this has been on my wish list for years; i've been meaning to visit their branch in central, hk (butao king) but it got cancelled due to other plans.. so i was excited that they opened a branch near our house. finally!! :)
the place specializes in ramen, obviously 🤣. options would be the original butao king, the squid flavored black king, the spicy red king and the green king with basil. customers get a slip of paper where they can tick how they like their ramen: level of spiciness, toppings, noodles..
i'm feeling adventurous that day so i ordered the black king w/ pork belly, extra tamago, green onions & garlic. i also requested that my noodles be extra hard as i want to have that bite when i eat my ramen.. it was good.. but i preferred the original butao king (had a couple of sips from my sister's order).. i think the black one is just too rich for my liking.. anyway, i was made to wear a paper bib to protect my top from the squid ink.. how thoughtful of them! knowing i'm such a klutz, i will surely be making a mess of myself without that bib.. :)
as for the ambiance, the place is a bit small and you'll have no choice but to share a table with strangers as it is usually packed during lunch and dinner time.. i think it's close to how the ramen places in japan look like - minimalist (i haven't been to yet, just basing on some pages i've browsed).. also, the energy is high with the staff service scurrying about to bring orders and chanting their thanks as customers finish their meal..
overall, it's a good experience.. i'll revisit the restaurant soon to have more of their butao king and some of their other items, like gyoza and karaage.. :)