Paris is no stranger to ramen spots, but when it comes to great ramen, the pickings get a bit slimmer. Kodawari has been a standout since it first opened in 2016 – and not just thanks to its Disney-esque décor evoking Tokyo’s yokocho or food streets. It more than delivers on flavor, appealing to French values and terroir with its house-made noodles made with French-grown wheat and poultry sourced in the Loire Valley. I loved everything about it on my visit… but I may love its little sibling even more.
Kodawari Tsukiji echoes the original with its more-is-more approach to décor, this time taking its inspiration from Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market. It doubles down on the ambiance with a soundtrack of shouts and sounds from the market and ultra-realistic décor of “fish on ice” in styrofoam containers (all of which is fake – and thus doesn’t contribute any unpleasant odors to the room, which smells, instead, of rich, simmering broth.)
Here, each bowl features the same rustic, hand-rolled noodles, but as the décor suggests, the broth is made, instead, with Breton sardines or Mediterranean bream, all seasoned with local seaweed and three types of soy imported straight from Japan.
Six different recipes are on offer, which on my visit included a brothless mazemen with scallops, ‘nduja, and lobster (19.50) as well as a vegetarian ramen with a host of seasonal mushrooms (15.50). Each ramen can also be doctored with additional toppings, and for those who aren’t sure which add-ons to pick, there’s a “Chef” version of each offering with suggested glow-ups suited to the recipe you choose.
The Chintan de Daurade Royale (14.5) is a study in subtlety, with a pristine shio broth seasoned with a combination of French salts. A filet of sake-marinated bream is paired with chicken chachu, and sansho pepper-infused bream oil is drizzled on top. This ramen is light and not at all fishy, perfect for those looking for delicate flavors.
Adding a jammy egg (2.50), marinated 48 hours, is a no-brainer, and on a future visit, I might also bite the bullet and add another piece of fish (3.50), as the portion you get is relatively paltry (and the flavor is so, so good.)
On the opposite end of the spectrum is the aptly named Sardine Bomb (15), with an intense miso and sardine broth topped with buttery, melt-in-your-mouth grilled sardines and Iberian pata negra pork chachu. Dried Brittany sardines are used to make the house niboshi that seasons the top of this gorgeous bowl. The “Chef” version here (19.5) includes an egg and the house spicy sauce, but I opted to add the (delicious) sauce on the side so that I could better enjoy that sumptuous broth before dragging my noodles through the sauce.
As is the case at the other outpost, Kodawari Tsukiji is open from 11:45 to 11pm, and there are no reservations. It fills up pretty fast at French mealtimes, but there are a few ways to avoid queuing for hours. There’s an online queue, so you can assess the wait time and even hold your place in line. But if you’re willing to eat at American hours (6pm or 6:30, for example), often, you can saunter right in.
Oh, and they also have Kirin on tap!
Kodawari Tsukiji – 12, rue Richelieu, 75001