Gwangjin ramen restaurant for spicy Shin Ramen: Ramen Truck

On my day off, I decided to have lunch with my sister for the first time in ages. I’d been craving noodles, and while wondering what to eat, we decided to meet near Children’s Grand Park Station in Konkuk University, so we went to Ramen Truck Konkuk University Branch (라멘트럭 건대점).

Ramen Truck’s classic ramen and Shin Ramen are a perfect pairing.

Ramen Truck Konkuk University Branch: visitor information

It is open daily from 11:00 to 20:30, with last orders at 20:00. Group visits, takeout, and delivery are available, and there are high chairs too. There is no parking, so use the Konkuk University or Children’s Grand Park parking lot.

A clean Japanese-style interior that is easy for solo diners

The moment I walked in, the whole place felt very clean. The Japanese-style décor throughout made it feel a little like I was traveling in Japan. The table chairs had storage space for belongings or coats, which was convenient.

There were plenty of counter seats too, so it looked completely easy to come here for a solo meal. It feels so Japanese, haha. The open kitchen somehow made it feel more trustworthy, too. There were lots of table and counter seats, so I don’t think waiting would be much of a concern; ramen also turns over quickly, so even if there is a wait, a seat should open up soon.

The menu: ramen, sets, and sides

There is a generous range of ramen, set menus, and side dishes. Ramen is ₩11,000; Shin Ramen and Jin Ramen are ₩12,000 each; chashu ramen is ₩15,000; and chashu don is ₩12,000.

You can ask a staff member for an apron. When you are eating red broth, an apron is essential just in case! Chilled ice water was ready, and each table had danmuji (pickled yellow radish) and kimchi. Before the ramen arrived, I set out as much kimchi and danmuji as I wanted, then had a refreshing sip of the cola we ordered.

Classic ramen, Jin Ramen, and a karaage set

Our order was a one-person karaage three-piece set with a choice of ramen for ₩14,000, Jin Ramen for ₩12,000, and cola for ₩3,000, for a total of ₩29,000.

The classic ramen was mild yet deep-tasting, so I naturally kept reaching for the broth from the first sip. I heard they simmer pork-bone broth and chicken broth with care for more than 10 hours to create that deep, rich savoriness.

Rather than being overpowering, it had a clean, deep flavor, and the more I ate it with the noodles, the more clearly I could taste ramen’s true character. My sister added garlic, and wow, there was so much garlic!! So many noodles too! It is enough to fill you up even without ordering sides. The depth of the rich broth and its mild flavor worked so well together that it was easy to finish a bowl without feeling weighed down.

Look at that thick, giant chashu! The chashu was simmered for a long time in a special soy sauce, so it was incredibly tender. The softly cooked chashu blended with the rich broth to make every bite even more substantial.

Shin Ramen with just the right spicy kick

If you are craving ramen with a pleasantly spicy kick, I recommend the Shin Ramen. Ordering one classic ramen and one Shin Ramen seems like the perfect combination. I tasted the Shin Ramen broth first, and its hearty spicy warmth, joined by a subtle wave of savoriness, immediately woke up my appetite.

The chashu was sooo good~! While eating, I regretted not adding another portion. If you go to Ramen Truck, definitely add some chashu!

The broth was not aggressively hot—just deliciously spicy—so I kept going back for more without any burden. The noodles are house-made by blending two types of flour, and their springy, chewy texture went beautifully with the broth. And the soft-boiled egg, what more is there to say? It was so mild and tender, and it went perfectly with the spicy broth. The hearty, deep broth and chewy noodles came together so well that I enjoyed it right to the end.

And they piled on lots of my beloved mung bean sprouts, too!

Three pieces of freshly fried karaage

The set included three pieces of karaage (Japanese fried chicken). The piping-hot karaage came out freshly fried, with such a crisp exterior that it actually made a crunch when I bit into it, while the inside stayed juicy. It is number one among the karaage I have tried. I loved that it was fried without being too greasy.

The chicken itself was tender and full of juice, and its savory flavor gently spread with every chew. The combination of fresh crispness and moist meat was genuinely great, making it perfect alongside ramen. With a modest three-piece portion, it is just right as an accompaniment.

Coupons and dining information

They were running a coupon program too. You get one stamp per bowl of ramen; collect five for three pieces of karaage. Collect 10 and you get a free ramen! One free bowl after eating ramen 10 times—such great news for ramen lovers, right?

They say you can get a chashu coupon by adding Ramen Truck’s KakaoTalk channel. I also briefly looked at the notice on the table: they operate every day with no separate break time. If they need to close, they announce it on their official social media, and each person must order one meal.

It would be nice to quickly read their guide to enjoying ramen even more before your bowl arrives. It says the broth combines pork-bone and chicken broths simmered for more than 10 hours; the noodles are house-made and springy; the chashu gets its flavor from a special soy sauce; and the soft-boiled egg adds more richness.

They were also running a Naver review event, offering one free canned drink when you write a review.

There is a menu board in front of the restaurant too, so it would be good to look it over before going in.

It looks like they even had a summer-night beer event in August.. haha

From the rich broth and chewy house-made noodles to the freshly fried karaage, I was satisfied with everything, so I would recommend it if you are looking for a good restaurant around Konkuk University. It is nice that you can choose from mild ramen to spicy ramen depending on your taste, and Ramen Truck Konkuk University Branch is somewhere I would like to visit again.