Daikan Ramen - JLT — Restaurant in Dubai

My God this place is always full. Walk past them numerous times throughout many numerous days (I have a puppy that needs walking every couple of hours lol) and no matter the time or day, Daikan is always full to the brim! It really is incredible how such a small restaurant, located at the highly-restaurant-competitive JLT area can be oh so darn busy all the time! I had to, once and for all, figure out what this whole hype was all about! So I made my way to Daikan and pretty much-ordered everything on their menu (just to give a full review, not because I'm a fatty, ok?). Ahh.. I love the excuses that make me sleep at night :P

To give a small backstory about Daikan, I did some research and learned that Daikan is actually a Ramen-restaurant that first opened in Germany. After the success Bilal and his brother found in Germany, they decided to expand by opening a temporary pop-up in Dubai Marina, and after it's incredible success, Bilal moved to Dubai to officially open the full-time Daikan JLT (and close the temporary Dubai Marina one). And although you would assume that Bilal is either German or Asian, he is actually Turkish who was raised in Germany. I got to meet Bilal when I dined at Daikan (he is there all the time, personally serving his guests and making sure everything and everyone is good and happy love that!). He is honestly just as kind as you would imagine him to be. Super motivated, hard working, friendly and contagiously happy! I honestly loved the short time I spent with him and would love nothing more than to see him & his brother to continue to succeed!! And succeed, they will, because Daikan literally serves the BEST ramen I've ever had in my life. It's actually a well-known fact among us foodies now that Daikan serves the best Ramen in all of UAE. Don't believe me? Try it and you'll see.

Other than their amazing ramen (they have quite a few options with different bases to choose from), they also serve incredibly taste BBQ Baos and Gyoza. Their menu is small but packs a punch. So if you're looking to order something alongside your ramen, you won't be disappointed at the great taste these appetizers offer.

Ever since that first time I visited Daikan, I was totally hooked. It's now my go-to Ramen restaurant, and trust me when I say, I crave Ramen a lot! They're also on Deliveroo but to be fully honest, it's not as tasty when you order it online, dining there would be the best option. Good luck on getting a chair though, but hey, it's totally...

If youre looking to satisfy your ramen cravings, this place does the job. I ordered their chef special noodles and chicken karage based on recommendation.

Chefs Special Noodles - 7/10 The broth is rich and creamy as well as flavourful, you can opt for more spice by adding in their chilli oil which in my opinion enhanced the flavour in the brother even more. The noodles have the chewiness to it and eggs were cooked to perfection, i only wish the chicken in the broth had more flavour. chicken karage - 9.5/10 It is so good, i might come back specifically for this, the chicken is crispy, soft and juicy, paired well with the sauce they provide. If you order ramen you must order this, its the perfect pairing.

They have both indoor and outdoor seating options, the indoor is small and cozy, the outdoor seating is as shown in pictures. Would i order the same ramen again? probably not as i personally prefer lighter and spicier broths for my ramen BUT im definitely looking forward to trying more from their variety of ramen bowls!

UPDATE: Went for the second time and i get the hype now, loved everything i ordered.

Spicy Miso Ramen (chicken) - 9/10 So, spicy miso and the chefs special have the same broth and i realized it wasnt the broth i hated last time but its the toppings, the chicken chashu & veal bacon, which changes the broth flavour. The broth is still on the milky/creamy side but doesnt have the weird after taste that chefs special noodles had & felt light on the stomach.

Chicken gyoza - 9.5/10 This was really good, do try it with chilli oil as well. I got my dumplings very lightly pan-fried but staff was very kind to remake my dumpling upon request as i wanted it to be panfried well so it had a crispy base to it.

Yuzu cheese cake - 8/10 Tastes really good, has a lemon-ish tanginess to it (reminded me of lemon loaf from starbucks) with creamy cheesecake and a soft but well baked biscuit layer at the bottom. The cake actually had more cranberry toppings but they are hidden at the bottom of the container in the picture.

The seating however was disappointing. This time around i chose to sit inside since the weather is hot and humid for outdoors and it was a bad choice. They only had fans blowing air, the open kitchen contributed even more to the humidity in the seating area. Hope they fix/ improve the...

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Daikan restaurant in Dubai, and I must say, it was an absolute delight. Known for serving the best ramen in the city, as well as the best chicken katsu, this place exceeded all my expectations.

First and foremost, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to Daisy, Jeralyn, Naveed, Chef Win, and Chef Jas for their impeccable service. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with warm smiles and genuine hospitality. They were attentive throughout our meal, ensuring we had everything we needed and providing helpful recommendations.

Now, let's talk about the food. The ramen at Daikan is truly exceptional. The broth was rich and flavorful, perfectly complementing the noodles and toppings. Whether you prefer a traditional soy-based broth or a spicy miso, they have a wide range of options to suit every palate. The attention to detail and the quality of the ingredients were evident in every bite.

But the star of the show, in my opinion, was the chicken katsu. The crispy, golden exterior encased tender and juicy chicken that was cooked to perfection. The accompanying sauce was the ideal balance of sweet and tangy, adding an extra layer of deliciousness to the dish.

Overall, my experience at Daikan was outstanding. The combination of exceptional ramen, the best chicken katsu, and the warm and attentive service provided by Daisy, Jeralyn, Naveed, Chef Win, and Chef Jas made it a truly memorable dining experience. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone craving authentic Japanese cuisine in Dubai. Thank you once again to the amazing...