Raman Revies-Ryo(Longon, UK)

Ryo Restaurant

My first experience @ Ryo
Let's start with the good points. The best things about this shop are:
1. The general atmosphere. The decor is quite modern & fashionable in a minimalistic sense & the abstract hip-hop beats provide the right mood.
2. The shop is open till midnight.
3. The genuinely friendly staff / service.

The ramen, however, wasn't all that good (instant ramen is probably better).
Now I might've been unlucky, beause I went before closing time (11:45PM) on Easter Sunday not expecting any service & was therefore quite happy to get any service at all (this is London). The 2 young blokes working that evening were so nice we could have almost made friends. Anyway, I ordered shouyu ramen (」4.50) & it was served in less than 3 minutes (wow!?), topped with half a boiled egg, menma, bean sprouts, spring onion, and・chopped lettuce, which predictably enough went well with the watery soup. :o) Yes, unfortunately the soup was like hot water (very diluted) and the noodles weren't too good either.
(sorry I don't know about the chashu. ^^; As I don't really like buta I don't order it)
Oh, and there's pepper if you need it.
To sum it all up, Ryo's good points made me (almost) forget their bad ramen, not to mention that it might've been just a one-off balls-up. The time Out food guide rates ramen at Ryo as good, but that's not saying much... Also, I suppose their non-ramen dishes are worth a try, so I might go back.
It's just that Ten Ten Tei is just next door & looks better (I would've tried them instead, had they not been closed that day), not to mention that Ramen Seto in Kingly St (also part of Soho) is only 2 minutes away on foot(see review). Even if I haven't eaten ramen in Japan yet, I know enough to recommend Seto's ramen as at least good enough to put you off instant
ramen(!)...
All in all, I'd rather support an independent small business like Ryo, rather than eat at one of Wagamama's chain shops.
How to find Ryo
Soho's Brewer St is almost in Picadilly Circus. Going towards Regent St (from Piccadilly Circus), you turn right into the Glasshouse, and you'll find Brewer St on the other side of that same block.
(Posted by Mark B, 2002.5.7)

"No good."
(Posted by Tera, 2001.3.10)

(Photos provided by Mark B, 2002.5.7)

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