The RO - initials of 'ramens and others' - opened in November 2016 and bets on the Chinese dish that arrived in Japan at the beginning of World War I.
The okonomiyaki - kind of pancake - and the soft ice cream of exotic flavors are other gimmicks.
João Lameiras and Francisco Bonneville chefs know each other from the days when they both worked at 'Casa de Pasto da Palmeira' - RO also has a third partner, businessman José Pedro Sottomayor - and in 2016 they headed to Tokyo to learn what they describe as 'a kitchen of comfort'.
The trip made them realize they could do whatever they wanted.
The space, designed by Marta Pupo and Pedro Cruz, looks small from the street, but has several nooks that can hold 60 people.
Ramens are eaten fast and service is expedited (it is also a good suggestion for lunch), but fast food is not served in RO.
João Lameiras assures us that “there is a lot of affection, care and work in the preparation of food”.
Text by Ana Isabel Pereira (Evasões Magazine)
Porto, Portugal
© 2017 Igor Martins (Global Imagens Agency)