Oreno Ramen

Review

Our daily ramen, amen

Photo: Katharina Gossow When Juzo Itami made his film "Tampopo" in 1985, which is about a young woman who wants to open a ramen restaurant and gains insight into the mysteries of noodle soup preparation thanks to a wise trucker and a culinary-savvy businessman, it was meant ironically. Ironic! But as if he had seen it coming, over the years the preparation of Japanese noodle soup has actually become a kind of transcendental affair for many foodies and the number of people who take cooking the soup insanely seriously is growing all the time. Justin Chen has a very secular approach to the soup, "I love eating it," says the native Chinese. And because he loves ramen so much, he was delighted when he met the people who opened Karma Ramen shortly afterwards at a job on Tel Aviv Beach a few years ago and they hired him. Later, he also took a job at the Mochi Ramen Bar and two months ago he finally opened his own soup restaurant in Lerchenfelder Strasse: a former Roma café, which he decorated himself with yellow tiles and tatami mats based on the plans of a graphic designer friend. The Oreno has turned out pretty, even if it doesn't look as "authentic" as the Karma Ramen or as stylish as the Mochi Ramen Bar. Rather, it is simple and functional and therefore fulfills the requirements of a soup bar pretty well. Apart from the fact that Justin Chen went to great lengths to avoid giving the impression of copying one of his two training establishments in any way, as he says. Which is difficult to achieve with the composition of the menu, but ramen is ramen after all. As small snacks alongside the soup, there are the inevitable edamame soybeans in shells, pickled cucumbers, agedashi tofu, breaded chicken drumsticks or very crispy deep-fried ikamaru - breaded squid rings with spring onions and mayonnaise, great (€ 5.80). The gyoza are also first class, it has to be said, the vegetarian ones are filled with tofu, cabbage, chives, shiitake and morels and fried extra crispy on one side, very good (€ 6). And then to the soup: Chen offers four different ramen versions, including a vegan Yasai Ramen and a very classic Shoyu Ramen with braised and roasted pork, spring onions, half an egg, nori seaweed and pickled bamboo, strong, delicious, filling and sweat-inducing (€12). However, the spicy miso ramen with minced chicken, egg, spring onions, nori and corn is even better (€ 12.50). In any case, you'll be full afterwards and somehow already looking forward to the next soup. Summary: A new, small Japanese noodle soup store run by an absolute ramen enthusiast, which you can taste. Oreno 8th, Lerchenfelder Str. 74, Tel. 01/890 12 48, Tue-Sun 6pm-2.30pm

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