Konkuk Univ. Rodeo St. ramen shop: hosomen tonkotsu at Sonoki Ramen

Where is Sonoki Ramen, a solo-friendly ramen shop near Konkuk Univ. Station?

Sonoki Ramen Konkuk Univ. main branch is a Japanese ramen shop on the Konkuk Univ. Station rodeo street side, easy to find once you step off at the station. On chilly days like these, when you crave something hot and brothy, or want a relaxed solo meal after work or on the weekend, it's the kind of Konkuk Univ. Station spot you end up searching for.

I went to a Konkuk Univ. noodle spot for when you're really craving noodles. Sonoki Ramen Konkuk Univ. main branch is easy to find right after you get off at Konkuk Univ. Station, on the Konkuk Univ. Station rodeo street.

Sonoki Ramen seemed to be open until 1 a.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. After drinking in Konkuk Univ., a spicy Japanese ramen would make a great hangover cure.

From Konkuk Univ. Station Exit 6, head a little way into the alley toward Jayang-dong and you'll find Sonoki Ramen Konkuk Univ. main branch. It sits slightly away from the bustle of the busy streets, so it's actually quiet and nice for a meal with some atmosphere.

Atmosphere and seating at Sonoki Ramen

From the outside, Sonoki Ramen Konkuk Univ. main branch feels like a small ramen shop in an alley of a Japanese small town, and inside it has wood-toned interiors with tables for two. From the entrance on, it feels like a little ramen shop from a Japanese small-town alley was picked up and moved here.

Step inside and you're greeted by a warm, tidy wood-toned interior. There are tables for two too, so you can eat comfortably without feeling self-conscious, which makes it a real "solo-dining holy ground" near Konkuk Univ. Station.

How to order at Sonoki Ramen and what's in the Sonoki Set

You order at Sonoki Ramen Konkuk Univ. main branch through the kiosk at each table, and this time I ordered the Sonoki Set and the Sonoki Ramen. With a kiosk at every table, ordering is easy. After some deliberation, I went with the Sonoki Set and the Sonoki Ramen. The Sonoki Set comes with Sonoki Ramen + a rice bowl + a drink, so it's a good pick when you want a bigger, more varied meal.

Every table has seasonings you can add to make the ramen even tastier. And since hot ramen is hard to eat with long hair in the way, there are hair ties too, so you can focus on eating.

How does the tonkotsu broth at Sonoki Ramen taste?

The broth at Sonoki Ramen is a long-simmered tonkotsu (pork bone) base with a secret tare added: rich, but clean with no gamey smell. The ramen arrived with a wonderful aroma. I took a spoonful of broth first, and the deeply simmered pork bone base blended with Sonoki's own secret tare (a seasoned soy sauce base), spreading a deep, hearty flavor through my whole mouth.

Tonkotsu ramen can sometimes be so greasy or salty that you can't finish the broth, but the broth at Sonoki Ramen had no gamey smell at all, with a nutty yet clean savoriness. The aftertaste wasn't heavy; it finished light, and I kept going back for spoonful after spoonful.

Chashu, ajitamago and the bonus before 12 p.m.

The chashu (braised pork slices) and egg toppings at Sonoki Ramen were well made, and apparently if you visit before 12 p.m. you get extra meat and a soft-boiled egg as a bonus. The chashu and egg toppings, the stars of any ramen, were very well done.

If you visit before 12 p.m., you get extra meat and a soft-boiled egg as a bonus, so if you're coming for lunch I recommend getting there before noon.

The texture of thin straight hosomen noodles

Sonoki Ramen uses thin, straight hosomen (thin ramen noodles). The doneness was just right, and when I lifted the noodles the broth had soaked in nicely. The firm-yet-soft chew in every bite was excellent. The rich broth and the noodles were really well balanced.

Seared chashu and onsen egg

The generous chashu had a lovely smoky char (aburi, meaning seared), and it was so tender it pulled apart along the grain with my chopsticks. No gamey smell, and the ratio of nutty fat to lean meat was perfect. The egg was a perfect onsen-style egg, with a moist, chewy yolk. The sweet-salty seasoning had soaked all the way in, and eaten together with the ramen broth it was the best combination.

Sonoki Set rice bowl: soy sauce egg rice or mazemen rice?

For the Sonoki Set's rice bowl you can choose between soy sauce egg rice and mazemen rice (mixed rice with seasoned minced meat), and this time I picked the spicy mazemen rice bowl. The noodles alone give you plenty of carbs, but Koreans do run on rice, haha, and the mazemen rice bowl left me properly full.

The mazemen rice bowl comes with a soft yolk, so it was spicy yet smooth and easy to eat.

Who should visit Sonoki Ramen Konkuk Univ. main branch?

If you want proper Japanese-style ramen near Konkuk Univ., or a comfortable, filling solo meal on your way home from work, I recommend Sonoki Ramen Konkuk Univ. main branch.