Chill Ramen

Chill Ramen sits on a scooter-lined side street. True to its name, it's pretty chill. I arrived at 1pm on a Tuesday as the only customer, but a few more people showed up before closing at 2pm.

The logo is prominently displayed outside, yet I initially missed the alley. Inside, the friendly waiter seated me. The place has a lot of anime and retro items, which make it a fun place to have a bowl of ramen. A Japanese movie with Mandarin subtitles played on the TV.

The waiter brought me an English menu. The ramen menu is small but varied. I chose the spicy tonkotsu, called 骨三千・鹽味gǔ sān qiān · yán wèi — “Bone 3000” Salt Flavor. Tonkotsu is my usual benchmark for judging a new ramen shop, if available. You can choose soft 軟ruǎn or firm 硬yìng noodles; I always choose firm. The broth can be rich 濃nóng or normal 正常zhèng cháng.

The spicy tonkotsu comes out with a white broth. It is foamy. This is in the description, it being foamy, which is 泡 (pào).  It always amazes me how white and milky a broth can become from  boiling pork bones for so long. They do agitate the broth to get it foamy before serving. This broth was decently well seasoned, definitely has the depth of flavor expected in a tonkotsu, though foaming it makes it feel lighter than usual. Stirring in the spicy paste turns it a light red, with a soft spiciness (at least for me; I have a rather high spice level, and the spicy option at most restaurants in Taiwan barely registers).

Ramen costs 280-330 NTD per bowl ($9.00-10.50 USD), placing it on the higher end for Taipei. The tonkotsu ramen's price is justified by thick pork belly toppings. It's not as large or thick as at Kikanbo Ramen, but it's more substantial than most I've tried.

The noodles were chewy, bouncy, and fresh. The egg was soft-boiled with a jammy yolk, always appreciated. Shredded spring onions added freshness.

Overall, I liked Chill Ramen and would come back. Most ramen shops are fine for solo dining, but this one has tables, unlike places with just a counter. It’s better for bringing friends and enjoying good ramen and a fun atmosphere.