Good Japanese food can be hard to find in Europe (outside of Paris and Dusseldorf at least...), so when a Japanese colleague of mine suggest that this ramen place was one her favourites in The Netherlands, I know that it was definitely worth a visit the next time that I was in the town of Leiden.

... and so, after having been sitting on my list of places that I wanted to visit for a feed, I finally managed the other week, when we had a family visit to a museum that was just around the corner! A perfect excuse to suggest this place as a place for an early dinner after the museum visit!

The Space

The space is relatively small, although when we went it was quite empty (we went very soon after opening hours began and it was still very early for dinner). Most of the seating is for two, but the staff will happily accomodate larger groups by pushing tables together as needed.

The space does have a very nice vibe to it... clean and cosy, with quite a number of little Japanese style ornamentations and books around the place.

The Menu

So, this is a Ramen noodle house... so none of that weird sushi stuff here! Ramen is the real king of Japanese food despite it being generally lesser known in comparison to the seaweed rolls that have taken the world by storm. However, there really is nothing better on a cold day than a warm broth and great noodles with a variety of toppings... also great on a warm day!

From the menu, you can see quite a variety of different styles of ramen, hailing from different parts of Japan. Also, there are vegetarian options... and the extra topping options, all of which are very very tempting!

There is a great variety of side dishes as well... all of which are classic Japanese fare, with the notable exception of sushi! It's a pretty tough choice... everything on this side menu is a favourite of mine!

... and finally the dessert menu... life is not worth living if there were no desserts. Always the highlight to finish of a good meal... if you have time and the space in your stomach!

The drinks menu is also a pretty interesting choice of hot beverages... with some of the teas that I hadn't tried before...

Plus, the lemonade is quite something else... expensive when you get it so far away from Japan, but it is defintely worth it!

The Food

First to arrive at the table was the roasted tea rice... It's something that I've tried before, but my wife hadn't. Let's just say that the next time we go to the Chinese wholesaler, we will be getting some of this for our own home!

Edamame beans... steamed and lightly salted. This is always a hit with the kids (and the adults), as you are squeezing out the beans with your teeth or fingers... with more or less sucess depending on your age! The floor around our toddler was covered in beans....

Gyoza, the dumplings from Japan. Always a classic and a staple side dish for all of our Japanese meals. The kids just scoff these down....

Takoyaki, or octopus balls... the are these onion
(?) flakes that are moving around in the heat of the dish... it's pretty cool, but it is something that you have to see in real life! These are great side dishes that I had only found out about in Japan itself, and surprisingly enough, they were also a big hit with the children!

Which leads us to the main event... the Miso Ginger Ramen (top) and the Shio Ramen (below)... different types of broth with really excellent noodles. Firm and tasty... hard to find the right combination, but they really nailed it here.

The toppings were also very delicious... both my wife and I love the way they do the eggs, we really should learn it for home. The pork was also perfectly done, with a lovely streak of fat through it! Perfect main dishes!

The Experience

The food was excellent and the location is a perfect place for eating. Situated close to the train station, this is going to be one of my regular places to eat when I pass throug this town. It is a touch on the expensive side, and the servings are a touch on the small side, so even for me I would recommend a bit extra on the toppings or noodles or at least one side dish (more if you have kids that will eat them all...).

The staff are mostly Japanese, and they subscribe to the loud greeting that is common in Japan when a customer walks in the door (and out...)...

Most of the time, they will speak first to you in Japanese and then Dutch (or English...), it is a bit strange as we are in Holland and not Japan.. but it is quite interesting. What was really weird was that we also had a Dutch girl serving us who would also do the same! Even with the typical Japanese mannerisms as well...

Anyway, all of that aside... it is definitely a place I would highly recommend. High quality Japanese ramen is something to be treasured!

Opening Times

Monday Closed
Tuesday Closed
Wednesday 5–10pm
Thursday 5–10pm
Friday 5–10pm
Saturday 5–10pm
Sunday 5–9pm

Contact Details

Address: Morsstraat 26, 2312 BM Leiden, NETHERLANDS
Phone: +31 (0) 71 362 8296
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://fujiyama55.nl/

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