The Hague is gradually descending into a cold, dark and wet season. With more than half the day spent in the dark, I sought salvation beyond the norms of the traditional Dutch Stampot. Through the recommendation of my colleague, I came here for a pre-theatre meal with a couple of my mates. Located in the heart of the Hague, Genki SET Japanese is a popular spot for a simple Japanese meal.
While they serve a host of dishes from the basic sushi to a wagyu teriyaki and even shabu-shabu, I was actually here for the ramen! But to share, my friends and I started with the Osaka style pressed Sushi €6.90 which reminds me of the sushi I had at Modern Eatery: The House of Sushi in Fremantle.
To make this sushi, the fish is compacted into a mould before being filled with rice. It is then overturned and coated with drizzling of Japanese Mayonnaise before being torched. The result is a smokey-melt in your mouth salmon. The fish was a little thin, but it was yummy! Not sure why the sweet brown sauce though =/!
My Ramen of choice was the Shoyu (Soy) Ramen with slices of decadent Chashu €8.80.
Initial impressions were great. You get a clear broth that smells of soy with a whiff of smokiness. The egg with a runny yolk was promising and it looked nice over all. That is until you actually start eating it. My biggest dislike would be the depth of flavour in the broth. While it was mildly salty and yes there is a hint of soy with smokiness, I was looking for some strong soy flavours which should always be the focus of a complete Shoyu Ramen. Instead, the soy flavour in the soup was flat! Other than that, the Chashu was yummy and everything else really worked! Can’t say I was too pleased to see a carrot in there though =.=!
To complement my noodles, I added a served of Karaage or Fried Chicken Nuggets for €1.95. Definitely no complains here. Crispy and drizzled with mayonnaise again. Hard to go wrong but I would not mind a strong punch of ginger in the chicken marinade :)!
My first meal at Genki SET Japanese was decent but I cannot say that I walked away too impressed. The service was good and the meal was decently priced for the Hague. It cost me just a little below €15 for the entire meal. However, the Shoyu Ramen just did not deliver! Thankfully I returned twice since this meal 3 weeks ago. Their Miso Ramen with Chashu and a dollop of Volcano Oil is absolutely delicious. So if you are ever coming here, give their Miso Ramen with Chashu a try! It is so much better than the Shoyu Ramen.
Check out my other Ramen posts:
Nao Ramen @ Murray Street, Perth
Ramen Lab @ Mount Lawley, Perth
Genki SET Japanese @ Den Haag, Netherlands
The Little Ramen Bar @ Little Bourke Street, Melbourne
Check out my other Ramen posts:
Nao Ramen @ Murray Street, Perth
Ramen Lab @ Mount Lawley, Perth
Genki SET Japanese @ Den Haag, Netherlands
The Little Ramen Bar @ Little Bourke Street, Melbourne
WenY
