Shoryu Ramen has been a stalwart for a quick lunch in the West End for quite a few years now (I think I was one of their first customers in 2013) so it’s quite a surprise that I’ve taken so long to visit this year. There’s more competition for the ramen dollar these days but Shoryu remains a reliable disher of the bowls of goodness.

Having to work in the afternoon I foreswore an Asahi and had a mineral water instead (asked for sparkling, got still, couldn’t be arsed to change it). Up front there was a crispy tempura soft shell crab and then into the soup – milky broth, plenty of noodles and veg with gurt lumps of chicken floating about. On a cold-ish October day it was just the kind of hearty thing that sets you up for an afternoon of teaching.

Service was faultlessly cheerful and the fact that within ten minutes of a midday arrival the place was heaving shows that Shoryu have earned their rapid expansion across London. They give their customers good food at an affordable price with just enough quirkiness and variety to mark them out from your Wagyermamas or Yos.

7/10

To see which other restaurants I’ve visited in 2016 check out my GoogleMap

London Restaurants Japanese London Regent Street Restaurant Shoryu Ramen