Kiramekinotori

Thick chicken stock, seeming becoming popular nowadays.

I found this place through Unilocal near the ryokan where we stayed in Kyoto. It only has a Japanese menu. You pay for your food first, pressing a button for the dish you want– the machine prints a ticket, which the ramen guy takes. Bring smaller bills, or there’s a bill changer next to the machine.
My husband and I didn’t know what we were getting. I ended up with an extra bowl of chopped green onions, which was fine.
The place was full so we had to wait for a bit until two spots cleared out. Then we were served pretty quickly.
The ramen was very good– we’d gotten slices of pork and soft-​boiled eggs, along with sliced spring onions.

On the recommendation of one of my wife’s friends who had visited Kyoto in the past, we came to Kiramekinotori for a quick bowl of ramen while wandering around the city and taking in the sites. Not unlike the other ramen restaurant we visited at Tokyo Station while in Japan, it has the same kind of ordering mechanism — a machine at the front where you select what to get. Afterward, you sit yourself down (if there are any spots — we grabbed the last two places at the counter, and a line started to form thereafter… guess lunch hour in the early afternoon is a popular time!), and shortly thereafter, your ramen will be served. This place definitely reminded me more of Totto Ramen in NYC’s Hell’s Kitchen; there isn’t a ton of seating (maybe even less), and if you’re at the counter, you have a clear view to the magic being made in front of you. That said, it doesn’t come off as too grungy; it’s still quite clean, despite the small, cozy premises.
As for the ramen itself — we didn’t really have much of a clue what we were ordering, but we ended up with what seemed like standard ramen with pork paitan broth, as well as a version that was a bit darker (perhaps shoyu?). Both were absolutely delicious, and we were really impressed by the fact that the ingredients were very simple — ramen, broth, a few generous slices of charshu pork, and a heaping handful of chopped scallions — and that’s it! It’s quite a bit different from the ramen I’m used to having in the US, which usually comes with quite a few other embellishments. That said, it was absolutely delicious, with the broth of both being a clear standout. It may have been a bit on the saltier side, but the richness of the paitan far surpasses anything that I’ve had before, and the noodles — cooked perfectly, and a bit thicker than some others such that it’s easier to absorb the broth — really works well together. The pork isn’t as fatty as some of the pork belly slices I’ve had elsewhere, but given how rich the broth is, the leaner cuts of pork are a nice complement. To touch it off, the scallions give it a nice little kick, adding another dimension of flavor to the bowl.
I’m sure there are other delicious choices to be had here, but the two we chose — both of which were very nicely priced (around 750 – 800 yen per bowl) and delivered far more value than we expected. Highly recommended, especially if you’re interested in checking out the ancient Imperial Palace grounds nearby, but even if you’re not, a fantastic borl