Looking for a change of scenery? You don't have to travel the 9,700 km to Tokyo to feel like you're in the Land of the Rising Sun. Since spring 2016, rue Mazarine, in the Odéon district, has been living to the rhythm of Japanese gastronomy thanks to Kodawari Ramen.
At No. 29, you'll find an incredible stall. Open your eyes and ears and let yourself be carried away by this fabulous immersive experience offered by Kodawari Ramen.
Behind this veritable temple to ramen is Jean-Baptiste Meusnier. A former fighter and airline pilot, this very likeable entrepreneur has an overflowing passion for Japan, and in particular for its gastronomy, and especially for Ramen. In fact, he vividly recalls his very first bite in Japan.
After traveling more than 12,000 km in the Land of the Rising Sun to discover the most popular dishes, meeting Japanese chefs and taking part in a number of on-the-job training courses, Jean-Baptiste created Kodawari Ramen.
Kodawari Ramen is a unique sensory journey in Japan, with our eyes first and foremost dazzled by this recreation of a Yokocho.
On site, everything gives us the feeling of being in Japan, with the inevitable gadgets, but also the luminous lanterns, exposed cables and even this fake manhole modelled on the Shibuya district of Tokyo. Our ears are also surprised by a Tokyo street ambience soundtrack recorded by Jean-Baptiste Meusnier during his many trips to Japan.
Upstairs, the atmosphere is different, with a Zen Japanese lounge featuring tea cups, an old Japanese television and Japanese slippers... Here again, the journey is complete.
Once you've settled in, the second part of this immersive experience begins. Our taste buds are about to be seduced by the various dishes on offer, all homemade.
For starters, Kodawari Ramen unveils several small plates from €2.50 to €6. On the menu?Edamame, soy beans in their pods, as well as the essential wakame, fragrant seaweed salad and Tori Soboro Don (rice, marinated minced chicken, seaweed).
What's next? The famous ramen, with broths made from free-range chicken and noodles made on the spot from wheat flour grown in the restaurant's own fields. " Ramen noodles require a very specific type of wheat flour. So we decided to grow our own wheat in order to offer our customers noodles just like in Japan," Jean-Baptiste tells me.
And the quality doesn't stop there: Kodawari Ramen also uses free-range chicken and roast pork from the Basque farm of Abotiafor its ramen... carefully selected products that make all the difference.
The menu features four ramen dishes, with an alternating seasonal ramen.
A word of advice: opt for the unmissable and original Kurogoma Ninniku Ramen with black sesame sauce, marinated red label roast pork, mizuna, bamboo and soy shoots and onion. With its tender roast pork, delicious noodles and tasty black sesame sauce, this ramen has become a house specialty. The best part? Add the Tamago supplement, for €2, a large soft-boiled farm egg simmered in a soy sauce broth. A real delight!
Other extras include Chashu for €2.50 (slice of roasted and marinated pork from the Basque farm of Abotia), or the Kaedama noodle supplement for €2.50.
Alternatively, indulge in Shio Ramen, featuring a savory broth, marinated roast chicken supreme, olive-oil roasted tomato, mizuna, bamboo shoots and onion.
Finally, for those with a sweet tooth, discover the house creation: a delicious white sesame whipped cream, flavored with Sancho pepper, topped with crunchy almonds and speculos in salted butter.
And to accompany it all, Kodawari Ramen offers strawberry-flavored Japanese lemonades served in a colorful bottle with a marble to play with, as well as beers (Kirin) and an excellent light, fruity sake that will sublimate your dishes.
Proof of its success is the long queue at the entrance to the restaurant. By the way, the restaurant doesn't take reservations, so a word of advice: arrive early to get a seat, or wait!
Recently, Kodawari Ramen even opened a pop-up store in... New York, invited by specialist Ramen Lab.
What's next? From September onwards, Japanese chefs will be regularly invited to cook new ramen recipes for Parisian customers. All the more reason to prolong this immersion in Japan, to the delight of our taste buds.
Please note that it's been over 4 years since our last visit, so the place and experience may have changed.
This test was conducted as part of a professional invitation. If your experience differs from ours, please let us know.
Dates and Opening Time
Starts June 22, 2020
Location
Kodawari Ramen
29 Rue Mazarine
75006 Paris 6
Recommended age
For all
