The black, charred kogashi miso ramen is a thing to savour. The signature dish that helped make Gogyo famous in Japan is a dark brewing broth that demands a black bib to save your clothes from stains. Miso is burnt in a fiery inferno of boiling lard, which helps blacken the chicken broth. Supported by cabbage, chashu pork belly and half an egg it’s quite a complex culinary experience, but you don’t need to go to those depths to eat well at Gogyo. But first, a hot tip: Make a booking or you’ll be waiting half the night for a table. Housed in the ashes of Japanese-centric Salaryman, Gogyo is more of an izakaya drinking and eating den than a ramen retreat.

You can bend your arm in the bar, sit on stools at the kitchen counter, or score a table. The booze list has plenty of value and fun, and the energy of the room is contagious. Owned by Chikaranomoto Global Holdings, the group behind Ippudo, Gogyo might be known for its ramen, but its snacks are arguably better, so bring friends, pull on a bib and get snacking. Start with chargrilled edamame coated in kombucha sauce.

The ‘crackling piggy roll’ is packed with juicy pork, barbecue sauce and mustard inside a soft Japanese butter roll. Japanese tahini lets kingfish sashimi show its true colours and the classic nasu dengaku (miso-glazed eggplant) is bang on. Wagyu sukiyaki spring rolls are definitely worth a look and karaage (fried) chicken a must. All with Japanese beer of course.

Must-eat dish: Kogashi ramen