Ooink Fremont
Ramen restaurant · Wallingford
3630 Stone Way N, Seattle, WA 98103
Highlights
Silky broths, tender pork, spicy mala ramen, and fried chicken
Silky broths, tender pork, spicy mala ramen, and fried chicken
"Speaking of oversized gyoza, the ones at Ooink, a ramen shop on Capitol Hill, are also excellent. They’re crispy on the outside and meaningful on the inside, with chives adding a bright oniony flavor and some celery for crunch. You could eat these on their own, or slide them right into your bowl of ramen." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
"Ooink references chef-owner Chong Boon Ooi’s name and signature silky pork broth, though he doesn’t call it tonkotsu. This inconspicuous spot above a QFC grocery store in Capitol Hill (there’s a second location on Stone Way in Fremont/Wallingford) serves some of Seattle’s best ramen, rich and wonderful from the variety of tares and their thin, straight noodles. Shoyu is an excellent choice, while the mala (numbing and spicy) ramen offers heat levels that get serious as you climb from one to four. Ayam goreng (Malaysian spiced chicken) serves as a great side dish to a noodle bowl." - Jay Friedman
"Ooink is a small ramen spot in a neighborhood where there are lots of other places to eat noodle soup. But this one stands out because the pork is really tender and the overstuffed gyoza are outstanding. The only drawback is that it’s tiny in here, so don’t come with a group. Pop in alone or with one other person when a hot bowl of broth is necessary, like when you get teeth pulled, fired from your job, or both on the same day." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
"For ramen that goes beyond standard shoyu options, head to this tiny shop on Capitol Hill. And while Ooink has some great shoyu to take the edge off on a particularly frigid day, nothing beats their mala kotteri ramen—a double whammy of both high heat index and intense spice, made with funky black garlic and numbing Sichuan peppercorns that could thaw out the Vatnajökull glacier. Plus, it doesn't hurt that they have some of the best gyoza in the city to dunk into the broth." - kayla sager riley, aimee rizzo
"As the name suggests, pork takes center stage at this compact ramen joint above a grocery store (seriously, it’s tiny – if your group is bigger than two, head to the Fremont location). Chef Chong Boon Ooi’s nontraditional approach is exemplified in the signature mala kotteri ramen, which is topped with lush, tender char siu and crunchy browned garlic chips. Rock-solid ramen fundamentals – noodles with a satisfying bite and a silky broth with real heft – make for a strong foundation for the dish’s more unconventional flourishes. Treat the spice scale with a healthy respect here, and get a light beer or three to carry you through the exquisite waves of salt and mouth-numbing heat." - Sophie Grossman
