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

Respecting tradition

"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

Feel at home

"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

All about the special sauce

"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

A chain with a difference

"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

Well worth the trek

"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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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). This feature was not paid for in any way.