ITTOU RAMEN LÊ THÁNH TÔN — Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City

🍜 特製濃厚魚介つけ麺 / tokusei noukou gyokai tsukemen 🗓️ 04/2023

I'm confused about whether this location is directly affiliated with the famed Menya Itto in Tokyo. The official Japanese corporate site of Itto doesn't list any Vietnamese locations. However, the logo they use here is exactly the same as the one Itto uses for their Tonkotsu Itto locations in Japan and Taiwan (so ig they are the real deal?). Given the name, I should've realized that this location serves a pork-based broth instead of a chicken-based one similar to Itto's flagship shop. Overall, this was quite the textbook definition of a tonkotsu gyokai tsukemen. They get the basics down from including yuzu zest and gyofun powder on the broth to providing soup wari as you finish. My only complaint is that the ajitama and the chashu seemed to get no love. They barely reheat them properly so I just had to eat some awkwardly cold toppings. Despite these flaws, I hope they continue to improve because this is as close to a proper tonkotsu gyokai as you can get here in Vietnam.

🍜 特製中華そば / tokusei chuukasoba 🗓️ 08/2024

I already tried their tonkotsu gyokai tsukemen last year and imo it's still the best tsukemen you will find in HCMC. This year I decided to try their shoyu instead. This pretty chintan broth was made with chicken bones rather than their usual tonkotsu base. It's probably the reason why they only run a limited amount of this bowl on Wednesday and Thursday. There was a mild hint of niboshi in there but I wish they cranked it up even more. These squarely cut noods were quite firm but still had that nice chew to them. Compared to my last visit, the biggest improvement was the toppings. The ajitama was perfectly jammy and the chashu was much less dry this time around. I think the wonton wrapping was a bit too thick tho. However, wonton is quite a rare topping here in HCMC so it was a nice addition regardless.

Come read more of my gibberish writings on ig...

The Ramen is great. However, the space is small and seem the staffs always under stress and aggressive.

Great food, but unable to enjoy with people who welcome guest at the entrance.

Also, you need to educate parking guys who keep bikes at the entrance. They could ruin your business.

Too many people to notice them at the entrance. And when we are about to coming, they try to raise their voices to us. It ruined our mood to come into Itoh Ramen! So we had to leave.

If they just say gently please follow our instructions then all be fine. But they did said “it is not the money, do as we said.” “Can we pay in advance?” We said “It’s not MONEY!” And he pushed my bike violently. “Then we are sorry, we have to go” I said.

We don’t know why the rude attitude be tolerated at the street. You need to fix it! If too many people and you don’t want to serve, please put a sign. Don’t ruin our...

Our favourite Ramen place in HCMC closed down due to covid. As a result, we have spent the last 5 months on a Ramen odyssey, scouring the streets of Saigon for a bowl that lived up to our expectations, only to be disappointed time and time again, going home with endlessly unsatisfied tummies longing for that ramen satiety.

However, yesterday, on the advice of a colleague, we tried our chances one last time at Ittou Ramen, and my oh my! I am glad we did. The service was great - very fast and friendly. But the Ramen was INCREDIBLE! Thick flavouful broths (with good variety to choose from) and excellently prepared toppings. Our quest is finally over - and we can categorically say that Ittou Ramen is the BEST ramen available in Saigon, and possibly one of the best I've ever had. Thank you for restoring my...