Jayang-dong ramen shop: pork broth better than Japan's at Sonoki Ramen

My husband and I were on a date in Seoul when we started talking about our trips to Japan. Feeling nostalgic, we decided on Japanese food for lunch. We went to Sonoki Ramen Konkuk Univ. main branch, a ramen shop near Konkuk Univ., and the ramen there was better than what we ate in Japan.

Where is Sonoki Ramen Konkuk Univ. main branch, and when should you go?

Sonoki Ramen Konkuk Univ. main branch is a ramen shop close to Exit 6 of Konkuk Univ. Station. When we visited, a Konkuk student discount event was running, so students could eat cheaply. I don't come to Konkuk Univ. often, but seeing this makes me want to be a student there ^^

The hangover karai ramen (spicy ramen) looked fiery. If you drank the night before, it seems like a good hangover meal in Konkuk Univ. The rich broth has a sharp, spicy kick, so it should cure a hangover perfectly.

The hall isn't big, and it felt like a simple place to eat ramen and go. Some people were there eating solo, and they looked like Konkuk students, maybe? Also, there's no break time, so you don't have to stress about timing your visit.

What does the Sonoki Ramen couple set cost and include?

• Couple set + drinks: ₩29,500
• Extra chashu (braised pork slices): ₩2,500
• Extra ajitamago (marinated soft-boiled egg): ₩1,500

On our Seoul date days we travel all the way from Incheon, so we're hungry. That's why we ordered the set for two at Sonoki Ramen Konkuk Univ. main branch.

Is Sonoki Ramen's pork broth less gamey than ramen in Japan?

Sonoki Ramen is the shop's signature dish, with a thick pork broth. It's super rich. But there was no gamey smell. It was rich yet clean and full-bodied, which I loved. In Japan I was overwhelmed by the pork smell a few times,,

Are extra ajitamago and chashu worth adding?

Adding the soft-boiled egg (ajitamago) to the ramen was great. Don't just eat it plain: soak it in the ramen broth first and it tastes even better. I recommend adding chashu too. The slices are thin, but tender and melt in your mouth, and I thought it was a good call to add them.

I liked the rich broth so much that I took a few spoonfuls first. My husband kept spooning it too, saying the broth was the real deal.

The noodles were the familiar Japanese ramen noodles, kind of firm yet soft. They soak up the broth well, so they're tasty even on their own. Of course, the ramen + soft-boiled egg + broth combo is the best, you know.

What does the mazegohan in the set taste like?

Mazegohan (mixed rice) is the rice dish that comes with the couple set: a secret beef-based sauce with egg yolk, scallions and sesame oil. You just mix it up and eat. It's rice with the signature maze sauce, and since it was my first time having mazegohan, it felt fresh. It's similar to mazesoba (brothless mixed noodles), so it's familiar, but with rice it feels like a slightly different dish.

Nira kimchi (1,500 won)

Nira kimchi is ₩1,500 and is basically garlic chives tossed in a special miso-based sauce. It was simply tasty seasoned chives: slightly salty and nutty.

How to eat the mazemen at Sonoki Ramen

The mazemen (brothless mixed noodles) at Sonoki Ramen Konkuk Univ. main branch also had an egg yolk in the middle, and you mix it all up to eat. The noodles felt firm rather than soft. It also felt a bit dry rather than moist.

I recommend sprinkling a little kelp vinegar on the mazemen, which brings out the savory depth. And since the ramen broth is so good, pour a little into the mazemen and mix: it gets moister and tastes even better.

How does Sonoki Ramen compare with ramen in Fukuoka and Osaka?

Sonoki Ramen Konkuk Univ. main branch, a Konkuk Univ. ramen spot that does it well, was far better than the ramen I ate in Fukuoka and Osaka. The broth is especially full-bodied, so I recommend trying the Sonoki Ramen. Personally, I think ramen in Korea tastes better.