Beijing

'King of ramen'

Not long after its opening, the Beijing branch of Japanese ramen restaurant Ippudo has people lining up at its gate to eat. Founder Shigemi Kawahara was dubbed "ramen king" after winning the "TV champion ramen chef" competition three times in a row on TV Tokyo. Ippudo adheres to traditional cooking methods, with ramen broth made from long hours of boiling different cuts of pork bones to create a rich and creamy flavor. Pork chops are also long-braised to give a very smooth chew.

B23a, underground level one, Kerry Center, 1 Guanghua Lu (Road), Chaoyang district, Beijing. 010-8529-8771.

- Ye Jun