Gangnam ramen restaurant with chicken breast chashu: Oreno Ramen

The day I was seriously craving ramen near Gangnam Station

Bokkeum and I went into Seoul and looked for a good lunch spot. We were near Gangnam Station, and I was seriously craving ramen ㅜ Then I found out there was a Japanese ramen place nearby that has earned a Michelin Guide mention for years!!!

It was easy to find using Naver Map, and as soon as you go up the stairs beside the building, there it is!!! Parking was a little difficult, but I loved how easy it was to locate!!!

A packed restaurant even at lunchtime

As you would expect from a popular Gangnam lunch spot, there were so many people ㅜㅜ I thought there was no wait, but people were already waiting in the seats inside!!

There were bar seats inside as well as regular tables!!! We came close to the end of lunch, yet it was still absolutely packed,,

We waited about 5 minutes, then got bar seats!!! Noodles, rice, broth, and side dishes all come with unlimited refills!!!! What an amazingly generous place—I am completely on board ㅜㅜ

The side dishes were ginger, kimchi, and pickled radish!! Personally, I was so happy they served kimchi!!

Two kinds of ramen: tori paitan and kara paitan

Here come the stars!!!! Oreno Ramen has only two kinds of ramen!! The difference is basically a spot-the-difference game haha

The quick-eyed among you may have noticed a little red broth on the left!!! That is the spicy kara paitan!!! The one on the right is tori paitan!!

First, let’s have the egg!!! The egg was so perfectly cooked and marinated—so good,, With kara paitan broth and a subtle soy-sauce aroma, it tasted absolutely insane ㅜㅜ No wonder it made the Michelin Guide.

Clean and nutty tori paitan

The classic tori paitan is a rich, nutty ramen made primarily with chicken. It had a slight beef-bone-soup kind of feel, yet was clean and refreshing too!! It was light, but the seasoning had incredible umami ㅜㅜ I think it would be amazing for a hangover too!!

Kara paitan, for when spicy broth is more your thing

Think of kara paitan as tori paitan with a zippy, spicy kick!! Personally, I thought kara paitan was even tastier. It is down to personal preference, of course, but I probably feel that way because I love spicy food so much???

The noodles also had that perfect middle ground between chewy and too soft, so I really enjoyed them!!

Tender chicken breast chashu, something new to me

The ramen came with chicken breast chashu (braised pork-style ramen topping)!! I had no idea chicken breast could be this moist. It is cooked sous vide, so it was even juicier, softer, and lighter than chicken thigh, and it went ridiculously well with the ramen ㅜㅜ

If only I had a much bigger stomach, I would have mixed rice into it too,, I hate dieting me so much ㅜ

The one and only side: assorted tsukune

This is the only side dish!! It is called assorted tsukune, and the easiest way to think of it is as meatballs!!!

Each sauce had its own charm, so I enjoyed it so much. The second I took a bite, the moisture and juices burst out—seriously delicious,,

A satisfying meal made hearty by rich broth

That was such a filling, delicious meal!!! I thought ramen might feel light, but the broth was so rich that it felt like hangover recovery and nourishment all at once!!! I completely understand why it has kept receiving Michelin Guide recognition and why people keep coming back!!!

There are so many good restaurants near Gangnam Station, but if you do not want to overthink it and just want something delicious fast, simply come to Oreno Ramen Gangnam ㅜ It will be a satisfying, wholesome, no-regrets meal that fills you right up!!!