Extremely Legit Ramen in Kraków

Living in Asia for so long, and even having written what I consider my magnum opus (aka the ‘Ramen Bible of Osaka’), I was worried that Asian food in Kraków would be subpar. It was tough to shake the memories and taste out of my mouth of the various Chinese and Japanese restaurants in Vienna that seemed to group all Asian cuisine under the sun into a single menu.

However, unsure if my belt and waistline could contain any more pierogi and ham hock feasts, I took a gamble on a hip, flashy ramen joint right on the outskirts of the Old Town and Planty called ‘Kinki Ramen’. 

And, it paid off. Legit ramen in Kraków actually exists. Kinki Ramen had me feeling all sorts of nostalgia (especially for those 3 months I spent in Osaka). 

Kinki Ramen Has Me Ready to Gustatorily 69 Any Day of the Week

True to its name, Kinki serves up hilariously named bowls of this Japanese classic, my favorite of the bunch being the ‘Tobita Shinchi’ - a reference to Osaka’s largest brothel district where courtesans sit on a tatami mat in what looks like a small garage (with the door open) next to their veteran mamasan and skillful negotiator (aka the ‘James Carville of boom boom’).

Other evocative bowls of this Chinese-turned-Japanese staple include the ‘Hot & Kinki’, ‘Chic’ Kinki’ (a reference to the famed, fried, delicious Famichiki), and ‘Oran’G Spot’. As I’m extremely vanilla and was in the mood for a brothless noodle, I opted for the ‘Tori X3’, a Nagoya-inspired mazemen (mixed noodle) with karaage (fried chicken), oyster mushrooms, and my favorite, an onsen egg.

Make sure to check out this video I made on Kinki Ramen for a better picture of what you can expect.

The noodles were thick, springy, and slurpable, soaking up a nice little coating of the onsen egg and hits of heat from the chili. I generally prefer Taiwanese mazesoba and definitely missed the little minced meat oomph and additional heat you can typically expect. Kinki opted for a creamier, chicken sauce that took on a sweet, slightly earthy taste (thanks to the oyster mushrooms). 

The nori yielded a bit more of a sweeter rather than salty kick, so I’d almost compare this dish to a sauceless Japanese version of your grandmother’s cream of chicken. “Silky” is the key takeaway and I’m glad I kaedama’ed (added extra noodles) to pick up every last bit of egg and chicken sauce. 

The gyoza, while slightly overstuffed, was well-balanced in flavor, juicy, and pan-fried to perfection. 

Wash it down with Kirin draft beers for days, a beer I can confidently say I’ve taken down thousands of in my life, and you’ll be in high spirits.

Kinki Ramen For a Vanilla Guy

So far, Kinki Ramen is the best Asian food I've had anywhere in Europe, and I definitely recommend checking it out if you want a reliable Japanese classic that isn’t too far off from what you’d eat in the Land of the Rising Sun. 

It will have you doing the Snoopy dance when you leave - I guarantee it. As for the bedroom, I’m not sure eating here will actually confer any magical ruckus love-making superpowers.

Website, Address, & Details: https://www.instagram.com/kinkiramen/ 

• Location: Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego 1, 31-110 Kraków

• Price: $$ - a bowl of ramen will run you about 44 zł (USD 11).

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Eat well everyone,

Big Body