A new Farringdon restaurant is the latest of star chef Ivan Orkin’s Japanese-style eateries. Serving up classic dishes with hearty broths, locally brewed beers, and an abundance of noodles, Ivan Ramen is a welcome, even if somewhat haphazard, addition to the London scene.
Orkin, I had been told, had flown off to Vegas to tend to his restaurant there, so I did not get to pay him compliments for a scrumptious start to his London endeavour, but that is what I would’ve told the expert, who I first discovered pre-Covid, watching Netflix’s Chef’s Table.
The TV star began his career on the Japanese food scene as a dishwasher in a sushi restaurant at the age of 15. Following a degree in Japanese language and a subsequent culinary course, Orkin moved to Tokyo when his expertise in ramen and gyoza flourished.
‘Ivan just loves ramen,’ the site manager, Gav, told me while keeping an eye on the new staff stacking shelves. Although the chef closed his founding restaurant in Tokyo in 2015, Orkin is still going strong with a hold in the West, with sites in New York, one in a Las Vegas food hall, and now his latest in England’s capital.
Gav said: “What we’re trying to achieve, is great food and great service.”
Inspired by the New York service ideals, the vision is to achieve a welcoming customer environment, where everyone feels attended to. It might have been because I was a journalist, and the staff knew to be nice, but I did feel like I’d made a few new friends on Farringdon Road that day; not a dissimilar feeling to that I’ve experienced in the US, which is certainly testament to the good service, or at least the potential for it.
I arrived at the chef’s latest site the day after its official opening in late November. Parked next to the much-loved Quality Chop House, the new restaurant was not setting itself up to fail. But I was surprised to find the venue somewhat unfinished.
Works were being completed to the roof, and a windowless gap fed dust into the space and later onto my food. There was a general sense of unpreparedness here, but as someone who is broadly entertained by the unexpected, the makeshift set-up and loud drilling did not detract from the delectable-looking menu, which was my main concern.
Upon recommendation, I settled on the Tori Paitan ramen which was triple chicken; a bird broth base, braised and crispy chicken, topped with a glossy egg yolk. Spring onions added for a healthy touch. While I enjoy meat, I was sceptical about consuming chicken in all of its forms for my lunch.
But, despite my reservations, this delicious, umami dish, with plenty of crunch between silky noodles, really hit the spot. I ‘paired’ my ramen with some more chicken, this time in gyoza form. Tasty, but I was on the verge of becoming vegetarian. Almost bursting, I was then encouraged to try the Yuzu Cheesecake, which, although not entirely finished, was heartily enjoyed and provided a nice sense of balance to the salt-heavy start.
I was certainly sated when I did finally leave the western-looking Japenese eatery on Farringdon Road. This was a delicious lunch at what I expect to become an increasingly popular spot. Before it gets too busy, I’d recommend my Farringdon, and more distant friends, pop their heads into Ivan Ramen.
Featured image credit: Lulu Goad
