Makoto Saegusa at work behind the counter at Toritori.
In Paris, ramen shops have always had a presence in the area around Rue Sainte-Anne, the capital’s so-called ‘Little Tokyo.’ Yet when Makoto Saegusa arrived in France in 2011 to open a branch of the renowned Japanese chain Naritake, his concept struck a particular chord. Beyond the originality of its dense se abura broth—enriched with pork back fat on top of the bones and fat already simmering in the stock—what set Naritake apart was the meticulous attention Saegusa devoted to crafting the noodles. Kotteri Ramen Naritake became a benchmark for ramen in Paris for many years.
Saegusa later brought his expertise to the Kintaro group, where he opened Menkicchi in 2020. Its house-made noodles quickly earned a loyal following. Two more ventures followed: Tonton in 2024, reviving Naritake’s pork-based se abura tonkotsu ramen, and Toritori in 2025, dedicated to the rich chicken-based paitan broth.
French Dining Spirit at Sanjo
Sanjo borrows the codes of the French bistro, serving ramen bowls meant to be savored slowly in a quintessentially French setting.
After years working in design in France, including as co-founder of the fashion brand Commuun, Kaitō Hori opened Sanjo in 2018. Drawing on his experience in brand creation honed through fashion, he set out to reinvent a Japanese classic with the concept of a ‘Ramen Bistro.’
‘I wanted to focus on the French art of dining,’ he explains. ‘Meals here are unhurried, with an appetizer, a glass of wine, a main dish, and dessert. Whether with family, a partner, or friends, the joy lies first in being together before savoring the food. I wanted to merge this dining culture with ramen to create a new kind of ramen-ya.’
In contrast to Japan’s fast-paced, often solitary ramen culture, Sanjo offers zensai (small starters) and an extensive wine cellar, including natural wines. Preparing zensai requires both skill and knowledge of Japanese gastronomy, so from the outset Hori built a Japanese team, with chef Wataru Sejima—formerly of a three-Michelin-star restaurant—at its core. The team also trained for six months at a forty-year-old Kyoto ramen institution before opening.
Kaitō Hori (right), designer and founder of Sanjo, alongside one of the restaurant’s chefs, Wataru Sejima.
Adapting to Setbacks and Local Ways of Working
For Saegusa, being the sole Japanese presence in his kitchens was initially a hurdle. Today, he leads a multicultural team of French and international staff. ‘At first, I was hesitant,’ he recalls. ‘I had only worked with Japanese teams before. It took three to five years to adapt, but once I did, it became second nature.’
Now the chef of several successful ramen restaurants, he acknowledges that it also took time to adjust to French ways of working. Real estate, in particular, proved a challenge. When opening Naritake, construction delays were far longer than he could have imagined—unthinkable in Japan, where a promised opening date is honored, even at the cost of working late into the night. Hori also experienced such setbacks in his own projects. In a country where buildings are often centuries old, renovation work frequently reveals hidden structural problems that must be addressed, leading to unexpected costs and delays.
The menu at Toritori, dedicated to chicken, includes uniquely shaped elongated gyoza filled with poultry.
For Hori and his team, however, the greatest obstacle came from their neighbors in the elegant 1st arrondissement building that houses Sanjo. Complaints about the powerful aroma of tonkotsu broth forced the team to adapt, replacing pork with chicken.
To maintain flavor and consistency, Sejima and his brigade crafted a rich ‘Toripota’ broth, using chicken bones with a touch of pork to approximate the depth of tonkotsu. Hori attributes this solution to the team’s technical mastery and deep knowledge of Japanese culinary tradition.
Sanjo’s ‘Toripota Ramen’, made from a broth of chicken and pork.
Saegusa also opted for chicken broth with his new venture, Toritori (from tori, meaning ‘chicken’), after carefully considering the local market. ‘In France, some people cannot eat pork,’ he notes.
‘I wanted them to be able to enjoy ramen too, so we created a chicken broth with halal meat. It made sense to dedicate a restaurant to chicken, especially since it sits next to Tonton, which is devoted to pork broth.’
Toritori’s ‘Shio Special Ramen’, prepared with a rich chicken ‘paitan’ broth.
Both Hori and Saegusa continue to track ramen trends in Japan and adapt accordingly. At Sanjo, this has led to bold offerings. ‘Ramen is of course a popular dish,’ says Hori. ‘But we wanted to elevate it, beyond street food, in line with our identity. That’s why we created a truffle ramen.’ The menu also features ‘Shiru-nashi tan-tan-men’—soupless noodles common in Japan but still novel to a French audience—as well as ‘Hiyashi Ramen’, served in a chilled fish broth.
Sanjo’s ‘Hiyashi Ramen’, served with a fish broth.
Building Loyal Followings
At Menkicchi, Tonton, and Toritori, noodles remain the central focus and are carefully adjusted to match the broth they accompany. ‘The noodles at Menkicchi and Tonton, paired with a pork-fat-based soup, have about 40% water content, giving them a soft texture,’ explains Saegusa. ‘Toritori’s noodles are finer, with 27–28% water, which gives them a crisp bite. Since chicken broth doesn’t have the punch of pork, the noodles give it character.’
The two ambassadors of ramen in France, each with his own perspective and approach, have been warmly received by local diners. Their restaurants draw steady crowds. Hori notes that French clientele is more varied than in Japan, requiring flexibility from the staff. Saegusa highlights another distinction: ‘French diners are more inclined to express their satisfaction at the end of a meal, more so than Japanese customers. Hearing directly that they enjoyed the food is deeply rewarding.’
Sanjo lies slightly outside the Japanese quarter, in the 1st arrondissement, catering to an upscale clientele.
At Sanjo, attention to the customer extends to every detail. Everything is designed to ensure guests enjoy themselves—that, according to Hori, is the restaurant’s philosophy. ‘Our strength is our brand identity. It’s not just about serving delicious ramen. People come because they want to be in this space. We give great importance to the atmosphere, the menu, the décor, and the spirit of the staff, so customers feel naturally drawn in. In Japan, many think that serving good Japanese food is enough to guarantee success. But that’s not sufficient. You must consider the full dining experience to build loyalty.’
The popularity of ramen in France shows no sign of slowing, a trend mirrored worldwide. On this point, both Saegusa and Hori agree on the reason behind such enduring success: the irresistible allure of umami, the fifth taste that wins everyone over. Few dishes can rival the aromatic complexity of a bowl of ramen while remaining so easily approachable. This depth comes from the careful layering of umami-rich ingredients, from chicken bones to pork fat. It is this density—at once refined and universally perceptible—that likely explains why ramen captivates diners as much in Tokyo as in Paris: a humble dish with a flavor intensity that transcends borders.
Toritori is located just steps from Rue Sainte-Anne (visible in the background) in Paris’s 2nd arrondissement, the city’s Japanese quarter.
Dining and Cooking