"Ivan Ramen operates in the "no bookings" zone, so one should be prepared for a wait at this already popular spot. Having said that, the queue was well-managed by the restaurant's upbeat staff and entirely contained in the warmth of the front kitchen on the night of our visit. We soon made it through to the lively 26-seater restaurant hidden at the back of the shop."
"We decided to start with a couple of Ivan Ramen's small plates. Chicken Gyozas are always a good test of a Japanese restaurant. Here, they are offered in servings of three or six. Naturally, we ordered six, and they easily passed the test. What set these apart from the competition was the addition of novel toppings, including crunchy nibs of almond taberu rayu and crispy togarashi chicken skin."
"Our waitress warned us pretty strongly that at Ivan Ramen, the word spicy means spicier than you might expect. This was certainly true of the Spicy Kyuri Pickles. We were both used to associating cucumber in Japanese restaurants with sesame and the word refreshing. Here, Persian cucumbers are soused in soy, ginger, sesame and vinegar, plus a great big dose of fiery chilli."
Ivan Ramen London is an outpost of Ivan Orkin's ramen concept, following a 2023 pop-up and located on Farringdon Road. The venue offers cult ramen, izakaya-style plates, and carefully crafted sides in a compact 26-seat space. The restaurant operates a no-bookings policy with a managed queue and a warm front kitchen. Beverage options include Asahi and a restrained Yuzu Lemonade. Small plates such as chicken gyozas arrive with inventive toppings like almond taberu rayu and crispy togarashi chicken skin. The Spicy Kyuri Pickles deliver intense heat, with Persian cucumbers in soy, ginger, sesame, vinegar and fiery chilli. The signature dish is the Tori Paitan (£16.75).
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