[Hong Kong Cuisine] Enjoying ‘Ippon Ramen’ whilst gazing out at the unbeatable views of Victoria Harbour

Aside from sushi, ramen is one of my favourite Japanese dishes. I love it for its endless variety of flavours; every region and every shop has its own unique speciality, and it’s relatively inexpensive. There are always a few bowls that leave me longing for more. On my last trip to Hokkaido, I tried ‘Ichigen Ramen’, the number one local favourite. It certainly lived up to its reputation; I couldn’t stop thinking about it after I’d finished. Fortunately, they’ve opened an overseas branch in Hong Kong in recent years, which has helped ease my longing.

There are three branches in Hong Kong, located in Wan Chai, Central and Tsim Sha Tsui—the latter being my personal favourite, as there’s simply nothing better than tucking into a bowl of ramen whilst taking in the unbeatable views of Victoria Harbour!

Just like the flagship store in Sapporo, the Hong Kong branch offers three flavours of ramen: ‘Shio’, ‘Miso’ and ‘Shoyu’. It is often said that ‘the broth is the soul of ramen’, and Ippon is most famous for its exceptionally sweet and savoury broth, carefully simmered using copious amounts of sweet shrimp heads. For the past decade, it has been deeply loved by diners from both Japan and abroad, with long queues forming every time I visit. The Hong Kong branch faithfully replicates the authentic flavour of the flagship store. The rich and savoury broth is made daily using 50 to 60 kilograms of seasonal Japanese sweet shrimp heads. Once an order is placed, the noodles are cooked with a blend of sautéed shrimp oil, pork back fat, minced ginger and garlic, and other seasonings. Just like at the original restaurant, there are various combinations of broth mixed with pork bone stock to choose from. I opted for a moderate amount of pork bone stock with a simple salt-based seasoning; the flavour was savoury and rich without overpowering the umami of the sweet prawn broth.

To ensure freshness, the ramen at Ichigen Hong Kong is custom-made by a Hong Kong noodle factory according to our original recipe. Whether thick or thin, the noodles are smooth and springy, and are in no way inferior to those served at our flagship restaurant. The toppings include tender, flavourful Japanese char siu and Kyushu-style soft-boiled eggs prepared exactly to the original recipe, topped with a generous sprinkling of chopped spring onions, red noodle crisps and a pinch of shrimp powder—made by stir-frying shrimp heads—to enhance the flavour.

Ichi-Gen Hong Kong also offers the ‘Rich Prawn Broth Char Siu Stir-fried Noodles’ and ‘Spicy Miso Prawn Soup Ramen’, which are exclusive to the Hong Kong branch, as well as the ‘Prawn Broth Sesame Cold Noodles’, which is exclusive to the Central branch. I ordered a bowl of the ‘Rich Prawn Broth Char Siu Stir-fried Noodles’ to try.

Ramen without a prawn broth is replaced by a thick, rich prawn sauce. This sauce is also made by simmering a large quantity of prawn heads and concentrating the original stock. The generous portion of char siu chunks is tender and delicious; the texture is far more satisfying than thin slices, and when combined with crispy shredded nori, chopped spring onions, crispy noodle bits and the indispensable soft-boiled egg, along with noodles that are thoroughly coated in the sweet, rich prawn sauce with every bite, all mixed together to create a dish with incredibly rich and layered flavours.

Fans of Ichigen will know that, as well as the ramen, the ‘Prawn Rice Balls’ are another must-try speciality. Every grain of chewy, springy Japanese rice is enveloped in the savoury flavour of soy sauce and the umami of prawn broth, with a whole fresh prawn hidden inside. It’s delicious, and the rice ball holds its shape perfectly in your hand. Wash it down with a refreshing, sweet and ice-cold Suntory Highball, imported directly from Japan – it’s the perfect thirst-quencher!

If you don’t fancy queuing but still want to enjoy Ichigen Ramen whenever you like, they’ve actually brought out a handy boxed version—you can buy it to take home and cook up yourself whenever you feel like it, which is really convenient!

Address: Shop OTG59, Ground Floor, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday, 11.30 am–11.00 pm
Tel: +852 3105 1199