Dining

Panton Yokocho review: Step back in time with this retro ramen special

A bowl of Nabeyaki Udon in Panton Yokocho restaurant

In a corner of London’s Leicester Square, just a short walk from Piccadilly Circus,  there’s a doorway to downtown Tokyo. Yokocho on Panton Street is a retro-styled ramen eatery that recreates the vibe and visuals of 1970s Japan. 

It’s more Shibuya than Ginza, but that’s no bad thing, and with a playlist that’s an eclectic mix of vintage j-pop and j-punk, it’s easy to imagine yourself planning which stop on the JR line to visit next.

It’s more Shibuya than Ginza, but that’s no bad thing, with a playlist that’s an eclectic mix of vintage j-pop and j-punk…

Panton Yokocho (there’s actually two branches in London, the second on Heddon Street) serves authentic ramen and sides, and for National Noodle Month (aka March) it’s added some new limited edition dishes that are well worth trying out.

WE couldn’t resist the Nabeyaki Udon, a hearty winter staple, here served in a heated cast iron hot pot. You get unctuous udon noodles in a yuzu salted soup, with prawn tempura, pork belly, cabbage, leek and soft boiled egg, dressed with wakame seaweed and kamaboko fish cake. The strong citrus makes it distinctly different from a traditional tonkotsu ramen.

We recommend you partner your ramen with a tempura prawn side. The tempura batter is perfectly light crisp, and it’s served with a grated daikon radish, ginger, and a bowl of tempura sauce.  Alternatively, opt for the Prawn tempura bun, laced with spicy hirata sauce with Japanese mayo. Oishi!

Nabeyaki Udon is priced at £18.50, served Monday to Thursday. Book your Yokocho ramen experience here.

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About Steve May

Creator of Home Cinema Choice magazine, and editor of The Luxe Review, Steve muses and reviews for Trusted Reviews, T3, Yahoo UK, Home Cinema Choice, Games Radar, Ideal Home, Louder Sounds, Channel News and Boat International. He’s also the editor of professional home cinema website Inside CI. He's on Twitter and Instagram as @SteveMay_UK

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