The Place
We're lucky enough to live in a city where ramen drought is no longer a problem. Over the last year Shanghai has seen good quality entrants in the form of Ramen Samurai Ryu, Ramen Shop, Butao, and now Ramen Nagi, installed within the bizarrely popular K11 Art Mall.
Like Samurai Ryu, Ramen Nagi has a quaint little story about its origins in Tokyo, serving just a few bowls of laboriously prepared tonkotsu a day before dramatically expanding overseas to become a multi-national chain across Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Not that that should impede how delicious it is.
The Food
If you've visited Butao before, you'll notice a lot of similarities between their menu and at the one here. There's a 'Red King' (spicy flavor), 'Black King' (black garlic and calamari ink), 'Green King' (olive oil, Parmesan and basil), and Ramen Nagi's proudest creation: 'Original King Butao' (tonkotsu pork broth).
We found the rich porcine tonkotsu broth to be nicely thick without being glue-y, and with no MSG after-tang. It is a little salty (as it is supposed to be), but if you have a delicate palate or a kid in tow, there is an option for the broth to be served 'light' or 'extra light.' Sadly they were sold out of their "richly marbled" chashu (pork belly), but the alternative – pork shoulder slices – were surprisingly tender and flavorsome. 
Annoyingly, you have to pay an extra RMB10 for boiled egg, which was definitely on the overboiled side. Also, avoid the wood ear mushroom slivers. These are free at places like Ippudo, but here they cost RMB6 and the portion is miniscule.
On the plus side, Ramen Nagi is one of the few ramen joints we’ve found in Shanghai that offer thick noodles in addition to the more common thin variety. They are a delight; springy, al dente and plentiful. One manager even dangled the possibility of a tsukemen (thick ramen noodles with a dipping soup bowl on the side) on the menu in future, a dish we’ve not found elsewhere in Shanghai.
Food verdict: 1.5/3
The Vibe
Being inside one of the city's most popular malls, expect a bit of a line if you show up at lunchtime. The place is already popular K11 denizens, but the queue is fast moving and you can order while you wait. Ordering sheets are also available in English, and some of the servers provide English language service. 
Vibe verdict: 1/1
Value for Money
At RMB60 a bowl, you can certainly do worse than Ramen Nagi. While not some kind of gourmet, life-affirming experience, this place is good value and worth trying if, like us, you’re fond of those thick ramen noodles.
Vibe Verdict: 1/1
TOTAL VERDICT: 3.5/5
Price: bowls from RMB60
Who’s going: mainly locals, the odd Japanese expat
Good for: ramen, lunch, casual dining
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