[KU:] — an izakaya and ramen bar under the same roof

The first reason to get directions here is ramen. The restaurant’s team brought more than 10 recipes from Tokyo: broths simmer for 6 to 14 hours, and noodles are hand-rolled. Light chicken broth is used for tori shio ramen with lemon, and the rich one — for tori paitan. They also serve duck shoyu ramen, beef broth kimchi ramen, and tori miso — you’ll want to try them all. Prices range from 95,000 to 145,000 sum.

In addition to being a ramen bar, this is also an izakaya, so appetizers are anything but dull: kimchi, salads, edamame, fried bites, and gyoza. Plus, there’s a solid raw section featuring tuna tartare and beef tataki. Further down the menu, there are rolls: Philadelphia, Dragon with shrimp, and Calcifer with salmon, tuna, and avocado. For mains, expect gyuniku no nikomi (braised beef), toridon (a crispy chicken cutlet with cabbage, rice, and tonkatsu sauce), and several rice-based dishes. Dessert brings matcha tiramisu, apple gyoza, and mochi. The average check for an appetizer, main course, and dessert is 240,000 sum. The bar menu has a separate section dedicated to signature cocktails — standouts include KU Spritz, Japanese highball, and Wakayama Margo.

Photos: restaurants' websites and social media accounts; Yandex Maps