Slurp Ramen Joint in Copenhagen, Denmark

Slurp.Ramen.Joint.



Travel to the other side of the planet for a bowl? Sure!



I met Philipp back in 2015, when he was in Japan for work at renowned Ryugin, a high-end Japanese restaurant that is consistently named top five in Asia. Sure, the kid had done stints at Noma and Relæ, but like many chefs, he was a huge ramen fan.



Fast forward to the present, and he's opened his own place in Copenhagen. A real, Japan-inspired shop on the other side of the planet.



Timing was of the essence, and I really only had the first week of January free from my Tokyo obligations. And though the shop was slated to open on January 4th, I arrived to this; construction. The interior was in the final stages, but it was still a mess. Top-of-the-line kitchen appliances remained hidden from view beneath plastic and cardboard.



Well, over the course of my stay, the plastic and cardboard dissipated, and though the shop's official opening was pushed back to February 9th, I got to try the bowl.



I should note that Philipp spent a bit of time in Japan working at some of Tokyo's top ramen shops. One of those was my local favorite (and apparently the favorite of Noma chef René Redzepi), Hototogisu. The bowl at Slurp is heavily inspired by this.



Shio ramen heaven. Prized local pork meets imported Japanese ocean products. I should know, I smuggled in two duffel bags of dried shrimp and scallops. I say smuggled, but for the sake of conversation, let's say that I brought in exactly 20kg, the amount you are legally allowed to carry across borders into Denmark.



You're hit with these flavors on the first sip. Ocean umami, amplified by the glutamate acids in kombu seaweed. The basis of amazing bowls like this. And while the base is legit, Slurp goes the extra step. The paste on top is made from cep mushrooms. Often compared with Italian Porcini, this secret ingredient adds another layer of umami.

The noodles, made in-house, blend Japanese with local organic Borneholm flour. They also add a pinch of freshly ground rye to give the noodles a heartier flavor.



With the Japanese flavors come some of that Danish design. The bowls are handcrafted works of art. The shop is clean and angular, with the wood from the rafters matching the wood on the original stools.



Since opening, the shop is a hit. Their menu is minimal, with four kinds of ramen and four starters, one of which is a monthly special. A nice blend of Japanese style quick-slurp and Western-style relax.

I only had a chance to have the shio, so I'll be back for the rest someday. Copenhagen is an amazing city, and I would love to visit the region in the warmer months of the year.

Official site here.




NANSENSGADE 90 - 1366 COPENHAGEN K

For hours, please check their site.

らーめんとビール (Ramen and Beer in Copenhagen, Denmark)

Mikkeller らーめんとビール



Most beer fans have nothing but praise for Mikkeller, and I am among them. Mikkeller started in Denmark back around 2006 with a unique concept. Instead of operating a main brewery, they would outsource their recipes, with experimental brews being commonplace. They collaborate around the world, and their Tokyo bar was a place of beauty (though it closed down last year due to drama with their partners).



When in Copenhagen, it is almost impossible to find a street without Mikkeller represented in some way or another.

One this street, for example, I passes an artisinal toast shop with a Mikkeller sign in the window before arriving at the Mikkeller ramen shop. Yes, they opened a ramen shop.

And, yes, I went to Copenhagen for a quick food vacation. I was here to visit two shops in particular, Slurp Ramen Joint and Noma. With Copenhagen being very, very cold (minus eight one day), I spent more time inside restaurants than expected. It's easy to blame gluttony on the weather.



At first glance, this is an impressive shop. Knick knacks from old Japan cover the walls, and they even went so far as to import a real Japanese ticket machine. It's just a novelty; print your ticket, and pay at the counter.



Shio, shoyu, and a spicy miso, plus a few seasonal bowls. With temperatures hovering around zero outside (protip: avoid Denmark in January), I went straight for the spicy miso, level two.



And of course, a glass of their "ramen" beer, a light Belgian ale that pairs well with the food.

The ramen here was good. I would slurp this regularly if I chose Copenhagen as my home, though I would not have been happy waiting an hour for it (this was the case when the shop first opened). But on a cold Copenhagen day this was a perfect heat me up and leave me happy lunch.



Official site here.




Griffenfeldsgade 28, 2200 København N, Denmark

Open Sundays 12-8
Monday-Thursday 12-9
Friday and Saturday 12-11

六厘舎 (Rokurinsha at Haneda Airport)

六厘舎 羽田空港店



It's time I finally talk about Rokurinsha. I went to the original way back in 2008, when I first started this site. Back when the shop was a gem, when tsukemen of this caliber was a relatively new thing.

It was an epic experience, and an epic bowl. After a wait of an hour or more, I sat next to a high-level gangster, shoulder-to-shoulder, as we slurped this meaty, noodly food of the gods. They operated their shop by serving the entire place at once, and seating the next group when the current group of 15 was finished. A crazy system that would only work in the rural Osaki neighborhood they were located in.

Everyone loved this shop. Japanese media and food critics raved. David Chang still mentions it to this day. Unfortunately, this is a problem. The shop was constantly having issues with neighbors. This was, after all, a residential neighborhood. I'm sure my eating neighbor, the yakuza, didn't help the matter. Rokurinsha's master sold the brand sometime a few years later, after the success of the shop at the newly opened Tokyo Ramen Street.

Since then, Rokurinsha has opened in malls and airports, with a central kitchen and system much different than the original.



As I was flying out of Haneda, I took the chance to eat here, something I thought I would never do again.



Get your buzzing order-ready thing, and wait about 10 minutes.



Self service toppings and soup wari are there for your enjoyment.



So here it is.

I feel like comparing apples and oranges. Both are good, I just really prefer apples. The Rokurinsha of yesteryear was worthy of a pilgrimage. You can still watch shows on Netflix that talk about the old shop. Watch them, and you'll be on the next flight.

The new Rokurinsha is a standard thing. If you've never had a good tonkotsugyokai tsukemen, then this is going to knock your socks off. You'll Instagram it, recommend it to friends, and feel accomplished. So the cycle continues.

My goal with Ramen Adventures, when I started the site back in 2008 (Rokurinsha was my 10th post) was to help people find something truly unique. I can't think of anything in an airport or shopping mall food court that would apply.



Official site here.



東京都大田区羽田空港2-6-5 羽田空港国際線旅客ターミナル
Haneda International Terminal

Open 24/7