BANKARA Ramen Sukhumvit 39 — Restaurant in Khlong Tan Nuea Subdistrict

It is hard to not receive a 5-star from me as I always try to be as objective as possible (veteran NYC F&B Director for luxury hotels), but this just missed the mark.

Was ready to enjoy some ramen. Found this spot online and the reviews were great overall.

Preface: I ran Japanese restaurants for a good part of my career, including one satellite ramen spot, and have traveled Tokyo, so I know ramen.

We showed up just over an hour before closing. Was sat immediately. Order 2 different ramens - Tonkotsu for me (which I was craving!) and the house special for my date (this was much better). Also ordered the karaage.

The food came quickly but the Tonkotsu’s flavor was just off a bit - missing that awesome umami touch. Additionally, where is the egg?? Not complete without this. Tonkotsu should be rich and creamy and this was a bit watered down.

My dates ramen (the house special, sorry don’t remember the name) was much better! Great flavor to it (clear broth). Left me wishing I ordered that.

The karaage was really disappointing as it was super greasy. My date used a stack of napkins to try and squeeze the grease out. =P

Lastly, it just seemed like the staff wanted to go home. Although they were not rude, you could tell they just wanted to close. Last call for kitchen given 30 mins before closing, and they asked about the check twice, and I still had beer in my glass.

Lost 1 star for food quality Lost 1 star for the rushing

Didn’t even take photos...

I stumbled upon this hidden ramen gem by accident—tucked away inside a plaza. Somehow, I had a sixth sense that it would be a good one, and I wasn’t wrong.

As is often the case with Japanese restaurants, I was greeted warmly by the staff, which instantly made the experience feel welcoming. The atmosphere is just right for enjoying a bowl of ramen—cozy vibes and pleasant background music.

I ordered the Kakuni Tsukemen and requested it less salty and less oily, which the staff happily accommodated. The air conditioning was strong (perfect for a hot bowl of noodles), and the chairs were comfortable enough for a relaxed meal.

Now, the food—wow. The pork belly and chashu were absolutely amazing: melt-in-your-mouth soft, rich in flavor, and clearly slow-cooked with care. The noodles had that ideal chewy texture—neither too soft nor too firm. Every bite was satisfying, and it quickly became one of the more memorable ramen experiences I’ve had.

Price-to-portion (PP) ratio is solid, and the overall value is excellent.

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Service: A — Warm, Attentive, Accommodating Vibe: A — Cozy, Authentic, Relaxed Comfort: A — Strong AC, Comfortable Seating, Clean Space Food & Beverage: A — Flavorful, Balanced, High Quality PP Ratio: A — Fair Price, Generous...

Sorry to say but this is some of the worst Japanese food I have ever had (and we just came from Osaka and have been to Japan many times). Reviews were saying that it was supposed to be just like what you get in Japan (I can only assume that these people have never been to Japan or have been there so long ago that they forgot what good Japanese food should taste like). One of our group was in the bathroom all night after eating here but has had no problems with even eating street food in Bangkok. Flavorless broth (Tonkotsu should have a rich and savory broth, this broth still had large chunks of fat and tasted like watery salt water at best) and poor quality karaage (better karaage can be bought at convenience stores in Japan in my opinion). We also ordered gyoza as other reviews said it was so good and while the gyoza was actually pretty good, I have had so much better and even after showing the staff a picture of ponzu they had no idea what it was and told me to use soy sauce and some sesame oil that was at the table to make sauce myself! And especially for the price we paid here for this low quality we will not go back and would recommend to anyone to eat at some...