IRASSHAIMASS! Yūjō Ramen is the new Japanese address which opened its doors in December 2023 in the city center of Toulouse, rue Léon Gambetta. As in a traditional Izakaya, the place is narrow and 100% immersive both in decoration and in the plate. We tested this culinary gem with flavors from elsewhere.
Yūjō Ramen, where does it come from?
Run by three long-time friends , Sullivan, Guillaume and Felix, Yūjō (which means friendship) Ramen was born after more than a year of consultation. "What brought us together was the dream of opening a restaurant together. Guillaume knew the Asian market so it was logical.", told us Sullivan, who traveled to the Land of the Rising Sun (and in the Japanese district of Paris), before embarking on this adventure.
Together they imagined and then opened this small address of 48 m2 100 % Japanese and immersive like what we find in Japan since "the idea is to be as authentic as possible".
What do we eat there?
As its name suggests, you can enjoy ramen (and even a vegan one!) whose broths are prepared in the on-site laboratory, simmering for more than 12 hours to reveal all tastes. On the menu, you will also find starters such as gyozas and kaarage, but also famous and generous dishes homemade: katsudon, yakisoba or even woks with artisanal fried noodles prepared on the spot by the chef.
On the other hand, "so as not to waste time at the table, like in Japan", there are no hot drinks or desserts and the tables are changed every 20 minutes, tradition obliges!
And the budget?
Because Yūjō Ramen wants to be accessible to all wallets and the street is frequented by students, a 10 euro formula is offered. Then, the prices vary between 13 euros and 17 euros for a single dish.
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Meet you at... h2>
35 rue Léon Gambetta in the heart of the Pink City, at the exit of Place du Capitole.
When and with whom do you come?
You can come alone to sit directly at the bar facing the open kitchen, with your colleagues, your (school) friends or your family to enjoy a Japanese getaway... without leaving Toulouse! Quickly filled at peak times (because there are only 30 seats), it is also possible to take everything away or have it delivered directly to your home thanks to a unique system! "Customers will receive a portion that is vacuum-packed so as not to alter the taste and texture, and they will need to reheat their broth quickly," Sullivan explained.
Open from 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., fans of new exotic Toulouse addresses can try Yūjō Ramen at lunchtime or in the evening and have their own "irasshaimasse" from the entire team (a polite expression used in Japan to welcome customers)!
Do you already like it?
The atmosphere, above all. Once the restaurant door is pushed open, the customer is immediately transported to Japan thanks to the impressive and colorful graffiti of Derza (Toulouse artist) and AGRSR, but also to the reconstructed street noises. A change of scenery guaranteed!
Gourmet food, above all. Except for those that come directly from Japan, all the products are mostly local and sourced at the prestigious Marché Victor Hugo, right next door. Sullivan tells us: "everything pork comes from Garcia while the chicken comes from Samaran".
Ethics, too. "Here we sort biowaste and we operate in a short circuit", one of the three partners tells us.
Toulouscope's favorite...
The unique experience between street food and street art and completely immersive that arouses all the senses in just a few minutes!
If you're looking for a quick address, where everything is fresh and cooked on site by specialists and if you want to get away for a quick meal, head to Yūjō Ramen for an immediate round trip to Japan!
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