Kiwamiya, delicious ramen in Boulogne

Ramen ta fraise! When the weather's cold, we dream of noodle soup, of course. We're off to discover Kiwamiya, a Japanese ramen restaurant recommended by word of mouth in Boulogne.

If there's one thing we love in cold weather, it's eating noodle soups, especially ramen. Well, not just when it's cold, we admit. Kiwamiya is the Japanese ramen restaurant at 82 rue du Dôme in Boulogne. After being recommended to us, we thought we'd drop in for a visit.

A word of advice: don't come too late. Even though we arrived at 7.30pm, we had to queue up and wait for the second service, as the room, which opened at 6.30pm, filled up in no time. Obviously, if you come as a duo and you don't mind eating at the counter, it goes faster than if you arrive with 6 people looking for a big table. Reservations are out of the question - a good ramen has to be earned!

Here, you'll find yourself in the atmosphere of a real Japanese ramen. A large central counter, open to all, shows us the dishes and bowls being prepared before our very eyes. Disembarking at 5, we find ourselves comfortably seated in an alcove with a bench seat. Although overworked, the team is smiling and attentive.

The à la carte menu:

Since we're hungry and need to survive this winter, we start with Gyoza, Karaage and Tokiyaki. A pleasant surprise, the portions are generous and the chicken karaage is ultra-moist, so we're having a great time.

Then, of course, there's the ramen, which comes in several versions. So, we admit, we're a bit lost. Between ramen with clear chicken broth, thick broth, vegetarian soup or pork broth, our heart is in the balance. The good news is that there are ramen adapted for children, a little smaller and a little cheaper, so we're in.

We're tempted by the Tori paitan Spicy miso ramen with its thick, spicy broth. Here's something to warm our hearts and palates.

Whether you choose chicken, pork or vegetarian, note that the noodles are fresh and homemade. Bowls are made by the week and arrive piping hot in front of us. No doubt about it, we're in for a treat, the address is validated, you can go there with your eyes closed.

Prices range from €4 to €7 for starters and €12 to €18 for ramen bowls, depending on your choice. The gourmet moment ends with a few iced mochis, and we're full. So, would you like to warm up with a bowl of soup?