MY CITY

BARCELONA

ROMÀ GOMEZ CORTADA

Chef Romà Gomez Cortada is a self-confessed Japanophile and a true ramen connoisseur. He understands the intricacies of the seemingly-simple, popular Japanese dish - from the broth, to the noodles, to the toppings, there's a whole level of detail to get your head around.

Although his daily life involves working in a 'non-ramen-related' restaurant, Romà spreads his knowledge and shares his love for ramen through his Instagram account @ikigairamen.

F1FTY asked Romà to share his unique take on Barcelona, by offering his top tips for ramen places in and around the city...

RAMEN-YA HIRO

@ramenyahiro

"It's the most famous ramen shop in Barcelona and probably in Spain. It has a really long waiting time (about 1 or 2 hours) and it's famous for the long lines of people waiting before opening. But it is also THE ramen shop - a place where a chef devoted to ramen, Hiro, strives to make the best ramen possible respecting all the processes, with a broth cooked for more than 15 hours. It's a tiny shop seating only about 20 people at a time."

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CHASHU RAMEN

@chashuramen.bcn

"This place is not so famous but it has one of my favourite miso ramen of all time. The place is managed by Terry and his wife - it's homely, with separated tables so you can feel comfortable with your group. Every time I go I feel at home, and enjoy really good bowls and good conversation with the chef. They have a cheap lunch menu for about 11.50 Euro with a starter, a ramen bowl, a dessert and a drink."

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KANADA-YA RAMEN

@kanadayabcn

"Kanada-ya is a chain from Japan. Kanada opened a lot of franchises to supply the high demand for their ramen, but the franchises stole its recipe and opened their own restaurant. Then the chef decided to open a ramen shop in London and then in Barcelona. Specialized in tonkotsu ramen they are proud of their "special sauce" that makes their ramen unique."

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TAKUMI RAMEN

@takumiramenbarcelona

"Another ramen shop chain. There are 4 different Takumi restaurants in Barcelona. The original Takumi is specialised in chicken broths and their Paitan (dense soup ramen) is amazing. Also, there's a Takumi Tonkotsu, specialised in pork broth, a Sapporo Takumi, similar to the original but in a different location and, lastly, Takumi Ramen and yakisoba, with yakisoba noodles."

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KOBUTA RAMEN

@kobutaramen

"A bit far away from the centre of Barcelona, Kobuta Ramen i Mès specialises in Tonkotsu gyokai ramen, which means a pork broth with fish flavours. Their broth is a thick one with an intense flavour and they import their noodles directly from Tokyo. It's the most unique style in Barcelona."

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DETAILS

Follow Romà's ramen adventures on Instagram:

@ikigairamen

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All photos are copyright 51 Squared B.V. except: Romà Gomez Cortada profile photo (Courtesy of Romà Gomez Cortada); Ramenya-Hiro (Instagram @ramenyahiro); Chashu Ramen (Instagram @chashuramen.bcn); Kanada-ya Ramen (Instagram @kanadayabcn); Takumi (Instagram @takumiramenbarcelona); Kobuta Ramen (Instagram @kobutaramen). This feature was not paid for in any way.