Japanese in Paris

14 places for Japanese in Paris, picked by creators — with what they said.

• Kodawari Ramen (Yokochō) — Jeremy Jacobowitz, Louis, Malo Halna
  Said the sardine bone broth was intensely rich and umami-packed without any fishy taste, and the noodles — made with wheat from Champagne's own fields — had excellent chew.
  Heads up: Popular ingredients like the sardine fillet can sell out, and the classic tonkotsu-style broth is served at a different location.
• YUSHIN — Louis, Ryoko Paris Guide
  He called it 'the best sushi in France' and said he was 'completely blown away,' adding that it made him want to give French sushi another chance.
  Heads up: He was clear that this is a much higher-end price bracket than the restaurants he actually visited that day.
• TonTon Ramen — Louis, Malo Halna
  Praised the miso broth's strong punch, the option to choose oiliness level, the chewy texture of the thick, wavy noodles, and the perfectly cooked egg — ranked number one in the whole video.
  Heads up: The chashu is on the thin side, and at €17–18 a bowl it's not cheap. There's usually a line, though the wait was only about 2 minutes that day.
• Hakata Choten — Louis, Malo Halna
  Praised the delicate, 'melodic' tonkotsu broth typical of a pork-broth specialist, its harmony with the ultra-thin noodles, and the gyoza, which were as reliably delicious as frozen ones.
  Heads up: The noodles are very thin and go soft quickly, so it's recommended to order the firmest noodle option (barikata); also suggested going for the black broth or special over the basic tonkotsu — noted that with gyoza added, it comes to about €25 per person, pricier than expected.
• Mama No Bento — Louis
  An extremely well-balanced bento packed with 16 ingredients, praised as an 'as authentic as it gets' Japanese mother's bento that doesn't compromise for French tastes — even including nori (seaweed cookies). The reviewer found the value at 16.50 euros impressive.
  Heads up: Closed on Sundays, and the interior is described as modest and unremarkable.
• Tsukizi — Louis
  He raved about the sheer variety of the menu—including denbu, shiitake, and kanpyo, ingredients rarely seen in France—and praised the fact that they don't rely on salmon, along with skilled touches like the scored squid.
  Heads up: His only complaint was that the portions were smaller than at his all-time favorite, Foujita, and he mentioned finding a bit of grit in the uni.
• Omusubi Gonbei — Bappa Life
  Freshly hand-formed, warm triangular onigiri with just the right kombu seasoning — raved that it tasted 'exactly like the ones in Japan,' even 'better than convenience store onigiri.'
  Heads up: Very popular with a line out the door, and only one Japanese staff member (the rest are Vietnamese).
• Onigami — Louis
  An 11-euro set is a rare price in Paris, and the reviewer praised the well-balanced onigirazu, where the rice doesn't overwhelm the fillings, along with the purple sweet potato tiramisu.
  Heads up: The portions are small enough that the shop itself warns customers in advance (it's more of a quick lunch spot), the popular menu sold out so the reviewer couldn't try the 3 types of onigirazu, and the spicy sauce is quite hot.
• Mimi Ramen — Louis
  Praised as having the thickest, most tender chashu of the day, chewy wavy noodles, and above-average menma, calling it 'the benchmark for Paris ramen.'
  Heads up: Despite being tonkotsu, the broth tastes salty like a shio ramen and has a dairy-like quality, so the broth itself isn't special; the accompanying ginger was said to kill the broth's flavor. The vegetarian ramen was said to be weaker than at other spots. At €28 for two, it's about half the price of the previous shop.
• Shin Izakaya — Louis
  The three starters—kabocha, spinach, and grilled eggplant—were, in his words, 'exactly how they'd do it in Japan,' and were overwhelmingly good; the karaage was a notch above the other mains. He said the vegetable dishes are their real specialty, making it a great address for vegetarians too.
  Heads up: The mains, like yakitori and ribs, weren't as impressive as the starters, and he was disappointed that the soy sauce was placed too far down the counter, forcing him to eat the salmon collar without it.
• Takara — Louis
  He named the ankimo—which he called 'foie gras of the sea'—the best dish of the day, and praised the squid's bold flavor, the finishing aroma of shiso leaf on the sea urchin sushi, and the excellence of the sukiyaki.
  Heads up: He recommended the sukiyaki over the sushi, noting a single piece of sushi costs €5.40 and the nigiri moriawase is around €40 but with small portions—'you'd need four plates'—putting the budget at €50-60 per person.
• Dosanko Larmen — Bappa Life
  Heads up: Only saw the sign while walking by, so there's no comment on the food.
• Foujita — Louis
  He said the portions are a bit more generous than at Tsukizi, and praised it for being so honest about ingredient quality that they'll simply refuse to serve sea urchin if it's not up to standard.
  Heads up: He didn't actually visit this spot in this video, so no precise name or location details were given.
• Higuma — Bappa Life
  Praised the miso ramen broth and chashu as 'just like ramen in Japan,' calling it worlds apart from the ramen they'd had in Mexico.
  Heads up: The noodles were a bit soft and the gyoza wrappers were somewhat thick — said Japan's version is better — and the kitchen is run by a Chinese chef.

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