Hongdae ramen shop with double toppings: Mega Ieke Ramen, Ramen Truck

There's always this itch in my heart to go to Japan, and if I don't feed it every so often I'm afraid I'll suddenly buy a plane ticket out of nowhere. So I soothe it periodically with sushi, Japanese ramen, and izakaya food.

Which is how I ended up at Ramen Truck in Sangsu. Ramen Truck started as a food truck in Hongdae and has now grown to locations in Konkuk, Jangan, and Mokdong too. A ramen place with real history in the Sangsu and Hongdae area.

Ramen Truck Sangsu Main Branch hours and parking

Ramen Truck Sangsu Main Branch is open daily from 11:00 to 21:30, with last order at 21:00. No regular closed days — if one comes up, it's announced on Instagram. Parking is available right in front of the restaurant, and if there's no spot, just ask the staff.

Inside Ramen Truck: atmosphere and seating

RAMEN TRUCK. Parking is available right at the entrance you see here.

There's a bar table for eating solo and about 3–4 tables for four. Plenty of office workers come by in the evening after work, and quite a few couples on dates too. But since it's ramen, tables turn over fast, so even if it's full and you have to wait, you'll get in fairly quickly.

2023 marked their 10th anniversary.

How do you order at Ramen Truck?

You order at the kiosk by the entrance.

Ramen Truck menu and prices

[Event menu]

• Kyokai Tonkotsu Ramen ₩13,000
• Mega Kyogai Tonkotsu Ramen ₩17,000
• Ieke Ramen ₩12,000
• Mega Ieke Ramen ₩16,000
• Shin Ieke Ramen ₩13,000
• Shin Mega Ieke Ramen ₩17,000

[Original menu]

• Ramen ₩11,000
• Shin Ramen ₩12,000
• Jin Ramen ₩12,000
• Chashu Rice Bowl ₩12,000
• Chashu Men ₩15,000
• Shin Chashu Men ₩16,000
• Jin Chashu Men ₩16,000
• Shin Chashu Rice Bowl ₩13,000
• Special Ramen ₩16,000
• Special Shin Ramen ₩17,000
• Special Jin Ramen ₩17,000

[Side menu]

• Handmade karaage 6pcs ₩6,000
• Yaki gyoza 6pcs ₩5,000
• Mini chashu rice bowl ₩5,000
• Rice ₩1,000
• Asahi draft beer 330ml ₩7,000
• Highball ₩7,000
• Mega highball ₩9,000
• Soft drink ₩3,000

The base is an original ramen made with Ramen Truck's own handmade noodles paired with a broth simmered for a long time from pork bone and chicken. From there it splits into a richer version and a spicy version, and the menu name changes depending on how the toppings are arranged.

How does the Mega Ieke Ramen (16,000 won) taste?

I ordered the Mega Ieke Ramen for ₩16,000 and a mini chashu rice bowl for ₩5,000.

I wanted to try one of the event ramens so I ordered the Mega Ieke Ramen — and the portion is huge, haha. Loads of chashu piled on, and double the toppings. The Ieke Ramen had a broth that leaned a bit miso-like, really rich and on the salty side. Since the seasoning is strong, it might be tough for anyone who prefers a blander taste. But the broth itself has such deep flavor that even though it's strongly seasoned, your spoon just keeps going back in — a weirdly addictive charm.

Why soak the egg in the broth first

The egg is somewhere between soft-boiled and fully set, and even the yolk has soaked up flavor, turning slightly sweet and delicious. Rather than eating it right away, dip it in the broth for a bit first — you'll taste the flavor more fully. It gets warm and soft, so I'd recommend letting it soak a little before eating.

Menma and chashu: double the toppings

My favorite topping is the menma (bamboo shoots). The texture is so good, really tasty!! The chashu on top doesn't have much fat either, so it's light rather than greasy — clean and plain in a good way.

Thick medium-cut noodles

The noodles are a thicker medium-width style. If you're picturing the noodles from your usual Japanese ramen, you might be a bit surprised — oh! But they're not tough; they're chewy, springy, and bouncy, a noodle unique to Ramen Truck.

Is the mini chashu rice bowl (5,000 won) worth adding?

The mini chashu rice bowl has finely chopped chashu piled on top of rice, with sauce mixed into the middle and bottom of the bowl too — the flame-grilled chashu flavor and the sauce come together really well. The rice and meat fill the bowl, so the portion isn't small either. Sweet and salty, with the chashu's fattiness balanced by a clean finish — solid.

Is Ramen Truck Sangsu worth a visit?

With handmade noodles made in-house and a broth built on deep skill, Ramen Truck is the kind of Japanese ramen restaurant that makes you want to go back the moment you've left. If you're in Hongdae or Sangsu and want authentic, delicious Japanese ramen, I'd recommend giving it a try :)