Open daily 11am–6pm
Ramen (the Japanese soup which includes meat, veggies, egg and Chinese-style lamian noodles) is achieving cult status in Europe. Zuma’s former head chef Ross Shonhan, arguably the man who brought the boom to London, has recently launched his second Bone Daddies in Kensington, on the first floor of the Whole Foods Market.
Dressed in red, black and white, the restaurant has an industrial feel with raw finishes that include corrugated iron, bare wood, red ropes and steel, an open kitchen and bar. The rock soundtrack isn’t quite as loud as its Soho sister but there’s the signature hairbands-in-a-bottle (apparently Shonhan only spotted this quirk in one ramen bar in Japan, and was taken with it), sesame seeds, cloves of garlic-in-a-bottle and folded plastic bibs among the casual table offerings.
The new Bone Daddies offers favourite ramens from its sister restaurant, plus buns (aka gua bao) from Shonhan’s izakaya (a drinking establishment serving Japanese-style tapas) restaurant, Flesh & Buns, alongside new signature ramen bowls and new styles of tonkotsu (pork bone broth).
The delicate yellowtail sashimi (£9.50) with chilli, ponzu and coriander got the vote over the salmon and yellowtail tartar (£7), which had a more pungent dressing and was topped with ‘crunchy rice crispies’ (my friend’s description).
The moreish curry ramen (£10; fried chicken, padrón peppers cabbage in a chicken bone broth) was the clear favourite; the tantanmen 2 (£11; a chicken version of the original pork ramen) was a ‘bit floury’ though my friend had asked for hers without chilli; while my vegetarian mushroom ramen (£10) was satisfyingly rich, though a little salty for my delicate palate.
From Japanese beers, whiskies and teas to cocktails using Japanese botanicals, there are plenty of adventurous drink choices, as well as a good, short selection of new and old world wines, on the menu. We enjoyed a carafe of warm, smooth and gentle Masumi (Junmai; £17 for 300ml) with our gooey chocolate fondant and green tea ice cream (£7).
It’s easy to see why Bone Daddies is here to stay. It’s authentic (we noted Asians among the other diners); the young staff are friendly and knowledgeable (even if they haven’t visited Japan, they’ve done their homework); and the hug-in-a-bowl dishes are comforting, accessible (even without the bibs and hairbands) and affordable – perfect for even those who don’t give a hoot about Japanese cuisine.
