Yamanashi Ramen — Restaurant in Paris

The best review for this restaurant is that we plan our vacations around Yamanashi. Not like "when we're in Paris when will we go to Yamanashi?" Like we pick Paris as a destination at least in part because of Yanamashi, and we stay near Republique because we know we're eating there. There are other reasons, too, but we actually discuss our next Paris trip because of Yamanashi.

Second best review: I live near a ramen shop recently rated by a magazine as the third best in the world. Magazine reviews are whatever and 'third best in the world' is a silly thing to even say, but the local place is very good to be sure.

Yamanashi is better. A lot. It's a comment on magazines that none of them seem to have discovered it.

As far as what to get here? All of it. The only way to describe the ramen is 'very very good'. I rotate between the tonkatsu, shoyu and spicy. It's just very, very good ramen. Consistently good broth seems to be where most shops have trouble. At Yamanashi, it's consistently very good. Broths are good, noodles are good, egg is done well, meat is good...it's just very good, every time. This is a challenge for most ramen places, so having actual very good ramen, consistently, is an accomplishment.

What takes it from 'that shop that we always eat at when we're there' to 'consideration in planning a vacation' is everything else.

The bao. The chicken bao is my current obsession. Each bite is wonderful. You can get good bao lots of places. Yamanashi could stand alone on its bao if it wanted.

The goma kyuri. It's perfect. Goma kyuri is not a complex dish, but it's easy to screw up. This is the best kyuri I've ever had. That sounds silly, but it's that good. I've tried to replicate it at home and can't. There are like six ingredients in the dish and it should be simple to make. I may have to ask chef for a job so I can figure out the magic here. I might just send an email and beg.

So that's what you're getting here: mastery of one kind of dish that takes a lot of work and a whole day to make, and on the other end a dish that you can make in two minutes and is so simple there's nowhere to hide a mistake. He's mastered both ends of the spectrum.

Exceptional food. But wait--there's more. They're friendly. Warm. Inviting. Chef seems like he wants you to eat, enjoy the food, and leave happy, enough that it merits mentioning. Let's make it worse: the prices are inexpensive.

Anyway, I rarely write reviews, but Yamanashi deserves the credit. This place is a joy. Go before everyone else figures it out and you can't...

As someone who often struggles to find reliable reviews of ramen shops, I always appreciate detailed and honest feedback to help me make an educated decision about where to eat. Unfortunately, this place didn’t live up to its 4.7-star rating. The ramen was average at best and I found overpriced for the quality. When I arrived during lunch hours, the restaurant was nearly empty, which raised concerns. While I won’t speculate on why the rating is so high (others already have), it certainly doesn’t reflect the food or my overall experience. As a positive, the service was friendly and quick.

I understand that every bowl of ramen is unique and taste is subjective, but I was left generally unimpressed. The broths lacked depth and complexity, coming off as one-dimensional. They missed the balance of umami, saltiness, and sweetness that distinguishes truly great ramen. The ajitsuke tamago/ajitama was a major disappointment—overcooked to the point that they lost their creamy, custard-like texture. Worse yet, one of the bowls had chicken that was so chewy and inedible, it detracted from the entire dish.

With other more authentic and satisfying ramen spots within walking distance, I can't...

To put things into context, I have lived in Asia extensively - Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Bangkok and Tokyo. And have spent an extensive amount of time in Hanoi and Beijing. I am always cautious when I dine at Asian restaurants abroad. This was a good find.

Can't really fault this place. Easy to locate, website booking available and service is efficient.

If I have to nit-pick, I'd say the ratio of carbs vs protein needs adjusting. Too much carbs for the amount of protein (or, more correctly, too little protein for the amount of carbs).

For starter, I had the marinated cucumber. It was a simple and nice choice. Can't go wrong with this as it's so easy to prepare. Plus I try to avoid reheated frozen food so I generally stay away from gyozas.

I had the Spicy Mayu and it was good. Perfect for a cold wintery day. I finished every drop of it despite the heavy carb content.

Service is great. Warm, attentive and efficient.

Would recommend this place if you are in the location and in need of something warn...