and a central bar.
The main event at Shoryu Ramen Regent Street, and across all its sites, is its siganture tonkotsu ramen, a heady mix of 12-hour pork broth topped with chai siu BBQ pork belly, nitamago burford brown egg, kikurage mushrooms, spring onion, red ginger and nori seaweed. Other variations on the classic include bowls spiked with miso, piri piri, black garlic or kimchi, but you can guaranee that every bowl will be packed with umami flavour. Seasonal and vegetarian options are also on offer, as well as a kid's menu if you have little ones in tow.
The drinks are an event in themselves and includes an impressive range of Japanese beer, wine (including plum wine), shochu, Japanese whisky, sake and ‘Shoryu Original’ cocktails. For the non-drinkers, look out for plenty of herbal teas, mocktails, coffees and soft drinks.