Koyotake Ramen: Home-Cooked Love in Every Bowl

“No more Instagram ads, please. I’m scared too many people will come,” said my dad.

While most warung owners dream of bustling crowds, my dad prefers a smaller, steady stream of customers each day.

Back in the day, he worked in the fast-paced, always-hectic F&B department of various 5-star hotels. After years of juggling high-pressure environments, he decided to retire early in his 40s. His dream was simple: to run a small ramen shop like the ones he admires in Japanese travel documentaries. Small but mighty. Why ramen, though? And where did his love for Japanese food come from? To be honest – I’m not sure, haha! But after a few failed attempts (as all good stories go), he made that dream a reality. 

It all started in a food court in South Tangerang. At first, it struggled to attract customers, so he made the bold decision to close the outlet and reopen it at home. I thought it was a better idea – not only would he save on rent, but he’d also have more flexibility and time to rest. With his passion, my mum’s support as sous chef and logistics manager (seriously, who’s better at market shopping than the ibu?), and my contribution as the self-proclaimed marketing manager, the little house warung began to gain traction. They started with a simple menu; Tori Paitan and Shoyu ramen, and slowly expanded as the warung grew in popularity. 

Last year, my parents decided it was time to leave the hustle and bustle of city life and settle in a small village in Yogyakarta, where my mum originally comes from. Can’t blame them – city life can be overwhelming, especially at their age (honestly, even at mine). They reopened their ramen warung at their new house in Bantul, and it didn’t take long for them to regain popularity. One day, a well-known food blogger secretly stopped by, had dinner, and posted a Reel on Instagram. For weeks after, the warung was packed with people queuing for ramen, haha! Talk about a good problem to have, right? But now, they’ve settled into a nice rhythm, constant customers daily, not too crazy, just the right amount. So, thank you, Mr. Blogger, for bringing the unexpected blessings on my parents’ small business!

If you ever find yourself in Yogyakarta and crave some home-cooked Japanese comfort food, make sure to visit Koyotake Ramen. They have added more on the menu, and don’t forget to try the gyozas! 

Ps. First person to guess what “Koyotake” means gets a free dinner on me! 😉