Acclaimed ramen specialist Tonkotsu has been steadily expanding across London over the past nine years, as well as recently opening a site down in Brighton (one to note for your next seaside staycation).
And while we don’t mind getting our ramen fix in Soho, Notting Hill or Hackney, us Kentishtowners have so far missed out. However, that’s all set to change this month with the launch of Tonkotsu Kentish Town, the first foray into North London for the group.
It’s set to open on Saturday 18th September. But, if you want to get in there early (er, yes!) we have an exclusive competition to win one of ten tables at a special preview night on the 17th. That’s before anyone else in NW5 – or beyond – can get anywhere near it.
As with all its restaurants, the heart and soul of Tonkotsu Kentish Town will be its comforting bowls of steaming hot ramen. Each bowl is made with its own fresh noodles, crafted in-house daily in three different types using mid-century machines imported from Tokyo. The noodles are then cooked to order for precisely 32 seconds in boiling water for that perfect medium bite. Then there are the stocks – made from scratch each day and simmering for up to 18 hours to get the maximum flavour into each bowl.
The new menu will feature the brand’s signature Tonkotsu ramen dish, a rich and creamy pork and lardo broth with thin-cut noodles, and topped with roast pork belly, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, spring onions, burnt garlic oil and a seasoned egg. Other favourites include (our personal #1) the Chilli Chicken Ramen – a chicken and sea salt broth pimped up with Tonkotsu’s addictive Eat the Bits Chili Oil – and the vegan Mushroom Miso ramen. Mouth watering yet?

And don’t forget that no visit to Tonkotsu would be complete without a few plump, juicy gyoza – freshly steamed batches of the classic pork, ginger and garlic, as well as shiitake and bamboo shoot, and king prawn versions. Other standout starters include Tonkotsu’s crisp fried chicken kara-age, plus Eat the Bits chilli chicken wings and a new vegan-friendly cauliflower version of the wings.
As well as plenty of space to dine-in, Tonkotsu will also be available on Deliveroo, and also for takeaway via its own Click and Collect service at tonkotsu.co.uk. Just a stone’s throw from Kentish Town station, collecting a steaming hot bowl of ramen on the way home from work now couldn’t be simpler.
IT’S NOW COMPETITION TIME
Wanna be one of the first locals to see the new place and get stuck into their tasty ramen and gyoza? Course you do. All you have to do to be in with a chance of nabbing one of the 10 tables for two is:
1️⃣ LIKE the post that will be live at midday on Sept 3rd on our Instagram @londonbelongs
2️⃣ TAG someone you’d share your last gyoza with
3️⃣ MAKE sure you’re following @tonkotsu.ramenbar and @londonbelongs on Instagram
Enter as many times as you like.
Terms and Conditions:
10 winners will be chosen at random after the closing date of Friday 10th September at midday. Each winner will win a meal for two (ramen, side, and drink of their choice) at the sneak preview night at Tonkotsu’s Kentish Town restaurant on Friday 17th September 2021. Winners must be available on this date. No alternative dates are available.
Address: 323 Kentish Town Rd, London NW5 2AA, Opening Hours: 12pm – 10pm daily, Website: www.tonkotsu.co.uk Instagram / Twitter: @Tonkotsu.ramenbar