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Düsseldorf Ramen?

When this air travel gateway to and from Europe comes to mind, the last thing that comes to mind is Japanese cuisine. However,  I learned from my German colleague that Düsseldorf has a vibrant Japanese community;a fact that i had to humbly recognize I had overlooked in the presence of a large street sign near the Hauptbahnhof clearly indicating the distance of a "Japanese Quarter".
In the Japanese quarter is the recently renovated Na Ni Wa Noodles and Soups. Arriving later in the evening on three first warm Friday night of this soggy German summer, we find a line seated on the bench wrapping to the side of the restaurant. A line for ramen? Good sign : promising.
not my picture (source NA Ni Wa http://www.naniwa.de/n_uebernaniwa.php) but yes there is a line when they are open
Werner and I had attempted to come here once before; finding it shuttered with paper on the windows indicating some construction. That time we had to opt for a ramen approximating at Relax Cafe, another Japanese Quarter restaurant that, to the shock of proper ramen fans, mixes genres of the diversity of Japanese cuisines into that monolithic "japanese menu" with taken along side Tempura, next to teriyaki and sushi. No knocks against Relax as the noodles we go there on that occasion we quite good as well (so there goes my theory of do one thing and do it well, unless that was the only thing they do well. might ave to venture to Relax again later).

Na Ni Wa on the other hand is not so confused. Rather than have a menu with both Noodles and Sushi on it, they opened a separate location for Sushi (across the street,  or Strasse(?)). 

http://www.naniwa.de/n_speisekarte_nudelsuppen.php

They have over 20 variety of Ramen on the menu. With choices of Soy or Miso bases. The noodles are the typical curly ramen mostly, with some straight variety. Werner (German native from Koln) was a bit put off by the lack of curl in one of the ramen orders at our table, but his wife assured him that it is normal and not "spaghetti".


We started with some Gyoza which were completely satisfactory. Perfectly crisped on the pan side with a firm but light steamed side. Savory and we prepared they are simply the best dumplings of any variety I have had in Europe yet.
Amber with the Ramen (Chashu Shouyu)
After the dumplings went for the Chasu Shouyo. Which was so very tasty that I neglected to take the obligatory FoodPorn shot prior to digging in and ruining the photogenics of the bowl. Fortunately, the restaurant website has nice pics for the blog.
Werner and StringGirl
Will have to go again. Next time in Dusseldorf.
Werners Wife (sorry so bad with names)


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