RAMEN ICHIBANYA — Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City

Solid and very authentic pork Ramen in Yokohama style. The choice is simple, there's only one option of Ramen. The broth is very rich, a bit fatty and tastes like roasted pork chashu. Only slight criticism is that it's a bit too salty - even for me and I like my food more salty usually. The smoked pork tastes amazing (recommendation for the chef: maybe slice it thinner and put two slices instead of one thick one, since the smoked flavor is intense and it would be even more delicious this way). I love the noodles, texture is a bit chewy and perfectly al dente, taste is great and thickness just right. The service is amazing, super friendly and accommodating. They also make their own craft cola and ginger ale! I tried the cola and loved it. A whole different world of flavors, there are cloves, I think star anise and many more. Very different to the crappy industrial coke, a bit bitter, heavy on spices - absolutely worth a try. Prices are okay, certainly not cheap for Saigon, but reasonable in comparison with other Ramen shops and for the quality...

The restaurant space is very small, a bit stuffy, the smell of food will stick to your clothes. The staff is very enthusiastic and cheerful. They introduce each dish in detail in all three languages: English, Vietnamese and Japanese, so don't worry if you don't know what to eat. The noodles are very delicious, the cappuccino soup is very special. I will return here one day as soon as possible.

A huge minus point !!!!! There is no parking space, to park car/motorcycle you have to go very far, about 1 km or more....

I had their signature Tonkotsu Cappucino Ramen. The gimmicky name arises from the frothy appearance & texture of the pork broth, which was actually pretty good. I requested for the seasoning to be "salty" for a heavier taste (the broth was simply more concentrated, as opposed to more salt being added). My friend ordered the Ichiban Shoyu Ramen, which I didn't like as much, but my friend enjoyed it preferred his ramen over mine. Note that this hole in the wall establishment...