Sokcho ramen restaurant on Jungang-ro: 30-hour broth and beer, Ichiba

Whenever I visit Sokcho, raw fish and seafood are the first things that come to mind~~ but this time I wanted something a bit different, so I went looking for a ramen restaurant! This is Ichiba Ramen on Jungang-ro in Sokcho.

Ureongi tried it and raved that it was one of the top 3 ramens of his life, so I got really curious haha. Usually you have to try it yourself even if someone says it's good~~ but here, one bite in, I was like oho!! I immediately understood why he praised it so much.

Where is Ichiba Ramen, where to park, and why 9am opening helps

Ichiba Ramen is on Jungang-ro in Sokcho

You can park on the street right in front of the store, or use the open lot to the right of the building, so it's fine to visit by car! There are lots of accommodations nearby and it's close to attractions like Deungdae Beach, so it's a great spot to stop for a meal while touring Sokcho. It opens at 9am, so it also works well for anyone looking for a breakfast spot!

Inside Ichiba Ramen: the room and kiosk ordering

The interior of Ichiba Ramen is decorated neatly in white tones, so it feels bright and comfortable overall. It would be a great spot for solo travelers too — slurp down a bowl of ramen and head right back out on your trip~ There are anime posters and cat character props scattered around, adding a bit of the feel of a small neighborhood ramen shop in Japan.

You order at a kiosk, and it's self-serve for both pickup and returning your dishes. The kitchen is open, and the cooking area is kept impressively clean, which I really liked~

This is what we ordered~

The 30-hour broth and what else is on the menu

The broth at Ichiba Ramen is the real deal! The broth is seriously insane. The owner learned ramen-making in Japan and makes the broth the traditional way, simmering it for over 30 hours every single day! 30 hours haha — eating just one bowl of ramen, you really feel how much time went into that broth.

The menu is quite varied — from tonkotsu ramen to the spicy karai ramen, miso ramen made with Japanese miso, hiyashi chuka served cold, and even red snow crab roe cream ramen. It's the kind of lineup that makes you want to come back and try something different next time, not just visit once and be done!

They even had hair ties~~ the owner has great taste!

If you write a Naver receipt review, they give you a choice of seasoned egg, giant char siu, or a bowl of rice.

Looked delicious the second I saw it — that pre-tasting smell of a good restaurant~

How does the karai ramen taste?

First I tried the karai ramen! It's a menu item that adds a spicy kick to the classic rich pork bone broth of Japanese-style ramen~ Taking the first spoonful of broth, a savory, deep flavor spreads right through your mouth. But it's not just a heavy broth — the spiciness added keeps your spoon going back for more!

This is where I started understanding why Ureongi called it the ramen of his life haha. The broth has that spicy kick added, so highly recommend it when you're craving something fiery hot during your Sokcho trip!!

The char siu is seriously, unbelievably tender! It comes with a slight char aroma and has decent thickness, so every slice you eat is pure happiness! The soft-boiled egg has soaked up a bit of the broth too, and pairs really well with it~

Honestly, I keep thinking about that broth. Even the next day, Ureongi was still talking about the ramen haha. That's pretty much proof it hit exactly the right spot, right??

And with a cold beer on top, kyaaaa~~

Special tonkotsu ramen: the milder bowl at Ichiba Ramen

Ichiba Ramen's special tonkotsu ramen comes with a big rolled pork belly char siu piled high with beef short rib and bean sprouts — the visuals alone are on another level!! It has much more meat and toppings than the regular tonkotsu ramen, so one bowl alone leaves you completely full~ The broth is a savory, rich sagolguk (bone broth) base with real depth, and stirring in the minced garlic brings the umami way up!

It goes down smooth with almost no spice, so it's great for anyone who doesn't like strongly seasoned ramen~ The giant char siu is so tender that just lightly picking it up with chopsticks makes it fall apart along the grain!! The soft-boiled egg comes in as a whole egg, not just half, so every topping is generously given~

The pickled radish was nice and crunchy too!!!

A walk to Yeonggeumjeong after lunch

After eating ramen, we took a walk over to nearby Yeonggeumjeong and it was so nice~~ It was seriously so good that next time I come to Sokcho, Gangwon, this will be my number one place to go!!! You should all definitely go and try it too~

Another good meal today, thanks for reading.