Yokozuna Japanese Noodle Shop

466 Nathan Rd, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon
Visited 7th July 2009
Yokozuna is a tiny place with a big reputation and even though we arrived at 2.30 on a Wednesday afternoon we still had to wait half an hour for a table. Situated just off Nathan Rd in a side street near the Salvation Army, Yokozuna is all about authenticity and even the tiny, crowded interior was pretty much like ramen places I've visited in Japan. Having been around for more than twenty years these guys are serious about ramen with the owner even going as far as to import most of his ingredients from Japan.

The menu at Yokozuna has a selection of the usual ramen dishes, a few sides and a couple of offerings with rice (though why anyone would ever order rice here is beyond me). I was being a tad indecisive until my mate just told me to "hurry-up and order No. 3"; a 'classic' ramen with egg and pork. The big bowl of noodles that was places in front of me looked good. First I tried the soup base; truly delicious, it was well seasoned with white pepper and would have been a satisfying meal on its own. The fresh vegetable, succulent cubes of roast pork and a fantastic slow cooked egg were all outstanding, but it was the noodles that won my heart. The thick, tasty ramen were chewy and maintained their texture without going soggy. We also got a side of pan-fried dumplings and these little treats were also good; filled with succulent pork they were crisp yet not the slightest bit oily.

I was taken to Yokozuna by a mate and as we left he cackled evilly and said that I'd be craving those noodles again soon. He was right; I think about Yokozuna ramen quite often and need another hit as soon as possible. Absolutely divine food at $42 a bowl ha, what could be better? I can't even complain about having to wait for a table as the staff were efficient and organised the line well (and a convenient 7/11 next door meant a sly beer was found). Yokozuna comes utterly recommended not just because it's the best ramen I've had in Hong Kong, but because it's actually better than most ramen I've eaten in Japan. Visit restaurant website.