Sorihashiya — Restaurant in Frankfurt

I wasn't planning to leave a review because I didn't want too many people to discover this amazing place and end up having to wait in long queues when I come back. However, at the same time, I genuinely want the restaurant to thrive and maintain its impressive rating, so I have to give it a shoutout. (People: 4+1/ Dining date: June 21, 2023/ dinner)

Overall Rating: Impressive, five stars in every aspect. (This review is based on a Taiwanese who has been influenced by Japanese culture/cuisine and lived in Germany for over a year talks about a Japanese ramen restaurant outside of Japan.)

Broth: We ordered Goma Miso Ramen, Shoyu Paitan Ramen, and Umakara Ramen (we intended to order Tsukemen but accidentally missed). The miso and spicy broths were incredibly rich and thick, while the soy sauce+ chicken based broth had a slightly lighter consistency but still packed a lot of flavor. We're unsure about the exact preparation methods, but we believe the broths are meticulously crafted with time and care.

Spiciness of Umakara Ramen: It might be considered spicy for those not accustomed to heat, but for Asian spice enthusiasts, it offers a mild and enjoyable level of spiciness.

Saltiness: It captures the authentic essence of Japanese ramen, which might come across as saltier to some Taiwanese individuals. Personally, I don't mind it at all and appreciate the restaurant's dedication to preserving the original Japanese flavor. This level of saltiness should be considered typical for locals in Germany.

Chashu (Pork): The chashu had a tender texture, and the meat retained its juiciness.

Fusion Level: 0% Fusion/100% Japanese. The dishes didn't incorporate European vegetables as mere decoration; they stayed true to their Japanese roots.

Side Dishes: We ordered dumplings twice, and they were incredibly delicious since It's even rare to find places in Taiwan that achieve such perfectly crispy pan-fried dumplings, and the consistency in their frying technique was impressive. The filling is simple and perfect (we ordered Gyoza Veggie- filled with minced pork and chopped cabbage).

Noodles: The restaurant serves thin noodles, which is a personal preference of mine. The thin noodles allow for better absorption of the broth, enhancing the overall experience.

Service: One person is dedicated to the kitchen, while another efficiently manages both the front and back areas. Their busyness was evident, and we were mentally prepared for a wait. Throughout the wait, they consistently came out to greet us as we stood on the roadside. It's been a long time since I've experienced such exceptional hospitality while being abroad. I have no significant complaints. We also realized that we forgot to order Tsukemen, and by the time we realized, the kitchen had already passed the serving time. However, the kitchen went out of their way to accommodate our request and added a portion of pan-fried dumplings for us.

The only improvement I would suggest is to consider increasing the font size on the paper menus. The current small font size can strain the eyes (although it's not an issue on the mobile ordering system). But that's just a minor observation.

Above is my review, and I hope it provides helpful information to...

Warning: Do not pay with the “Scan for menu & order” function!!! (More details at the bottom)

The two broths we had were so thick that it clogged our throats. Additionally, in our opinion the seasoning was too strong. They were so salty that it is not possible to sense the potential multiple layers of flavor. (I used potential because after I have finished the noodles I have found Yuzu peel slices in the soup, which would be good if the soup was not so salty that I can actually taste them through the soup itself. & I used personally because this could be because we are Asian and are not accustomed to this level of saltiness while the German could possibly find them just the right amount.)

The restaurant run out of Char Siu (special cooked pork which is the centerpiece of the noodles) at 19:00. Normally we can understand that a restaurant run out of something and would then order something as a replace. But being a ramen restaurant with in total 5 kinds of ramen and run out of one of the major components for half of its ramens at the prime dinner time is bad form! We have to accept two eggs in replace for the Char Siu, which in my mind is not an acceptable arrangement. But we accepted it because we don’t want to find another place to eat and we have already paid for the meal.

Too few waiter/waitress which led to our drinks being delivered after we have already finished 50% of our noodles and are 50%“dead” from the high salt content. (BTW: homemade Yuzu drink is not that astonishing and thus not worth the almost 6 euro price.)

We don’t assume we know everything about ramen and we know that this restaurant is popular, boasting good historical reviews, but our experience is so lacking that we bothered to spend an hour summarizing this review. It could be that the restaurant has gone complacent as the time goes by and we would just like you guys to know that all of these could happen to you as well.

P.s. More about Point 1: We ordered, paid, waited and then the restaurant told us that the order was not accepted and we have to repeat the process, even though the banking app shows that the amount was already wired. So we have to pay the amount a second time and wait for the first payment to be wired back (which has yet to happen) Normally I am ok with the ordering & paying process being automated via app/webpage, but at the minimum the system should work!!!! (And not swallow our money and waste our time. After all, as a method to increase efficiency, the owner already saved costs through adopting this and employ less...

We visited this ramen restaurant in May 2024, following a recommendation from a food blogger who reviews places in Frankfurt. The pictures and descriptions looked promising, so we decided to give it a try.

Unfortunately, the reality was disappointing. The place is quite cramped, with just a few tables, many of which are awkwardly placed in the way of customers and staff. Although the service was fast and the waiter was polite, it didn't make up for the quality of the food.

Despite their handmade noodles, which are supposed to be a highlight, the broth – the most crucial component of ramen – was simply not good. There are several types of broth available. We tried the first type, which is a mix of fish and chicken broth, as well as the purely chicken-based broth. There's also a vegan option that we didn't try. The fish-based broth was unpleasantly fishy with a very strong taste, while the other broth was too thick and nutty, resembling more of a sauce or gravy than a soup.

The ramen also lacked sufficient ingredients. Apart from the noodles and broth, it contained just two thin slices of pork and an egg. There were no additional vegetables or greens like pak choi, mushrooms, or any other complementary ingredients that one might expect in a well-rounded bowl of ramen.

We have had ramen at other places with lower ratings that tasted much better than this. Unfortunately, none of the four of us finished our ramen, and we all had negative feedback about the experience. I even had a stomach ache afterward. Given this experience, we definitely won't be returning, and I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone.

Although the restaurant is presumably run by Japanese staff, and one might expect an authentic experience, the taste of the soup doesn't justify a return visit or a...