Almost simultaneously, several people recommended a place to me: Fuku Ramen. They mentioned that despite not being run by a Japanese person, the quality of the ramen exceeded expectations, surpassing that of any other ramen joint in Amsterdam. Intrigued by these reviews, I decided to visit. However, I hadn't anticipated that the rain would begin to fall just as I joined the queue.
I hadn't expected the rain, and to add to it, the line moved at a snail's pace. Now, while the information has been corrected, it wasn't entirely clear whether they accepted reservations for the weekend or not. Several of us in line assumed it was walk-in only for the weekend, but it turned out they did accept reservations. It was a bit confusing at the time. Nonetheless, after waiting about an hour in the rain, I finally secured a seat at the bar.
Despite knowing the price beforehand, I was still a bit taken aback when I confirmed it: a bowl of ramen priced at over 20 Euros. There were two options available: a spicy miso ramen and a vegan tantanmen. Both were priced at 24 Euros each. The ingredients seemed quite complex and differed from the typical ramen offerings, but in all honesty, aside from the use of Iberico pork and the addition of coriander (or perhaps Sichuan oil) to the ramen, the ingredients themselves didn't deviate much from the usual ramen recipe. This left me wondering how this place managed to garner so many positive reviews.
The chef appeared to have studied ramen in Osaka, evident from his attire—a T-shirt adorned with symbols representing the Kansai region. Intrigued, I began reading their Instagram feed and discovered that they initially started as a ramen pop-up at De Kas before branching out. It became clear that the chef had indeed studied ramen in Japan and subsequently opened his ramenya here in Amsterdam.
I received my ramen surprisingly quickly. Initially, I was puzzled by the explicit mention of additional noodles, but upon inspecting the volume of the ramen, I couldn't help but admit that this was the smallest size I had ever encountered in a ramenya. As a fan of miso ramen, particularly from Hokkaido - my picks are Ramen Shingen from Sapporo and Baikoken from Asahikawa - I was a bit surprised to find that this bowl, priced at 24 Euros, was noticeably smaller than what I was accustomed to.
Despite the small size of the bowl, I wondered if it would be enough, especially after the long wait and tantalizing aroma of the ramen. Surprisingly, the broth was incredibly hearty, and the portion of ramen was quite adequate. It was then that I realized why people praised this place so much. It was worth the money if you were seeking a slightly different experience from what you'd find in Japan. While I wouldn't go as far as to say this place reached the level of the best ramen spots in Japan, it certainly surpassed any other ramen places I've tried outside of Japan.
After finishing my bowl, the chef asked if I wanted to have kaedama (additional noodles), but I declined and opted for the Monaka Wagashi Sando as a dessert instead. It was a monaka ice cream with crispy buckwheat, boasting a good bergamot flavor. While I expected a bit more crispy buckwheat, the amount provided was quite small, and I wasn't entirely sure if I could fully appreciate its crispiness. Overall, although I couldn't compare it to my favorite monakas from Toraya, the crispy monaka was enjoyable, and the flavor was pleasing. However, at this price level, I thought it would have been better if they offered a bit more variety, perhaps with Matcha or Hojicha ice cream instead of the mundane milk ice cream.
After paying my bill, I found myself hesitating. While I had enjoyed the experience and acknowledged that it was indeed the best ramen place outside Japan that I had ever encountered, I wasn't entirely sure if I wanted to return, especially considering the price tag of over 30 Euros. Despite not having any issues with what I had paid for, and despite observing people still lining up and eagerly booking tables, I wasn't certain if I wanted to engage in that battle just to secure a seat. While I cherished the experience, I felt content knowing that I had experienced it at least once.
Fuku Ramen
Ingogostraat 14A, 1092 HZ Amsterdam
+31 06 42608596
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