Blink and you’ll miss it. But if you miss it, you’ll be missing out. Because Sapporo Ramen Sora, which opened in 2016 at the south end of Ceintuurbaan, is ready to serve you the most delicious bowls of steaming ramen from its tiny restaurant. All you need to do is find it…

Ceintuurbaan – a street which runs from the east to the west of de Pijp – is anything but obscure. It’s well known for destinations like friterie extraordinaire Par Hasard, independent movie theatre Rialto and boozy-brunch spot CT Coffee & Coconuts. But Sora is located on the most western block of the street, which is more of a passage than a terminus for all but those who live there.

So it’s impressive that Sora’s top-notch reputation has grown so quickly and in the best way possible – organically and enthusiastically, via word-of-mouth. And as we write, it’s safe to say that the secret is out about Sora being the best in town.

Sora is small and it’s refreshingly humble, knowing that all you need is a fast kitchen, a place to sit and friendly staff. But don’t let its modesty fool you. Behind its almost invisible facade lies a chef with an impressive resume. Owner and chef Shin Fujita’s career has seen him delighting diners across the globe in Japan, Canada, Hong Kong, France, Germany… and now the Netherlands.

As with all ramen restaurants it offers a variation on a theme; but there’s more variation here than we’re used to seeing with interesting seasonal specials like a cold ramen dish for summer, and a bunch of ways to jazz up their core menu, not to mention some delicious side dishes (fried shrimp amongst them).

Sora makes an effort to not just prove its expertise and love for Japan’s most popular style of the dish, but to emphasise its authenticity, too. Sora imports ingredients from the best suppliers in Sapporo to bring its recipes as in-tact as possible to the ramenophiles of Amsterdam.

In any case, we’re sold on this place and we came to tell you that there’s definitely a reason to pull over in that most westerly block of Ceintuurbaan. Blink and you’ll miss it. But visit and you’ll miss it more.

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Website: ramensora.nl