01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
A short walk from Kinshicho Station, in a quiet corner of Taihei, Menya Ryu is a ramen shop known for its thoughtful combinations of dashi. One of its signature dishes is tsukemen: smooth, thick noodles meet a dipping broth in a carefully balanced pairing. The flavour is satisfyingly rich without feeling too heavy, making each mouthful easy to return to. The tender chashu served alongside has also received praise, adding another pleasure to eating the noodles.
Distinctive broths, from savoury seafood to rich back fat
The warm ramen selection has its own character, too. The classic shoyu ramen is clean-tasting yet full of dashi flavour, an appealing choice for an everyday meal. By contrast, the se-abura niboshi soba layers the flavour of dried sardines over a rich chicken, pork and sea bream paitan broth, with the depth of back fat and a special soy sauce tare. It is a bold bowl for when you want something more substantial. Limited-time choices add further variety, including scallop tsukemen with a salt tare that draws on the savoury flavour of baby scallops from Hokkaido, as well as squid-ink and curry tsukemen. Each visit may bring a different combination of flavours.
A relaxed stop from lunchtime to late at night
The calm interior is centred around counter seating, making it an easy place to drop in on your own. Menya Ryu is open for lunch and stays lit late into the night, too, offering a quiet place to enjoy noodles at the end of the day. Pair a bowl with a beer or another alcoholic drink, and take your time over whichever option suits your mood.
