Gokkei 2020
Just look at this beauty.
Is there a better looking ramen to celebrate your birthday? Is there a better ramen to celebrate being in Kyoto with almost zero tourists? Is there a better ramen in Kyoto, period?
This is Gokkei’s Kyoto-style chicken broth ramen, a gravy-like concoction that runs counter to Kyoto’s traditional understated refinement. But the flavor! And texture! And that photo with my now outdated samsung galaxy s7 (yes I will be getting a new phone soon). I got the seat closest to the door and the sunlight streaming in on a cool fall day, that’s how I got such a beautiful photo.
I can’t remember if they had these before, but now you can choose between regular, red, or black versions. Mine is the latter, with homemade blacked garlic oil drizzled on top, floating on the chicken waterbed. The noodles firm and springy, the menma thick and crunchy, the chashu barely adding anything actually because the soup is almost denser.
Pretty good fuel for a day of bike riding all over Kyoto.
Expect a 15-30 minute wait around lunchtime, I’ve never seen an empty line here. Expect 15-30 minutes in the bathroom the following day too. I don’t think my body knew what to do with a soup the density of dumpling innards. Worth it.