Ramen Kazamidori

After a long stroll to Abeno, I stopped at chicken ramen shop Kazamidori. They had a large variety of menu items, and I went with the special fish paitan, shio.

阿倍野の散歩をしてから、鶏ラーメン専門店風見鶏に行きました。いろいろなメニューはありましたけど、特製魚介白湯 塩にしました。

The Bowl
It was a salty, mellow seafood broth; thick and somehow never too salty. The noodles were with and firm, and the chicken chashu came in thin slices that had a nice chew.

しょっぱくてバランスが取れたスープでした。とろみがありましたけど、辛すぎって感じはなかったです。麺は中細くて、鶏チャーシューの歯ごたえが良かったです。

Would I Go Again?


Should You Go?


Information
RAMEN 風見鶏 阿倍野

Men to Kokoro 7

I had promised Philoramen I would finish off the Osaka Ra-sai Stamp Rally with him with his first time to the shop Men to Kokoro 7. Whoops. Nonetheless, I'll take any excuse I can get to visit this shop again. I had tried their standard fare before, so this time I went with the clam paitan tsuke soba.

Philoramenと一緒に大阪らぁ際スタンプラリーを麺と心７でフルコンプすることを約束しました。しまった。それでも、この店にまた行きたかったです。定番をもう食べたことがあったので、はまぐりパイタンつけそばを頼んでみました。

I was given a side of tomatoes, onions, and basil

トマト、玉ねぎ、バジルをもらいました

The Bowl
Despite being paitan, the broth was a light and buttery clam soup. There were bits of fried garlic that made it almost like an oil prepared to dip bread in. Instead, I was given noodles, which were flat and on the thinner side for tsukemen, which still meant they were pretty large. The basil added to the essence of the mixture, and the tomatoes sweetened the whole thing. After finishing the noodles I got the wari-soup, which put a simple if salty cap on the meal.

白湯なのに、あっさり系スープでした。あげニンニクとバターっぽい味がしたのではまぐり油ディップという感じがしました。麺が平打ちで、スープにすすりやすかったです。バジルとトマトを入れたら、ハーブでフルーティな香りがしてきました。最後に割スープと飲んで、〆極あっさりスープになりました。

Would I Go Again?
Yes.

はい。

Should You Go?
Yes.

はい。

Information
麺と心 7

1968 Kotan

Earlier in the month I visited Kamukura, Osaka's most famous ramen chain. Wanting to keep up with my resolution to visit more Osaka chains, this time I went to Kotan. One of my friends says good things about Kotan, but I have never been motivated enough to go. I happened to be in Tennoji's Abeno Q's Mall one day, so I stopped in the food court for a bowl of shoyu ramen with gyoza at 1968 Kotan.

この前大阪の有名なチェーン店神座にようやく行きました。新年の抱負を続けるように今回古潭というチェーン店に行きました。友達においしいと言われましたけど、今まで行く気がぜんぜんありませんでした。たまたまあべのQsモールにいたので１９６８古潭に行ってしょうゆらーめんぎょうざセットを頼みました。

The Bowl
When I visit mediocre-looking chains, I remember why I don't go very often. Kotan's broth was oily and generic; edible, but nothing special. The medium noodles were passable, and the chashu was standard and not exciting. I would have appreciated this meal more when I first came to Japan, but now that I have a number of good shops under my belt, I can't go back. The gyoza were decent, though.

普通っぽいチェーン店に行くとなぜそんなに行かないか思い出します。スープは油っぽくて普通でした。麺は中太くてチャーシューはまあまあでした。来日したばかりな頃にこんならーめんがめっちゃ好きだと思いますけど、今おいしいラーメンをいっぱい食べたので口が肥えてしまいました。餃子がまあまあうまかったですけど。

Would I Go Again?
No.

いいえ。

Should You Go?
No.

いいえ。

Information
1968古たん

Men to Kokoro 7

Recently, the strangely named shio chicken ramen shop Junk Story has become very popular. Whenever I head east towards Uehonmachi I pass it and there is always a line. Today I went on a trek south towards Abeno to head to a sister shop of Junk Story: Men to Kokoro 7, or "Noodles and Heart 7". Though it turns into an izakaya at night, Men to Kokoro 7 during the day is a humble ramen shop, known for its thick double soup paitan ramen, topped with rare chicken chashu.

最近鶏系塩ラーメン屋さんJUNK STORYがはやっています。上本町のほうに行ったら、いつも行列を見かけます。今回同じ人が作った阿倍野にある麺と心７と言う店に行きました。夜に別の料理を売っている居酒屋になりますけど、昼に普通のラーメン屋さんです。レアチャーシューが乗っているW白湯セブンで有名なのでそれを頼みました。

Player #7: Men to Kokoro

麺と心の背番号は７

They recommended the karaage, which I ordered as well. Juicy, but hard to finish with a bowl of thick ramen.

唐揚げもおすすめらしいです。ジューシーでしたけど、ラーメンと一緒に食べると食べきれなくなるかもしれません。

The Bowl
A double soup indeed. The broth was very thick without being too overbearing, and fairly fishy as well. The noodles were thick and straight. But, of course, what really stood out was the toppings. The rare chicken chashu, pieces of crispy lotus root, and creamy egg. The lotus root seemed a bit out of place, but the chicken melted into the soup, quite literally, providing a different and fresh light taste to an otherwise very heavy bowl.

めっちゃWスープでした。ドロドロでしたけど、重すぎた訳じゃありません。魚形のスープの味もしました。麺は太くてストレートでした。でも、一番気になったのがトッピングでした。レア鶏チャーシュー、かりかりなれんこん、クリーミーな味玉。レンコンはちょっと変でしたけど、レアチャーシューはとろけてさっぱりしました。こってりスープに合いました。

Would I Go Again?
Yeah, this place was great. I'd like to check out their night menu.

おいしかったので、夜限定メニューを食べてみたいです。

Should You Go?
Yes.

はい。

Information
麺と心 7

Tosai Nishiki Ramen

It was a Sunday evening, and for some reason I felt like walking to Tennoji.  There's a few places around there, and I picked one that looked pretty good (and happened to be open).

The place is tiny and there was just one other person in the shop: the old woman who ran it.  She was very kind and after chatting with her for a little bit I ordered the Nishiki Ramen.

Information
当才 にしきらーめん
Ōsaka-fu, Ōsaka-shi, Abeno-ku, Abenosuji, ２丁目４−４８

The Bowl
The broth was a fairly standard tonkotsu.  It was hot and oily, and had a bit of a roasty flavor to it, similar to ra-yu, though it wasn't spicy.  The noodles were very thin and soft, and in addition to menma and onions, there was some pretty good, tender chashu.

Would I Go Again?
Nishiki wasn't super special but it was pretty solid.  I'll probably go to the other shops in Tennoji first, but when I run out of those I'll come back here.

Should You Go?
If you're in Tennoji, there's a few decent places you can go.  This is one of them.