KOHOKU-KU RAMEN CHICAGO

First time had japanese cuisine. It was totally worth it!!

It's a very cute place. And Shoyu ramen is really awesome.

We had lunch on a weekday so there were plenty of seats, but also a couple other customers. We were seated in a festive booth that has coat hooks and a sense of privacy without feeling too enclosed. I asked what ramen was recommended for the first time eating at their shop, and ordered the recommended Spicy Tonkotsu ($18), a pork bone broth with red chili mixed in to a medium degree (my friend ordered the regular Tonkotsu ramen, $17). We also ordered the kurobuta (Berkshire) sausage ($7), which comes with a spicy mayo, as well as a couple of melon cream sodas ($4), which were ectoplasm green and served with a cute, cartoonish glass and straw. The service was mindful, friendly, and fast, getting our order early on, giving me a recommendation when asked, describing the spice level, bringing out the food and checking on us a couple times. Everything was done with a genuine looking smile and demeanor, and was just right. The food portions were as expected, and the ingredients were above par. The ramen noodles are thin, served slightly al dente with a good bite and chew. The bowl was also extra-packed with the noodles, which are delicious, but also absorb the broth over time, so I would focus on eating at least half of the noodles in the beginning when having ramen there, and then enjoy the second half with the toppings like the hanjuku egg, chashu pork, nori, etc. The appetizer came with five good-sized sausages, and it was easy to cut the last one to share, since they were perfectly crisped on the outside and juicy on the inside. The melon cream soda was surprisingly refreshing and not-too-sweet to cut through the heavier flavors in the ramen to reset the palate. Overall, having tried ramen at a number of places around Chicago, as well as Japan, I would say Kohoku-Ku Ramen is a solid choice off the beaten path, and deserves a visit when you have an urge to try something new, or go back for more.