Hello, everyone I am Chifumi Maeda, a Japanese female president living in Bangkok.
Thank you, guys, for visiting this
“True comments from Japanese female presidents living in Thailand” blog.
Tokyo Tonkotsu (pork broth) Ramen restaurant TONCHIN is what I am going to talk about today.
(Soup made with pork belly and bones, simmered with miso, sake, vegetables, etc..)
Ramen is one of the popular noodle with soup in a bowl
that is loved by many people young and old and the.
But they call the restaurant here, “Tokyo Tonkotsu Ramen”.
(Although it is a popular and handy food to have in an eatery in Japan,
there are quite number of luxury type restaurants abroad that serve the bowl…)
Bangkok is one of the major battlefields in Asia when it comes to Ramen business.
If it was in Japan, some Ramen restaurant is almost impossible to get in
as people are making line waiting for their turn to get into the restaurant,
but here in Bangkok, the branch restaurants of such restaurants in Japan is not that difficult to get in.
This TONCHIN that I am going to talk about today is also one of such ramen restaurants that p
eople are lining up to is get their bowl if it was in Japan.
The Story Behind TONCHIN: Tokyo’s Premier Tonkotsu Ramen Restaurant
The restaurant was opened in Ikebukuro Tokyo in 1992.
As its name says, they serve ramen noodle in “Tonkotsu (pork broth) base” soup.
Kyushu region in Japan is famous for Tonkotsu Ramen but,
there have been quite some changes in its way of broth making in domestic Japan and nowadays,
there are many different types of Tonkotsu based ramen all over Japan.
TONCHIN has its branches in Shanghai China, Taiwan, New York, and here in Bangkok outside of Japan.
Its New York branch is listed in the US edition of Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand.
Its Bangkok branch was opened in 2020.
Location Guide: Finding TONCHIN in Mercury Ville, Chidlom, Bangkok
It is located on the ground floor in the mercury Ville
where you have direct access from BTS Chidlom.
It is on the opposite side of the luxury department store Central Chidlom.
It is on the corner of Rama 1 Rd. and Langsuan Rd.
And its 2nd branch is in Siam Paragon.
The restaurant is easy to reach as it is equipped with parking spaces
and also has direct access to and from BTS.
Savoring TONCHIN’s Specialty: Unpacking the Unique Taste of their Tonkotsu Ramen
Tonkotsu Ramen has very unique smell and characteristics.
The soup looks greasy or fatty which makes quite many people keep their distance from the food.
And to be honest, I am also not at all a big fan of Tonkotsu soup in general.
However, the TONCHIN’s Tonkotsu soup do not have such smell unique to Tonkotsu soup and
when you taste the soup, it surprisingly has a clear soup taste. Not greasy at all.
Normally, the noodles in Tonkotsu soup is a thin type noodle
so that it doesn’t bring too much fats into your mouth
but here at TONCHIN fat is not a problem at all thus they serve the bowl with a thick type noodle.
If you order Tsukemen, where the noodle and soup comes in separate bowls,
the noodle is even thicker and is wavy shaped so that the soup can stick to the noodle.
And the char siu pork (roasted pork fillet) is well stewed and tasty
and the egg is well sauced with soy sauce and tasty.
Every item is prepared with care which makes you notice the good work they do.
I order “Chinese dumplings on a hot plate (GYOZA)” every time I come there.
The wrap is chewy and delicious.
I strongly recommend you to try the dish with your ramen
if and when you have a chance to eat at TONCHIN.
Immersive Ambience at TONCHIN: An Authentic Tokyo Ramen Experience in Bangkok
From one person diners to couple diners as well as family diners
can just come in as the restaurant has counter-bar type seats as well as table seats.
Got little kids with you? No problem. They have child seat as well.
The restaurant is spacious and with high ceiling.
If someone told me it is a Café and not a ramen restaurant,
I would believe the person. very nice atmosphere.
The staffs’ movements are sharp and effective. Very nice to watch.
Pricing Guide: How Much to Budget for a TONCHIN Ramen Meal
Tokyo Tonkotsu Ramen starts from 190 baht.
It is quite generous price if you consider that the ramen restaurant is located in the heart of Bangkok I must say.
Other shops charge about 300 baht.
There are ramen bowls that they serve here in Thailand only
and nowhere else so it may be a good idea to try their original menu as well.
Here is their menu for your reference.
Top Reasons to Try TONCHIN’s Best Tonkotsu Ramen in Bangkok
List of recommendation points.
Essential TONCHIN Information: Hours, Contact, and More
Place：1 FL. mercury Ville, Chidlom （BTS Chidlom）
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