Gangnam ramen restaurant for creamy tori paitan: Oreno Ramen

I used to stop by Oreno Ramen now and then when I lived in Anguk. Then the weather suddenly turned chilly lately and I was craving hot soup like crazy, so off to the Gangnam main branch for the first time in a while 🍜

What I think defines Japanese ramen

• Tonkotsu: The rich, heavy flavor and fattiness of pork bones make it feel a little too heavy for me.
• Shio/shoyu ramen: Clean and light, but sometimes the flavor feels too delicate.
• Miso ramen: Savory and rich, but I’m not really into the doenjang-guk-like fermented soybean soup vibe.
• Tantanmen: The nutty sesame and spice make it intensely flavorful, but I get tired of it too quickly.

So my taste is ramen where umami, a moderate heft and depth, and a clean finish are in harmony rather than just saltiness or heaviness—and that’s exactly Oreno Ramen 💓 It tastes like Kagari Ramen in Tokyo, which I seriously love!!!

The Gangnam entrance and the Michelin Guide

The moment I arrived, I saw the message on the chalkboard at the entrance and thought it must get absolutely packed at lunchtime haha

Apparently, this was Korea’s first ramen restaurant to be listed in the Michelin Guide!!! How did I not know? Haha. I realized when I saw several Michelin Guide books sitting at the counter... and I consider myself a regular 🫢🫢

Bar seating and an open kitchen, great for eating alone

Inside, the open kitchen, white tiles, and wood-toned bar work so well together that it feels both clean and cozy. There are window-side tables too, so it is much roomier than I expected. The Anguk branch is small, but this one has tons of seats haha.

Most people dining alone were sitting at the bar, so I took a bar seat too 💁♀️ I like it there because the open kitchen lets you watch them busily boil noodles and ladle broth right in front of you 👍👍

Ordering tori paitan and tsukune

You order at a self-service kiosk, and the two main choices are tori paitan (creamy chicken-broth ramen) and kara paitan (spicy chicken-broth ramen). Since I can’t handle spice, I ordered the tori paitan ramen and tsukune without a second thought.

Velvety tori paitan broth

The tori paitan broth was so creamy it practically clung to my mouth—so delicious, as expected 🫶🏻🫶🏻 I was surprised by how completely smooth and velvety it was 😋 The thinly sliced chicken breast was sous vide, so it was not dry at all, while wood ear mushrooms and scallions made the texture fun too.

Tsukune with two sauces

The tsukune (chicken meatballs) came with two sauces: one had spicy mayo and scallions, while the other was loaded with cheese and pepper. The chewy chicken meatballs burst with juices—totally my style 👍 They were there one second and gone the next 🤭🤭

Free refills and thoughtful little touches

One small thing that touched me while eating was the container on the table labeled “hair ties.” It is such a thoughtful touch for people worried about their hair with a soup dish—what are these lovely details.. 💓💓

And noodles, broth, and steamed rice all come with free refills!! I always get rice because I love mixing it into the broth!!

Comparing the Anguk Station and Gangnam Station branches

What was really impressive, haha, was the refrigerator beside the register, piled high with soft-boiled eggs labeled by date haha. I asked about them and was told they were aging; they looked seriously delicious. They had the look of mayak eggs, those addictive marinated eggs.

It was my first time at the Gangnam branch, so compared with the Anguk branch: Anguk Station has a compact, bar-seat-focused atmosphere that is great for eating alone or quietly enjoying ramen with one other person, while Gangnam Station is bigger and more casual, so it can handle groups!!

Both branches offer their signature tori paitan and spicy kara paitan, so there is not a huge menu difference. But at Gangnam, the side menu does not include chashu (braised pork); only tsukune is available.

Still, the ramen is so good at both branches 🩵 I would confidently recommend it if you are looking for a great place to eat in Gangnam, and now I want to go to Anguk Station and add chashu 🐷🐷