Ramen in Sokcho with crab roe cream: Ichiba Ramen

In Sokcho, I tried both cream-sauce ramen and ramen with a spicy broth. The red snow crab and pollock roe cream ramen, karai ramen, and butadon I ordered at Ichiba Ramen each had a different flavor profile, which made it enjoyable to have them together.

Where is Ichiba Ramen, and what was it like inside?

Ichiba Ramen (이찌바라멘) is at 348 Jungang-ro, Sokcho-si, Gangwon State. I stopped by for a Japanese-style ramen meal in Sokcho.

When I entered, the clean atmosphere was the first thing I noticed. I arrived around lunchtime, and diners continued to come in afterward.

How do you order, and what is on the menu?

I ordered at the kiosk inside the restaurant. The menu photos and descriptions were organized clearly, making it easy to choose.

The ramen options included tonkotsu ramen, special tonkotsu ramen, karai ramen, miso ramen, mania tonkotsu, hiyashi chuka (chilled ramen), and red snow crab and pollock roe cream ramen. The rice bowls were butadon (pork rice bowl) and chashudon (chashu pork rice bowl), and karaage (Japanese fried chicken) was available. You could also add chashu, egg, or noodles.

We had the karai ramen and red snow crab and pollock roe cream ramen with butadon, and added an egg too.

What did the red snow crab and pollock roe cream ramen taste like?

The red snow crab and pollock roe cream ramen had a thick texture that reminded me of cream pasta. Salty pollock roe and sweet red snow crab meat came together with the rich cream sauce. For me, its nuttiness and savory depth lingered more than the heaviness of the cream. It was a dish I would want to order again on another visit.

How was karai ramen with a soft-boiled egg?

The karai ramen had a rich tonkotsu broth combined with spicy seasoning. The chashu that came with it was tender, and the noodles had absorbed the broth, so I could keep eating it without tiring of it.

The added soft-boiled egg went well with it too. I liked having its rich, salty yolk with the spicy broth.

How much was the butadon, and how was it with ramen?

At the time of my visit, butadon was ₩4,500 and chashudon was ₩5,500. I felt it was not too burdensome to add a rice bowl alongside ramen.

The butadon we had carried a subtle smoky flavor from the pork. Its salty sauce went well with the rice, making it good to eat alongside the ramen broth.

For this meal, the thick red snow crab and pollock roe cream ramen and the rich, spicy karai ramen each stayed with me. The service also felt friendly. There may be a short wait at busy times, so I would suggest visiting with some extra time.