Takumi 2nd Tonkotsu — Restaurant in Dusseldorf

FOOD & DRINKS The main focus is the Tonkotsu ramen. The soup base is made out of pork bones and fatty meat parts with a good amount of collagen which gives the soup the great richness and depth of flavor it is known for. If you come here to eat then that is the ramen you should order. If you are vegetarian or a group with vegetarians I highly recommend the Takumi Chicken & Veggie instead! When I come here to satisfy my ramen crave I always go for the Takumi Red Tonkotsu because I like spicy ramen. For me it is pretty mild but I love very spicy food so don't take my taste buds as a measurement. So far the ramen always had been very consistent with one exception. If you come here at a very busy time, the kitchen gets sloppy. The dishes don't come out looking nice and clean. They just try to do everything fast. Certainly not Japanese standards. As for the taste it is still fine.

SERVICE I must say that due to the popularity the service isn't what it is used to be. I have been eating here since they opened this location and there was always that special Japanese vibe. Lately they had to hire non Japanese staff. I don't mind it when the staff members still resonate that feeling but it kinda lost the touch for me. I watched them working during busy hours and it is just a mess to be honest. The only rescue was the Japanese waitress. She was wonderful. The other staff members were nice and friendly but lacked not authenticity but the attitude / behavior that comes with a Japanese restaurant.

ATMOSPHERE I don't particularly like to eat at the counter. It is way too dark and not very welcoming. Everything would be warmer if the counter had a wooden design. If you come in a group try to get a table. It is just better.

RATING I have been here many times and unfortunately the last visit I made to do the review, changed my opinion about this ramen spot a bit. It is still my to go ramen spot for Tonkotsu ramen! Plus the specials they do are awesome! But they should try to work on their consistency in service...

I think this place is quite overrated, considering many good reviews. Those expecting exceptional ramen might be disappointed. However, there are two plus points: the quick service and the friendly staff. Our drinks, gyoza, and two bowls of ramen were served in under five minutes.

The gyoza was okay but nothing remarkable. However, the ramen, specifically the ajitama tonkotsu with spicy red sauce, was very disappointing. The broth was extremely salty, and the noodles seemed overly salted as well, making the combination unpleasant and unenjoyable. Additionally, the noodles stuck together, indicating they were improperly boiled or blanched. The egg topping was particularly disappointing; the yolk was almost set like a hard-boiled egg and cold, as if it had just been taken out of the fridge. This is not how ajitama in ramen should be prepared. The red spicy sauce tasted more like tomato ketchup, lacking any real heat and only adding to the overall saltiness of the dish. The sliced charsiu was just okay and could have been improved with slight torching or flambéing, though perhaps this is just their style. Overall, I would not return to this...

I had such a pathetic experience at this resturant. Cannot even begin. Firstly some of the Japanese restaurants are raved about and this is one of the many and the 2nd restaurant of their franchise. There is always a long waiting. I convinced my husband to visit one day and stood in line. For a place that is charging quite a decent price for their food or even on the higher side, I would expect to have basic chairs. There were none given and no place to even hang coats then. Anyhow to go to the food, the gyoza was decent but I have eaten better ones at other places. Then I ordered the teriyaki ramen bowl. This was literally inedible. The ramen had no flavour whatsover and same for the chicken. It was just cooked and provided with no teriyaki or any flavour. The soup itself had no flavour again. It was so bad that after 1 or 2 bites I had to literally request the restaurant to do take away and threw it! I would recommend dont waste your money or time and give this place a miss. I am sad to have wasted my money and time over this...